This Morning Trick Can Boost Focus in Just 5 Minutes, According to Doctors

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This Morning Trick Can Boost Focus in Just 5 Minutes, According to Doctors originally appeared on Parade.
Getting up in the morning can be a struggle, especially when you're feeling extra-groggy with a long to-do list. Luckily, engaging in a few early-morning activities can give your brain a boost and help you feel alert enough to take on the day.The groggy morning feelings are due to sleep inertia, which is a temporary disorientation, drowsiness or cognitive impairment when you rouse from sleep, and it usually lasts about 30 minutes, according to the Sleep Foundation. Most people experience sleep inertia to some degree, but it's often more common for people who don't get enough sleep. 'The brain does need a little boost first thing in the morning because you're transitioning from sleep mode to awake mode,' explains , a family physician in Salem, Ohio, who focuses on geriatric health and longevity. You might think that pouring yourself a big cup of coffee will do the trick. And while it certainly can, what you really need is an activity that helps you transition from sleep to getting into the swing of your day, Dr. Sevilla says. There are actually several activities that you can do in the morning to get your brain going and boost focus throughout the day. 🩺SIGN UP for tips to stay healthy & fit with the top moves, clean eats, health trends & more delivered right to your inbox twice a week💊
If you're feeling groggy and in desperate need of the power to focus, try splashing cold water on your face. An older small study found that when people splash their faces with chilly water after a nap, five minutes afterward, they performed just as well on a memory search task as those who didn't nap. Related: The Mid-Morning Habit Neurologists Are Begging You to Never, Ever DoTaking a cold shower could have a similar effect. Research suggests that immersing yourself in cold water can help you feel more attentive and alert. Dr. Sevilla says he switches to cold water at the end of his morning shower, explaining, 'This really helps me become more alert for the day ahead.'
Not a cold water fan? We don't blame you! And we have other options for you. They include:
Mornings are usually quiet. So, taking a few minutes to meditate lets you focus on yourself and start your day off right, says director of the neuroscience program at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. She suggests surrounding yourself with calming music and positioning yourself in a comfortable space. 'You have time, and you're doing your meditation, the things that make you happy,' she says.
Getting sunlight exposure within 30 minutes to an hour of waking up can ignite your brain, Dr. Sevilla says. A small 2023 study suggested that morning bright light helped office workers, who spend most of their days indoors, feel more alert; they also slept better at night.
Taking a walk outside will help you get moving and give you sunlight exposure, Dr. Sevilla says. Another idea is to incorporate yoga into your meditation practice, Dr. Fabian-Fine says. Exercise has been shown to give you energy and boost alertness, two things you need first thing in the morning. Related: Want To Lose Weight? Here's the One Thing Dietitians Are Begging You To Do When You Wake Up
Eating prebiotic-rich foods, like oats, slightly green bananas, flaxseeds and cooked starchy vegetables for breakfast will give you 'fermentable fibers' that nourish healthy gut bacteria, says Dr. Hariom Yadav, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurosurgery and brain repair and director of the Center for Microbiome Research at the University of South Florida in Tampa. He suggests also incorporating probiotics, such as yogurt, kefir and fermented foods, which will support gut health—and also brain health.
New research, co-authored by Dr. Yadav and published in Nature Scientific Reports, found that consuming probiotics restores balance to the gut microbiome and reduces inflammation in the body, including the brain. This could help activate your brain in the morning, and also potentially lower your risk for dementia later on.
Mornings can be chaotic. You're probably trying to get yourself and everyone in your household ready, grabbing breakfast and checking your phone, while getting out the door on time. But Dr. Fabian-Fine advises taking it slowly to recharge yourself. Too much multitasking means 'we're overloading our brains constantly,' she says. Related: I'm a Neuroscientist and I Like To Start My Mornings With This Surprising Habit
Many people grab their phones as soon as they wake up and immediately start scrolling social media. Dr. Sevilla says this is something you should avoid, as it can stress you out rather than support your brain. Activities like doomscrolling 'set you up for conditions like chronic fatigue, because you constantly need that quick rush of dopamine by constantly reading social media or the internet,' he adds. Too often, people 'take their brain health for granted,' Dr. Fabian-Fine says. Taking some time for yourself in the morning and participating in brain-healthy activities will help you focus throughout the day and keep your brain healthy long term.
Up Next: Mike Sevilla, MD, a family physician in Salem, Ohio, who focuses on geriatric health and longevity
Ruth Fabian-Fine, Ph.D., director of the neuroscience program at St. Michael's College
Hariom Yadav, Ph.D., an associate professor of neurosurgery and brain repair and director of the Center for Microbiome Research at the University of South Florida
Sleep Inertia: How to Combat Morning Grogginess, Sleep Foundation
The alerting effects of caffeine, bright light and face washing after a short daytime nap, Clinical Neurophysiology
Short-Term Head-Out Whole-Body Cold-Water Immersion Facilitates Positive Affect and Increases Interaction between Large-Scale Brain Networks, Biology
Shine light on sleep: Morning bright light improves nocturnal sleep and next morning alertness among college students, Journal of Sleep Research
Does exercise really boost energy levels? Harvard Medical School
Protection of Alzheimer's disease progression by a human-origin probiotics cocktail, Scientific Reports
This Morning Trick Can Boost Focus in Just 5 Minutes, According to Doctors first appeared on Parade on Jun 29, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.