DAWN M WAKE UP WITH A SMILE

ornings can be hard... really hard. After too few hours of sleep or a restless night, even the sprightliest early birds can feel annoyed at the first sounds of the alarm clock. Nothing beats getting adequate sleep, but morning rituals can help you start the day less stressed and more energized.

One of the most important aspects of a calm morning is giving yourself enough time to properly wake up and get ready. If you must help your family get ready for school or work, it may seem impossible to accomplish everything without dashing around the house but it can be done. Organize as much as possible the night before by preparing lunches, packing bags, signing forms, and laying out clothes.

Though it’s tempting to hit the snooze button and sleep for just five more minutes, try to resist. Help your circadian rhythm by allowing some natural light into your bedroom. This allows your brain to slowly wake up as the sun rises. If you can’t sleep with any external stimuli and have too much light coming in from the street, you can buy an alarm clock that can be programmed to simulate the brightening sun. If it’s warm outside, you can also leave your windows open. The fresh air will help you wake up feeling more rejuvenated.

After turning off your alarm clock, take a few moments to allow your body to rouse. While still lying down, stretch your arms and legs, wiggle your toes and fingers, and rotate your ankles and wrists. Once out of bed, do a few arm and leg stretches, bend forward and backward to stretch your back, and touch your toes. These stretches are easy to do while still a little drowsy and will promote blood circulation in order to feel more awake.

After stretching, drink a glass of water. Your body has spent the night detoxifying and repairing cells; drinking water helps flush out the toxins. Since dehydration is often a cause of grogginess and fatigue, try to drink water throughout the entire day.

Now it’s time for a nice morning shower. The water will help you feel refreshed, more awake, and ready to tackle the day. If you prefer to shower at night, you can still get similar benefits in the morning by washing your face. Citrus scents have been shown to improve alertness, so look for body washes and cleansers that contain citrus aromas. If you already have a skin care regimen and the products do not contain citrus odors, you can purchase aromatherapy oils in orange, lemon, lime, or grapefruit scents and take a nice whiff of them instead.

After enjoying your shower or wash, get dressed and head into the kitchen. If you have a morning coffee or tea, don’t gulp it down while trying to do 20 other things. Sit down and savor it. If you’re not a tea or coffee drinker, a great way to still enjoy a satisfying, hot beverage is to drink a mug of warm water flavored with lemon juice.

If the weather is too warm for hot drinks, a smoothie is the perfect alternative. It also makes a great, healthy breakfast. Simply combine frozen fruit, such as berries or a banana, with your liquid of choice (milk, almond milk, soymilk, etc.), a handful of raw spinach, and a tablespoon of cocoa or peanut butter. Blend until smooth. This drink is jam-packed with nutrients and is easy for your body to digest, so you won’t feel sluggish after drinking it.

While enjoying your morning drink, listen to some of your favorite music. If you have certain songs that make you feel upbeat and positive, put them in a playlist and let them elevate your mood. If there is a particular morning show on the television or radio that you like, use that instead. Try to avoid depressing news and seek out programs that are uplifting and entertaining.

By changing negative thoughts and practices and deciding to embrace the day’s beginning, you can transform your morning from being a hurried, harried, stressful time into being a relaxed, pleasant, and uplifting experience. This creates a positive environment for you and any other household members and will benefit the emotional and physical health of everyone involved. When you feel great, you emanate positivity and others around you will sense this. By taking control of your mornings and, in turn, your overall attitude, you’ll have the power to change all aspects of your life. Don’t settle for a life of snooze buttons. Wake up and get living!

We here at Lake OMS practice a full scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery that includes expertise in the areas of corrective jaw surgery, wisdom teeth removal, diagnosis and treatment of facial injuries, as well as bone-grafting procedures Drs. Azizi and Figueroa employ the most recent advances in dental implant technology by utilizing CT-guided system for minimally-invasive implant surgery. With this technology, we can evaluate the bone ahead of time and place implants precisely in an ideal functional and esthetic position. We are committed to provide the highest quality treatment so our patients can smile and function with confidence.