Apparently more than 1/3 of us don’t get 7+ hours of sleep a night. Chronic lack of sleep can mean poor concentration, low mood, and terrible food choices! It can all become a vicious circle. 

Here are 5 things you can do to try and break the cycle.

#1 Never “snooze”

Pressing the snooze button won’t achieve anything except make you in a massive rush (or late!) Falling back asleep after the alarm goes off means you are likely to go into REM sleep which can leave you feeling groggy. Your best bet is to get up and just get an earlier night that day.

#2 Natural light

Get some natural light as soon as possible after waking up. This could mean opening the curtains, or using one of those sunrise clocks that mimic soft outside light. Natural light helps regulate your brain’s production of melatonin, and boosts serotonin. Win/win!

#3 Cold shower if you dare!

A blast of cold shower in the morning wakes up your body and mind, leaving you focused and energised.

#4 Eat a balanced breakfast

Don’t have a breakfast that’s heavy on the carbs (cereal, toast, orange juice…) Get some protein and also a little fat in there too, to balance your energy levels and set you up for good food decisions all day.

#5 Strategic caffeine

Your body is already in “alert” mode when you wake up (thanks to cortisol). Drinking coffee straight away can interfere with this. Wait until later in the morning. And don’t drink coffee within 6 hours of bedtime.

Who is going to try the cold shower?