Before You Touch Your Phone – 5 Quick Tricks to Begin the Day

Waking up isn’t easy. It turns out this is true not only for our bodies, but for our brains as well. If you have a habit of reaching for your phone as soon as your eyes open, you might be surprised to learn that this simple habit may be making it harder to begin your day intentionally. Before you touch your phone, try one–or all–of these five simple tricks to begin the day.

The Waking Brain

Sleep is a fascinating aspect of life. During sleep, our bodies rebuild, restore, and refresh. Our brains also perform important work, including processing memories, clearing metabolic waste, and recovering from stress. In other words, sleep is doing a lot of important work.

Given all the brain does while we sleep, we may think that how we wake up doesn’t matter. But the transition from sleep to wakefulness matters, too.

 Sleep involves several stages, including:

• Deep (slow-wave) sleep
• Light sleep
• REM (rapid eye movement or “dream”) sleep

Then, as we awaken, the brain transitions toward wakefulness and alertness.

Each stage of sleep serves different functions, and a healthy night’s sleep cycles through the stages repeatedly. If you use a wearable such as an Oura Ring or Apple Watch, you can estimate how much time you spend in different sleep stages and look for patterns over time.

It’s worth noting that waking isn’t really another stage of sleep; rather, it is the transition from sleep to wakefulness. This transition can take a little time as the brain moves toward full alertness.We may think of waking up like flipping a light switch, but the experience is often more like slowly turning up a dimmer switch.

Waking Up is Hard to Do

Many people struggle with waking up. One study estimates that 1 in 3 adults in the US are routinely sleep deprived, with only slightly more than half of Americans reporting feeling refreshed when they wake up. When we’re chronically tired, it’s understandable that we want to squeeze every possible minute of sleep out of the morning.

To help us meet daily demands, most people use alarms of one kind or another. The sound of an alarm can jar us awake, a sensation we can rush to silence. More than half of us apparently hit the snooze button. Although snoozing may feel helpful in the moment, repeatedly returning to sleep can make the transition to wakefulness more difficult.

Since so many people use their phones as alarm clocks, the device is often right there waiting to be checked the moment we wake up. A 2023 study found that nearly 83% of people check their phones within 10 minutes of waking. I understand the temptation to check your phone while still in bed. It feels like an “easy” way to start the day, giving you a few more minutes in bed before you have to get up.

Unfortunately, while this may feel easier for the body, it may not actually be great for the brain.

Why Waiting Before You Check Your Phone May Help

Checking your phone immediately can interrupt the gradual transition from sleep to full alertness.

Consider an analogy. Have you ever noticed that when you first wake in the morning you can’t make a fist? This is because during sleep, your blood flow and circulation slow down. The extended period of stillness can leave your joints feeling stiff. This mild tightness usually goes away within a few minutes, once you start moving and warming up your hands.

The brain also needs a transition period as it moves from sleep toward full alertness. When you grab your phone as soon as you open your eyes, it’s a little like asking your body to perform before it has warmed up. Your brain may feel as though it has been asked to go from zero to sixty. Putting yourself immediately into a stream of information and demands can have some less-than-helpful effects:

• It thrusts your attention into focused mode before you’ve had a chance to orient yourself to the day. This can be useful when you’re trying to accomplish a complex task, but it can feel like a heavy lift when you’ve just woken up.Instead of choosing where to direct your attention, you’re immediately responding to whatever appears on the screen.
• It primes your brain for distraction. Scrolling through a phone can provide frequent, rewarding bursts of stimulation.Starting the day this way may also encourage a pattern of seeking quick, highly stimulating inputs before you’ve decided what deserves your attention.
• It can spike your stress hormones, particularly if the first things you see are stressful messages, bad news, or work demands.

A Better Way to Wake Up

Fortunately, there are simple ways to give yourself a gentler transition into the day. They don’t take long, and they’re simple enough for almost anyone to try.

Consider these five simple tricks for easing yourself alertness.

#1 Greet the day.

When you first hear your alarm or open your eyes, take a moment to mentally greet the day. This might be a prayer, an affirmation, or simply an acknowledgment of something you’re grateful for. It’s a chance to spend a few seconds choosing the mindset you want to carry into the day.

#2 Take a few deep breaths.

When you wake up, take a few deep breaths. Deep, slow breathing can help you settle your nervous system and become more aware of your body. It may also help reduce feelings of stress.

#3 Loosen up.

Especially as we age, the body can grow stiff during sleep. A few stretches can help you shake off morning stiffness and get moving comfortably. Start with something easy, like gently turning your head from side to side, or bringing your knees toward your chest one at a time. I also like to flex my finger and toes.

Gentle movement increases circulation and signals your body that it’s time to become active. It can also help you feel more awake and ready to concentrate. That little bit of movement can make the transition into the day feel easier.

#4 Get out of bed and look out a window.

I know it can be hard to get out of bed, but staying in bed after waking can make it easier to drift back toward sleep. Getting up helps create a clear transition into the day.If you struggle to get out of bed, begin by simply sitting up. Take a few more breaths. Put your feet on the floor and move to a window. Natural morning light can help reinforce your body’s circadian rhythm and support healthy sleep-wake timing.

If you wake before sunrise, simply getting up and looking outside can still provide a moment of orientation and help you shift your attention toward the world beyond your bed.

Getting up also makes it harder to fall into the cycle of repeatedly hitting the snooze button.

#5 Drink some water.

While coffee is a staple morning choice, it’s better to begin your day with a glass of water. After several hours without drinking, you may wake up mildly dehydrated.A little water can help replace fluids lost overnight. Drinking water supports normal hydration, which your brain and body need to function well.

You don’t have to force down a huge glass. Start with a few sips if that’s all you want. The goal is simply to begin the day hydrated—not to turn water into another morning chore.

Here’s a little phrase to help you remember the five tricks:

“Glad Brains Like Uplifting Waking”

Glad – Greet

Brains – Breathe

Like – Loosen

Uplifting – get Up

Waking – Water

If you are pressed for time, you can do all five in a few minutes. If you are able, give yourself 10 minutes to gently ease into the day.

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Life asks a lot of our brains. We can’t spare ourselves the demands of the day, but we can give ourselves–and our brains– a few minutes to wake before putting them to work.

Do you wake up and check your phone first thing? Would you try one of these five quick tricks to start your day?