5 quick morning habits for success

HEALTH TIPS 

Want to make the most out of your morning, no matter how late to work you are? These morning tricks will set you up for success. Altogether they'll just take up five minutes of your time, so you can add them into even the most hectic morning routine.

1. Don't snooze:.It's easier said than done, but trust us, this works. Forgoing the snooze button and getting up as soon as your alarm goes off will help you feel less tired.How to do it: Set your alarm for the time you want to get up, not an earlier time just so you can hit snooze. Using a fitness tracker or smartphone app that tracks your sleep cycle can help rouse you out of slumber when you're not in your deepest sleep.

2. Stretch: Feeling groggy? Try waking up your body with a few stretches that will also aid digestion and help you become more flexible (an important aspect of staying injury-free, no matter how active you are).How to do it: The good news is that you can do these soothing, energizing stretches right in bed to ease you into your morning routine.

3. Be mindful: Even the most meditation-averse among us can benefit from being present and more mindful. No need to spend five minutes trying to concentrate on thinking about nothing (although, if you want to, it works) - a pause to be in the moment, whatever that moment is, can help.How to do it: Use this mindfulness guide to find different ways to be more present in your daily actions, sipping your morning coffee (or tea) to your commute.

4. Breathe: A few deep breaths can go a long way to center your mind and increase your focus throughout the rest of the day.How to do it: Use this breathing technique when you're lying in your bed before you get up.

5. Hydrate:The first thing you should think about when you wake up is water. Overnight, your body loses hydration, so replenishing fluids helps wake up your body (and metabolism) while flushing out toxins.

How to do it: Drink an eight- or 16-ounce glass of cold water in the morning as soon as you get out of bed, or opt for a mug of hot water with lemon.