19 tricks for an instantly happier morning

Get out the door faster and worry-free with these easy morning tweaks.

Don’t hit snooze so much that you end up rushing out the door. Set your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than usual, and use the time to mentally prepare for the day. Plan your outfit, goals and breakfast, or take a moment to stretch or read the news for a happy morning.

The fewer decisions you have to make, the less stressed you’ll be. Most actions – what you eat, your bathroom ritual – can stay the same every day. Everything else should be planned ahead of time. Lay out your outfit the night before, and load everything you’ll need into your work bag.

When the natural light from the sunrise creeps into your room, it signals your brain to slow its melatonin production and boost your adrenaline, both of which tell your body to wake up. To sync your biological clock to the sun, hit the hay seven hours before sunrise so you get the recommended amount of sleep. Soon you might not even need your alarm clock.

These other tips will make waking up happier in the morning a lot easier too.

No matter how close you and your partner are, each of you should get ready in a different bathroom – or if you don’t have more than one, at different times. Instead of fighting for the sink or mirror, you can get ready calmly at your own pace.

To prevent a last-minute search while you’re trying to run out the door, keep baskets for each family member by the exit. Fill the containers with everything you’ll need for the day – your purse, wallet and keys, and your kids’ backpacks, homework and hats.

Check out these daily morning habits of highly organised people.

Even before you open your eyes, stretch your body to increase blood flow and send oxygen to your tissues. Start with your fingers, hands, wrists and arm, and then move on to your toes, feet, ankles and legs. By the time you finish with your neck and back, you’ll be ready to jump out of bed and have a happy morning.

A 30-minute workout will flood you with mood-boosting endorphins that will last most of the day. Plus, scheduling your exercise for first thing in the morning will make you more likely to stick with your workout program, studies have shown, probably because your schedule won’t have the chance to clog up with excuses. Try hopping on the treadmill, doing yoga, or turning on a workout video you enjoy.

Learn the best workout for every age.

For the mornings you hit snooze too many times or get sidetracked when you’re getting ready, an already-picked-out outfit will get you dressed effortlessly. Store an outfit, complete with socks and jewellery, on a hanger so you can throw it on and dash out the door.

Discover 15 style secrets of women who always look put together.

Every night, your body goes through a fast while you’re asleep, leaving you dehydrated when you wake up. Drink a glass of water as soon as you’re up to hydrate.

Here are 10 ways your body changes when you start drinking enough water.