Unplug And Recharge: How To Wake Up Happy

Tired of hitting the snooze bar for the third time? Sara Avant Stover has three pre-waking rituals that will help you start the day off right.
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

This morning I woke up at 4:00 a.m. Not by choice, mind you, but because the full moon was shining so brightly through the window above my bed.

Having been up too late the night before, I was a little miffed -- I really needed my Z's.... So before slipping out of bed to start my day, here's what I did to help:

(I thought I'd share it with you, in hopes that it could inspire you to get up on the right side of the bed, too!)

1)SOFTEN. When I realized I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep, my body immediately became tense. So, I softened. That is, I let my body sink into the smooth cotton of my pajamas, and beyond them, my sheets. I noticed my jaw and shoulders were starting to clench and so I began to release them, letting that relaxation spread through my whole body.

2)BREATHE MORE DEEPLY. To imprint this ease into my body, I started breathing more deeply. First I filled my lower belly with my breath, then my upper belly, then my chest. I did this several times.

3)GET EXCITED ABOUT THE DAY. Lastly, I started musing on all the wonderful things that I knew were ahead of me: a hot cup of tea and a bowl of oatmeal, a walk in the crisp autumn air, dinner with girlfriends. And, I also got excited (and curious) about all the wonderful things that would come my way that I could not yet even foresee or imagine...

What about you, are there any pre-waking rituals that help you start your day off on the right foot?

For more tips about healthy living, visit my website: http://www.thewayofthehappywoman.com

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE