For someone who lives in the greater Seattle area, I am an anomaly in that I do not drink coffee. There is Starbucks and Tullys and Peet’s, Oh My! (oh my because there’s so many more!)  I’ve learned to tolerate the smell but the taste still gets me every time. No mocha, no thank you.

Now, this does not mean I do not need help waking up in the morning. I have never been a morning person either. A frustrating combination to live with when you’re 16. It has taken many years beyond 16 to gain a few tricks to help me wake up and feel motivated. Below are the suggestions worthy of a rawr.

1. My first go-to is the shower. The warm, steamy shower. The quality of the shower experience depends on a few factors such as the shower head, the surface under your feet, the space for your elbows and most importantly, the time span of hot water. Oh, and there’s a routine. The graphic below illustrates just so perfectly a typical morning.
Unfortunately, if your hot water tank is not large enough, you get stopped at step 4. Investing in a tankless water heater is like a bottomless cup of coffee that is always hot and fresh.

2. When the shower just isn’t enough, I turn to a cup of hot water and lemon juice. Yup, it is that simple. A cup with a handle, a kettle or hot water dispenser and one lemon is all you need. Slice the lemon in half, put it in a bag or container and stash in the fridge for your week. Squeeze several drops of lemon into your water and feel your snotty self dissolve away.

3. If I’m ever so blessed to have sunshine in the morning (remember, Seattle is gray and cloudy), that  sparkling ray of sunshine is my last ray of hope to wake up with a smile. Just recently science is proving that humans need a certain amount of daylight (with its complex colors and varying intensities) to sleep well at night and feel good in the day. Daylight is crucial to balancing our circadian systems and maintaining good health. Even 15 minutes of direct sunlight can help you sleep better at night, so it truly is worth it to stop, take a break and get outside.

-Marie