In an ideal world, we all should be ‘morning people’ who wake up cheerful, renewed and 100% ready for feats. But this is a fairy tale. In fact, many of us consider the morning to be more or less successful if it is possible to get up at least with the third alarm clock, not to spill coffee on the T-shirt and not be late for the university.
Could you change the situation? Definitely! The correct start of the day is one of the most effective ways to be successful in school or higher educational institution. Read the useful tips below.
Sleep more
A good night’s sleep is a very important component of our health. All the recovery processes occur at night. Morning drowsiness and weakness suggest that the body did not have enough time to replenish the vital forces. A common opinion that it is worth sleeping 8 hours is not an irrefutable truth. People are different. Someone may be satisfied with 6 hours while another person will claim that 9 hours are not enough.
After a series of experiments, researchers of Harvard University came to the conclusion that a full-fledged sleep contributes to:
- Improvement of memory and creative thinking.
- Acceleration of metabolism and slowing down the accumulation of subcutaneous fat.
- Increasing concentration and raising the mood.
- Lowering of pressure and stress level.
- Strengthening immunity.
Wake up at the right time
Perhaps you already know that sleep consists of two stages which alternate several times during the night: the REM sleep (rapid eye movement) when we see dreams and non-REM phase. It is very difficult to ‘get out’ from the REM stage. Waking up at such a time, you may not feel the boundary between sleep and reality for a while and just do not understand where you are.
It is best of all to wake up at the beginning of the non-REM phase. Catching this favorable moment in the morning, you will feel much better during a day and could become a successful student owing to increased academic performance.
There are at least two ways to determine the optimal time for awakening:
- The first is experimental. It assumes that you will set the alarm for a few days at the different time and find out when it’s easier for you to wake up.
- The second one is technological. Today, there are many gadgets and apps for the smartphones which analyze the sleep. Try to use them. This can solve the problem of morning weakness.
Get up at the same time every day
If you are not going to follow the recommendations from the previous tip, this one will be useful. Day regime is a very powerful thing. You are able to accustom your body to the fact that it needs to get up at a certain time. Sooner or later, your internal clock will be well-tuned. You will feel the discomfort while staying in the bed too long. The sixth sense will make you wake up. In order not to knock down this inner rhythm, try to get up early even on the weekend.
Do physical exercises in the morning
Perhaps you will say that this is madness. ‘I hardly get up to go to university. I do not have the energy and time for gymnastics.’ It has been proved scientifically that morning physical activity tones the body very well, activates the brain and promotes the accelerated removal of slags. Your productivity and vivacity will increase and you will be protected from stress.
Get enough sunlight
Make sure that you get a healthy dose of vitamin D which is synthesized in sunlight. Is it a cloudy day? How to be more studious then? At least have a short walk on the way to university or sit near the window. When you get less natural light and use electric lamps, the health and the quality of your sleep suffer.
Proper breakfast is the key to a successful day
The human body should receive the necessary portion of calories in the morning. The amount of protein in the breakfast should be not less than 30 g. Owing to it you will not feel hungry for a long time. However, is undesirable to eat more than 30 grams. Protein is poorly absorbed by the body in large amounts.
According to studies, the metabolism of those people who receive a sufficient dose of protein works 4% faster. This positively affects state of health.
One of the best breakfast options for a student is oatmeal – very useful and nourishing dish. You can add cinnamon, honey, apples or walnuts to it.
It’s also a great idea to eat eggs in the morning. There is an idea that chicken eggs are a harmful product because they contribute to the accumulation of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the body. However, modern research shows that this is not the case. On the contrary, eggs are very useful with moderate consumption. They contain about twelve essential vitamins and a huge amount of trace elements. In addition, according to recent studies, such food reduces the risk of obesity. Doctors recommend eating no more than 2-3 eggs for breakfast.
Smile!
Psychologists advise to start the day with a smile. Even if you had a nightmare and feel upset, try to ‘squeeze’ a smile out of yourself. According to experts, you will feel better and your mood will improve.
Just smile to your reflection in the mirror. Select the dishes of the brightest, iridescent colors during the breakfast. This will adjust you on the positive wave. If nothing pleases you, imagine something nice, turn on your favorite music and think about the fact that everything will be fine, a new day will bring many interesting meetings and events.
The article was compiled by Oliver Swanson, journalist and contributor to essay writing service Pro-Papers, with a hope that this material will help you to develop the useful academic habits.
