9 Things to Do as Soon As You Wake Up

1. Plan ahead!

Goodwin says — make a plan. It doesn’t need to be a minute-by-minute itinerary, but it should map out the major tasks or things you want to accomplish the next day — and how you want to spend the first few hours of the day.

2. Resist the snooze

those 10 extra minutes of shuteye tend to be low-quality, light sleep since it’s not long enough for your body to make it through another sleep cycle (which tends to take around 90 minutes).

3. Drink water

Goel says. A glass or two of H2O first thing helps replenish your body’s hydration stores. It also starts your metabolism on the right foot (since the body relies on water to keep all your digestive processes running smoothly).

4. Meditate

Goodwin says. Some people might not necessarily feel an energy boost from meditating, but because it helps us to think more effectively and efficiently, it should make for a much more productive day.

5. Exercise

Muster the energy to start sweating first thing and it will reward you. Exercise releases endorphins — chemicals produced in the brain that help minimize pain and discomfort and increase wellbeing (essentially the body’s own painkillers)

6. Get outside

Getting sunlight first thing in the morning tells your body clock it’s time to start the day, Goel explains. There’s an entire field of research (chronobiology) that shows light is what triggers the body to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that tells the body to sleep, and be more alert.

7. Make coffee

Goel says. There’s a lot of data to show it really does help most people feel more alert and less groggy, she says. And while a coffee habit can get a bad rap, there’s also a lot of research that shows drinking it (in moderation!) actually has some health benefits, too.

8. Eat breakfast

Our metabolism works better earlier in the day, Goel explains. That means that the body is better able to turn the calories you eat into energy that you can use in the morning, she says. (Recent research from her team backs this up, showing that eating bigger meals later in the day was linked to more weight gain and higher cholesterol

9. Spend time with your family and friends

Being with people you like and love can serve up a big boost to our mood and energy levels, Goodwin says. (Just keep in mind that stressful interactions with family and friends do the opposite