To say that I'm not a morning person would be an understatement. While some people can just roll out of bed all bright and shiny, I resemble someone from The Walking Dead. Same? I'm always looking for ways to feel more refreshed in the morning, but this one trick is way simpler than everything else touted. f you start right in on the coffee or tea in the morning, and you're wondering why you're still exhausted, drink water right when you get up instead.
Seriously, it's that simple. I am by no means suggesting you forego your coffee because that would be absurd. Just have the water first. "Most people have their coffee first thing in the morning," Rania Batayneh, MPH, a nutritionist and author, told Business Insider. "Although [coffee] is a good source of antioxidants, it is also dehydrating. You can offset this with water." While sleep in itself may not be hard work, the time you spend in bed — anywhere from seven to nine hours, depending on your sleep needs — is a long time to go without water. Because of this, you may be dehydrated and crabby when you wake up in the morning.
"One of the biggest indicators of lethargy or low energy is that you are dehydrated," Batayneh said "Because water aids in both body regulation and brain function, it is also closely related to balancing out our moods." I take a lot of vitamins in the morning, which is the only way I get two pints of water down before I dive into my coffee, and it does help me feel more awake and focused.
If chugging regular water isn't your jam, adding lemon can not only make it taste better, but also give you a lot of health benefits, too. "Drinking water with lemon anytime of the day can help you get and keep better health," registered dietitian Ashley Koff told INSIDER. Growing up, water with lemon was my mom's signature drink, and I picked it up from her. Lemons can provide your body with vitamin C, polyphenols, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Koff noted that lemon "triggers the release of sodium bicarb (alkaline part) into the small intestine, and this can help relieve indigestion."
Perhaps when people say someone got up on the wrong side of the bed they're referring to the side without a glass of water on the nightstand. If you're still not convinced, one Bright Side writer experimented with drinking water first thing in the morning every day for a month, and the results are pretty amazing.
After visiting countless doctors for constant fatigue, the writer decided to try starting the day by drinking water. Benefits of a a few morning glasses of H2O included improved skin, reduction in heartburn, healthier hair, an increase in metabolism, elimination of urinary tract infections, and getting sick less often. This whole drinking water thing is actually a ritual that is common in Japan, and it's known as Japanese Water Therapy.
"This technique involves the consumption of up to one-and-a-half liter of water upon waking up, on an empty stomach," Consumer Health Digest reported. "It is advised that the body will have more bowel movements during the first phase of this technique, but will soon adapt to the change and health benefits will also soon start to show."
So, if you have trouble going to the bathroom in the morning, drinking water can help jumpstart your digestion. "When water is consumed on an empty stomach, it can easily move throughout the digestive system. A vital function of water therapy, especially in the morning, is to purify the colon."
I sometimes have a hard time drinking enough water, and I find that using a straw helps me drink a lot more water than I would otherwise. If you've tried everything possible to get going in the morning, but you still feel like a zombie, there's really nothing to lose by embracing morning water therapy. You can even pair your morning water with a cold shower, which studies suggest can reduce fatigue, depression, and inflammation, improve circulation, and ease the pain of sore muscles.
Who knew the secret to feeling better in the morning was freely available right from your faucet? Seriously, sometimes we make things more difficult than they have to be. While all of this water might not turn you into a morning person, it can definitely make mornings less painful, and it will set you up for success for the rest of your day so you can slay like the boss you are.
