10 ways to Boost your energy and mood before 10AM

1. Stay in Bed for 10 Minutes Longer

Yes seriously. Rather than jumping out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off (or more realistically hitting snooze on your alarm clock ten times) it could help to start the day with five minutes of conscious awakening. Ok, we know that sounds a bit GOOP but hear us out. Start by lying on your back and bringing yourself into the present moment. Focus on your breathing, and start to awaken your senses – the temperature of the air, the smell of the room, feel of the sheets. Set an intention for the day so that you are focusing your mind on something positive from the start.

2. Stretch it out

When you think about it, it doesn’t make much sense jumping out of bed after being horizontal for eight hours. Your body needs time to wake up and ease into the day. Doing a quick 5 minute stretch – from your toes to your neck – means your body has a moment to adjust.

3. Put on some tunes

Everybody needs a morning playlist. Something positive to wake up to and get you out of bed. But there’s actually a science behind the music you wake up to. Spotify enlisted the help of psychologist David M Greenberg to identify the elements of a song that help you wake up, along with a list of the top tunes. Firstly, it’s music that builds, which can get you out of bed gently and gradually increase energy levels. Then it’s all about positivity – the songs that put a smile on your face and get you ready for the day. Lastly, anything with a strong beat that makes you feel like dancing. According to Spotify that means “beats 2 and 4 of each measure with a BPM of approx 100-130”. Yeah we don’t know what that means either. But they’ve made a list of the top songs to get out of bed to here.

4. Smile (or fake it till you make it)

This isn’t technically for the morning (you can do it at any time during the day) but smiling can stimulate happy thoughts (even if you’re not so happy about being woken up). When you smile, the movement of muscles in your face releases endorphins (the warm fuzzy feelings) and smiling or laughing releases serotonin, a neurotransmitter which makes you feel positive. Try this when you start the day on the wrong foot, or have a stressful day ahead.

5. Do the shower trick

Right, this one isn’t as pleasant as a smile, but if you’re in need of a quick boost of energy try this. At the end of your shower blast yourself with cold water, followed by hot water, then cold for 30 seconds each. The change in temperature will improve circulation, increasing blood flow and stimulate the mind and body.

6. Make your bed

You must have heard this one before. Perhaps in the speech by a Navy Seal called Admiral William H. McRaven that went viral with over 10 million views. He said: “If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task, and another, and another. And by the end of the day that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed.” So not just a myth started by mothers to get their children to make their bed.

7. Take some CBD

You can do this at any time of the day, but working CBD into your morning routine helps start the day off right. Part of the reason we decided to launch a range of CBD oils were the hundreds of testimonials around increased energy, confidence and positivity. CBD works with the endocannabinoid system to improve the cells that make you sluggish and sleepy and activating the serotonin receptors in your brain, meaning if you’re running low, it will level them out. Drop it in your morning tea, smoothie or coffee (it’s rumoured to take the edge off caffeine too) – you can get ours here.

8. Sprinkle some hemp seeds on it

Our whole hemp seeds are bursting with good stuff – that’s omega 3 which is great for healthy brain function and mood plus dietary fibre and protein which slowly releases energy throughout the day. Sprinkle some on your porridge, cereal or smoothie bowl. This berry acai bowl will do the trick.

9. Exercise

It’s no news that exercise = endorphins, but we’ll say it again. Whether it’s swimming, running, walking or Barry’s Bootcamp (we salute you), getting your heart rate up is a sure way to increase energy and mood in the mornings.

10. Do something good for someone

Okay so there’s no scientific proof behind this one, but here at Good Hemp we wholly believe that doing one nice thing for someone else in the morning should be part of everyone’s daily routine. Maybe it’s making your loved one a special iced coffee to wake up to, or sending a song you love to a friend. Maybe it’s holding the door open for a stranger or buying a homeless person a coffee on the way to work. We think it’s the little things that make a world of difference.