5 Ways to get a morning buzz without coffee

by Startacus Admin

As you know we are rather fond of coffee here at Startacus, and we are not ashamed to admit it. Between balancing hectic work lives and battling with the end-of-the-world style weather conditions of late, the thought of a fresh cup of coffee, steaming intoxicating vapours to our brains, is one of the best motivators imaginable.

Mind boggingly, some people aren’t as in love with this ebony elixir as we are, and so for you strange folks, we've been thinking of some other ways to get you going in the morning.

Here are 5 ways to get your morning buzz without coffee....

Drink some very very very cold water

Much less fun, and potentially more painful than a cup of joe, drinking an icy cold glass of water has been shown to have all kinds of benefits that can help get your head and body buzzing in the morning. In the same way that a cold shower can get the blood pumping and stimulate your brain, iced water causes your body to dump some adrenaline into your veins, kick-starting your metabolism and increasing the level of blood that is reaching your brain. Chugging down a glass or two with your breakfast is also an excellent way to replenish some of the fluids you have lost over night and can (it has been suggested by clever scientists) keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Get into the groove

We’re sure we don't need to explain that music can have a profound effect on your mood and wakefulness. This is why you should be careful about the type of music that you listen to in the morning and select a playlist that will help to manipulate your mind and body in the right direction. Up-tempo music is especially useful for getting you going in the morning and can help provide some motivation to keep moving when all you want to do is roll back into bed and pretend the world doesn't exist. In fact this kind of music has been proven to release ‘happy chemicals’ into your brain, drenching it in good mood juice!

If you find yourself getting a little sleepy on the way to work, crank up the volume, put on your favourite toe tapper and you'll be bright and breezy in no time. If you need some inspiration for your morning mood-lifter playlist, take a look at our soundtrack to your startup journey.

Get some sun

Ok - perhaps not the most practical of suggestions amidst the UK's bleak icy midwinter, but if the sun ever returns you might be surprised to know that you can use it to get a morning buzz on!

Direct sunlight on your skin (not through a window or almost impenetrable cloud cover) has been proven as one of the most effective ways to kick-start your body into wakefulness. Aside from the obvious benefits that come with a morning boost of vitamin D, strolling around outside and breathing in the (hopefully) fresh air helps to lift your mood and relax before the work day starts in earnest. (Cartoon Disney critters optional).

Eggs, bacon, sausage, tuna, chicken and kangaroo.

Basically anything that has a high protein, and low sugar content. Aside from being essential to life, protein at breakfast is proven to help ward off pesky hunger pangs for longer and stop you from feeling like taking a late morning snooze.

This can be especially effective during the post breakfast / post lunch dip, when workers freshly stocked up on glucose begin to droop wearily over their desks. The reason for this is that glucose blocks the production of orexin, which keeps the brain alert, as a result the sandman might just pay you a visit. Protein stops glucose from acting in this way and as a result you should feel more alert!

Embrace the cold!!

Ignore what the weatherman says, you don't need to wrap up warm. No matter how much you hate to feel the icy breath of winter on your neck, you cannot deny that cold, fresh air is perhaps the best stimulant that one could hope for.

Aside from the fact that you are too afraid to lose concentration in case of frostbite, the cold air shocks your metabolism into overdrive to help maintain your body temperature - just what you need after 8 hours tucked in the toasty cocoon of your bed! We'll stick with the coffee for the time being we think!

• #coffee
• #morning energy
• #work life
• #morning buzz

Published on: 29th January 2015