Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed habits that would allow people to wake up refreshed and alert. These include getting enough sleep, having a good breakfast, and exercising. Moreover, the researchers found that these habits prevented grogginess in the morning.
Habits that improve alertness
Researchers concluded that for people to wake up refreshed, they had to have worked out the previous day and slept for a long period. Moreover, they had to take a breakfast that was rich in complex carbohydrates and low in sugar. As a result, they were able to stay alert throughout their day.
For this study, the researchers gathered 833 people and studied them for two weeks. The team used fraternal and identical twins to account for the differences in sleep patterns caused by genes. They provided the group with breakfast and used activity teachers to monitor the regularity, timing, quality, and quantity of their sleep.
According to Raphael Vallat, a study author from the University of Berkley, all three habits had their effects. For instance, sleeping longer enabled the study participants to stay alert. Furthermore, exercising on the previous day also increased alertness. Each of these activities, when done alone, could increase alertness thought-out the day.
Impacts of morning grogginess
Although many believe morning grogginess is normal, it can negatively impact work absenteeism and reduced productivity. However, Mathew Walker, a neuroscience and psychology professor from the university, believes that the worst result it can have is accidents. Work-related accidents can lead to disabilities or death. For this reason, Walker thinks that scientists have a responsibility to help people wake up better in the mornings.
For their breakfast meals, the researchers gave the participants varying proportions of nutrients in their muffins. They then gave them glucose monitors to evaluate their daily blood glucose.
Results indicated that people who received muffins with the highest sugar content were the least alert and had difficulty staying active during the day. Muffins with the highest complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, elicited the most activity.
The team also recommended getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep daily so that people wake up alert in the morning.
