How to Wake Up Happy

The mood you wake up in usually sets the tone for your whole day, and it can be quite hard to turn things around when you wake up with a gloomy, pessimistic outlook on life. It is thus important to try and start your day in as happy a mood as possible. If you struggle with starting the day with a positive attitude, here are nine tips on how to wake up happy.

1. Get some good sleep

It may seem obvious that the best way to wake up in a good mood is to sleep well, but it’s not as straightforward of a concept as it appears. To get some good sleep means having a deep, relaxing sleep so that you truly feel rested in the morning, even if you wake up early. This requires you to go to bed at a reasonably early time and avoid stimulating foods, drinks and activities immediately before retiring to bed.

Avoid rigorous exercise and drinking caffeinated beverages at night. These will either keep you up at night or disrupt your sleep.

2. Do a relaxing activity before sleep

In order to calm the mind before sleep, you should do something that completely relaxes you before sleep. Suggested activities are meditation, journaling and reading a relaxing (and not an exciting!) book.

3. Have everything organized

No one likes to wake up to a messy room or with a long list of things to take care of first thing in the morning. Try to keep your room tidy and make sure everything you can take care of beforehand is already done when you go to bed, so that you can wake up in a relaxed environment. This will set you up to get up in a good mood.

4. If you wake up early, do something productive

If at times, if you wake up early and cannot fall back asleep, try getting up and being productive. Instead of feeling like you missed out on sleep, you will be happy to have had a productive morning in which you completed some tasks. You will feel like you have gained precious hours by getting up early by chance.

5. Think only about the day in front of you

In Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,” he mentions a wise quote: “Everyday is a new life to a wise man.” If you are going through a tough time, it will help to take it one day at a time, and “live in day-tight compartments” as Dale Carnegie wisely suggests. You only need to get through one day. Tomorrow is another life. You can certainly manage one day, and this thought will help you wake up happy.

6. Find something to be excited about

It is much easier to go through the motions of daily routines if you have something to look forward to, so you should find something to be excited about every morning. This will encourage you to face the day ahead, regardless of what dreary tasks are awaiting.

7. Let the sunshine in

Try opening a window or having breakfast in the balcony or backyard if you have one. Seeing the sunlight signals your body to stop producing hormones which make you feel sleepy and it boosts your mood, so that you can truly feel happy as soon as you wake up.

8. Drink something healthy

Starting the day with a healthy drink will infuse your body with nutrients, and leave you feeling energized and refreshed. Try starting your morning with healthy sugar-free beverages such as fresh juice or green juice made with powder. It is best to avoid sugar and carbs in the morning, as these foods tend to make you feel lethargic.

9. Make a conscious choice to be happy

It is easy to be depressed; everyone knows how to feel bad, and no instructions are needed. Being happy actually takes a conscious effort on YOU. As you awake every morning, make a conscious choice to be happy that day. Choose to be grateful and look on the bright side of things.