Mondays seemingly do not feel great for a lot of reasons. You are sleep deprived, or hung over or simply too lazy to get back to work. Seeing all your pending to-dos the first thing you wake up in the morning can be overwhelming, and before you know it, you are already despising the day. Needless to say that the collective case of Monday is strong. However, Mondays do not have to be a nightmare and you do not have to make it so difficult on yourself. These simple practices will help you take your Mondays by storm!

For Circadian Rhythm - Throw Open the Drapes in the Morning

When your circadian rhythm is out of whack because of those late weekend nights, it is normal to feel jet-lagged on Monday mornings. To feel refreshed in the morning, keep your weekend sleep time within an hour of your weekday ones. If you cannot stick to your schedule over weekends, throw open your curtains in the morning to suppress the sleep hormone melatonin.

For Mood - Change Your Perception

Perception is a powerful thing and if you start your Mondays with Garfield catchphrase - I hate Mondays - it will be very challenging for you to make your day less crappy. So kick off your day with a motivational phrase like "Ok Monday, let's do it". When you have something to look forward to, you can slowly rewrite your mental script. In a Bad Mood Today? Here is a Simple Guide to Lift Up Your Spirits. 

For Heart - Perform a Calming Breathing Exercise

There is a reason why doctors see more heart attacks and strokes on Monday mornings. Switching from a relaxing Sunday to a working week can be stressful for your mind and body and this can cause your blood pressure to surge. To keep your BP in check perform a calming breathing exercise the first thing you get up in the morning. Also, eating some spinach for lunch can boost your intake of heart-healthy nutrients like potassium and calcium. Make These Lifestyle Changes for a Healthy Heart. 

For Immunity - Load up On Water

Those binge drinking weekend traditions can hit your immunity hard. Downing four glasses of wine or cocktails can prevent your body cells from destroying the viruses or bacteria after you wake up the next morning. So limit your alcoholic beverages to not more than two glasses a night and snack between those drinking sessions. Also, ensure to drink a lot of water to down the effect of booze.

For Muscles - Go For a Brisk Walk

And if you are a fitness enthusiast, you probably overdid your CrossFit or Bootcamp class. These intense exercise sessions can cause inflammation making you scream of pain on Mondays. A gentle yoga sequence or a brisk walk in the morning can enhance blood flow and reduce the soreness.  Should You Ice or Heat an Injury? What You Get Wrong About Easing Aches and Pains. 

Whenever you have some time on a Saturday night or a Sunday morning, map out all your to-dos for the week. You are more likely to remember something after writing it down, and two, seeing your plans laid out in front of you gives you a better sense temporally. Knowing your deadline is on Monday vs. seeing your deadline is on Monday has a different sense of urgency.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 09, 2019 12:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).