What you do during the first few minutes after waking up can influence how the rest of your morning unfolds. Yet many of us start the day almost automatically, hitting snooze, reaching for our phones, rushing out of bed, and immediately thinking about everything we need to accomplish.
Here are 12 things you may want to avoid doing immediately after waking up.
Spend Your First Minutes Staring at a Screen
Going straight from sleep to emails, videos, news, or social media can make your morning feel busy before it has really begun. Give yourself a little screen-free time to open the curtains, get dressed, make breakfast, or simply wake up before diving into the digital world.
Start the Day With a Sugar-Heavy Breakfast
A pastry, sweet coffee drink, or sugary cereal may be convenient, but relying mostly on sugary foods may not keep you satisfied for long. Pairing carbohydrates with protein, fiber, or healthy fats can make breakfast more substantial and help you avoid feeling hungry again an hour later.
Hit the Snooze Button Over and Over
Those extra nine minutes can be incredibly tempting, but repeatedly waking up and falling back asleep doesn’t necessarily leave you feeling more rested. If you regularly hit snooze several times, consider setting your alarm closer to when you actually plan to get out of bed and sticking to a more consistent sleep schedule.
Automatically Skip Breakfast
Not everyone needs to eat the moment they wake up, and breakfast preferences vary from person to person. But if skipping breakfast consistently leaves you hungry, distracted, or reaching for whatever is convenient later in the morning, make time for something filling with protein, fiber, and other nutrients.
Check Your Phone Before You Even Get Out of Bed
It’s incredibly easy to turn off your alarm and immediately find yourself checking email, scrolling social media, or reading notifications. Before you know it, you’ve spent 20 minutes absorbing everyone else’s messages, problems, and updates before you’ve even had a chance to start your own day.
Drink Coffee Before Anything Else
You don’t necessarily have to give up your morning coffee, but it doesn’t have to be the very first thing your body gets after a night’s sleep. If coffee on an empty stomach makes you feel jittery or uncomfortable, try having water and food first, then save the coffee for later in your routine.
Related: Things You Can Do With Coffee Filters Besides Brewing Coffee
Forget to Drink Water
After hours of sleep without drinking anything, it’s a good idea to start replenishing fluids sometime in the morning. Keeping a glass or bottle of water somewhere you’ll see it can make drinking water part of your routine without turning it into another complicated morning task.
Related: Pour Your Pasta Water on These 10 Plants Instead of Down the Drain
Ignore a Stiff Body
After lying in roughly the same positions for hours, waking up feeling a little stiff isn’t unusual. You don’t need a full workout first thing in the morning, but a few gentle stretches or simply moving around can help your body transition from sleep to activity.
Jump Out of Bed Too Quickly
Flying out of bed the second the alarm sounds isn’t always the best approach, particularly if you’re prone to feeling lightheaded when you stand. Sitting up and giving yourself a moment before standing can make the transition from lying down to moving around feel much more comfortable.
Pack Too Much Into the First Hour
A productive morning doesn’t have to mean completing half your to-do list before breakfast. Trying to exercise, answer emails, make lunches, clean the kitchen, get everyone ready, and tackle work at the same time can turn the start of the day into an unnecessary race.
Let Stress Take Over Before the Day Starts
It’s easy to wake up and immediately begin mentally running through deadlines, bills, appointments, and everything that could go wrong. Even a few quiet minutes spent stretching, journaling, sitting outside, or simply enjoying your coffee without multitasking can create a calmer transition into the day.
Ignore What Your Body Is Telling You
Morning routines aren’t one-size-fits-all, and something that works perfectly for someone else may leave you exhausted or miserable. Pay attention to whether you’re consistently waking up tired, hungry, thirsty, stiff, or rushed, and adjust your routine around what actually helps you feel ready for the day.
