There are simple, natural ways to wake up refreshed and full of energy – regardless of age or sleeping habits. Dive into ancient folk remedies and insights from modern science that can completely transform your morning experience.

What Happens to Our Body While We Sleep?

While we lie under the blanket, perhaps dreaming of a forest where medicinal plants whisper ancient stories, our body is performing an incredibly important task: rejuvenation. However, the key player in this nightly overhaul is the hormone cortisol, which is worth remembering. Although many associate it solely with stress, it is actually our ally.

Cortisol ensures that we can wake up in the morning. Its levels begin to rise early in the morning, around 4 a.m., and peak when we open our eyes. It's the natural alarm clock that gives us the boost for a new day.

According to the Harvard Medical School, cortisol is not just a stress hormone – it helps regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, inflammation, and even our memory. But if we use it up too quickly in the morning (for example, with a harsh alarm clock sound), we run out of it for the rest of the day. And then by mid-morning, we feel like we've been hit by a train.

Why Does a Harsh Alarm Clock Harm Us?

Remember the times of our grandmothers. The alarm clock used to be a rooster, not a ship's siren from a phone. Today, we are fortunate enough to set an alarm that plays our favorite song or wakes us up with natural sounds – forest rustling, waves, or birds chirping. A 2020 study published in the journal PLOS ONE showed that melodic alarms wake us up more gently and reduce the feeling of confusion, also known as sleep inertia.

Why is this important? Because when we wake up in a panic, our body releases a large dose of cortisol and adrenaline. It's like being thrown into ice-cold water. Such a shock to the body means that you will feel tired in two hours, even though the day has just begun.

Snooze Button: Our Worst Enemy?

One could say that the snooze button is one of the biggest modern scams. It seems like a savior – just 5 more minutes – but it actually confuses our body. When you hit the snooze button, a new sleep cycle begins, which you do not complete. This makes you even sleepier.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), more than 57% of people regularly use the snooze button, but studies show that this reduces cortisol levels, decreases cognitive alertness, and impacts mood.

Instead, try the following: place the alarm clock on the other side of the room. This way, you will have to get up to turn it off. And if you do get up, let your first thought be – today I will triumph. According to folk tradition dating back to 18th-century Slovenian writings, a person should spend the first hour of the day in silence, gratitude, and without haste – this was believed to bring luck throughout the day.

What Does Ancient Wisdom Say About Wake-Up Times?

In Ayurveda – the ancient Indian medical science – it is said that the best time to wake up is between 4:30 and 6:00 in the morning. This is when, according to them, the wind element (vata) is most gentle for awakening the body and mind. This practice, now confirmed by numerous studies (such as the Journal of Psychiatric Research in 2017), shows that early rising reduces the risk of depression by 23% compared to those who get up after 8 a.m.

It's also interesting to note that Tibetan monks have been waking up at sunrise for millennia, believing that catching the first light of day imparts strength to the body, which we now call circadian rhythm regulation scientifically.

Bedroom Temperature: Why a Cold Room Means a Better Morning?

Our ancestors slept in unheated rooms, wrapped in thick blankets, and this was not by chance. Today we know that the ideal sleeping temperature is between 16 and 19 degrees Celsius, as advised by the National Sleep Foundation. Higher temperatures disrupt the natural decrease in body temperature, which is essential for deep sleep.

When you sleep in a room that's too warm (over 22 degrees Celsius, for example), your body expends energy on cooling rather than on regeneration. The result? You wake up overheated, groggy, perhaps even slightly irritable in the morning.

Our experiences also show that many people who sleep with a window open or ventilation at night report better sleep quality, fewer colds, and even improved mood throughout the day. Ancient herbalists often said that sleeping in a cool room strengthens the spirit, and perhaps they knew more than we think.

The Effect of Light: Why Sunlight Heals Better Than Coffee

When you open your eyes, let the light into the room. Daylight suppresses melatonin – the sleep hormone – and at the same time, it promotes the production of serotonin, the feel-good hormone. If the sun isn't shining right away, turn on a bright light or go out onto the balcony. Just 10 minutes of light in the morning can completely change your energy, as a 2021 study from the University of Colorado suggests.

Folk Wisdom: Evening Rituals That Help Morning Freshness

We must not forget what we do before bed. If we want the morning to be light, the evening must be calm. Ancient healers recommended drinking herbal tea before bed – mostly melissa, hops, or lavender. Interestingly, just one cup of melissa tea reduces anxiety levels and improves sleep quality, as shown in a 2014 study published in the Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition.

They also recommend turning off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime, as blue light suppresses melatonin production. This was also confirmed by researchers from the Harvard Medical School, who found that using a phone in bed reduces total sleep time by 33%.

The Morning Truly Shows by How We Wake Up

Our morning is like a seed we plant for the entire day. If we water it with panic, drowsiness, and laziness, the day will be the same. But if we bring in a bit of cold air, a gentle alarm, a cup of tea, and sunlight, we'll be much closer to feeling alive throughout the day.

And something to think about: the ancient Celts believed that a person who wakes up with a smile is capable of healing others. Have you smiled this morning?

Are you interested in which herbs help improve sleep quality? Would you like to try the evening rituals of our ancestors to soothe the body and mind? Write to us or follow us on Vemkajjem.si, where we publish new tips every week, supported by both tradition and science.