Mornings, especially in the winter when it’s cold and dark, can be a struggle. But even though summer is now upon us, morning routines are still an essential way to kick start your day. In fact, getting things right after you first awake can lead to a far more productive and positive day ahead.

Here are our top five tips for starting your day the right way:

1. Get enough sleep

Okay, so technically speaking it’s not something you can do each morning, but the key to a good start is by getting enough sleep the night before. After all, our bodies need a certain amount of rest to ensure that we are in the best possible shape to face the day ahead. Getting around 8 hours of sleep will ensure that you are suitably rested and less likely to feel sluggish the next morning.

2. Rehydrate yourself

You’ve been fasting all through the night and will have inevitably become dehydrated to a certain degree. That’s why it’s important that you replenish your body’s fluids as soon as possible when you awake.

Some people find it difficult to drink several cups of water in the morning and if you’re one of these people then look to tea or coffee for your required fluid intake. The latter is a convenient beverage as many people now have coffee machines in their homes.

Just make sure that if you do have a coffee machine that uses pods, you’ve got plenty of supplies. If not, check out the range of coffee pods by Tassimo to restock your kitchen.

3. Eat a balanced breakfast

A balanced breakfast is the best possible way to fuel your body for the coming day. It’s bad enough that some people eat poor breakfasts, but others don’t eat breakfast at all! There’s always an excuse about not having time or dieting, but the fact of the matter is that skipping breakfast is a really bad habit to get into.

Your body has been without food for around eight hours and needs energy to get you going. By starving it further you will reduce your chances of having a really great day. The perfect breakfast combination would include complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of good fat. Think whole-grain cereals, low-fat yogurt and boiled eggs to fuel your body.

4. Exercise

Waking up is not just something that your mind needs to do but also your body. Therefore, by undertaking some exercise early in the morning you can shake off the sleepiness that your muscles might be feeling.

Some people are keen runners and a morning jog is the order of the day. But for people who prefer gentler exercise, yoga or Pilates is a great alternative to rigorous exercise and will make you feel great.

5. Take a shower or a bath

Feeling lethargic when you first awake is natural but you can soon wash away that feeling with a refreshing shower or deep bath. It’s up to you whether you opt for an intensely hot shower or a shiver-inducing cold one. Either way, the feeling you get right after bathing is hard to beat. Plus, you don’t want to feel self-conscious while at work, or anywhere else for that matter, because you didn’t take a shower or a bath before you left the house.