Let’s face it.
For many of us, the thing to turn to prepare to take the day by the horns is that cup with a handle and rarrrrrrrr. It’s dead and downed and we’re off to meet the day.
But there are other ways to give our brain that jolt without the help of caffeine.
Here is one way (main) to sharpen our noggins in the ‘moanin’ ”:
Exercise
I know you rolled your eyes in your head. Trust me, I did it with you. But we’re not exactly talking about that first thing in the morning knock-down drag out sweat session, we’re just talking about something to get the blood flow pumpin’ to get you humpin.’
Ideally, as per research on what works, the idea is to get out of bed (without hitting the snooze button) slip on your workout clothes and go for a brisk walk or run to increase the blood flow throughout your body. Obviously, everybody’s schedule doesn’t permit us to do that, but it’s said that any dancing routine or brisk movement about along with stretching (to loosen tight muscles) also gets blood pumping.
GOOD TIP: You know (here, in the fourth paragraph) how we talked about routine workouts eventually becoming so routine that it works in reverse, to not at all? Well, find your favorite exercise guru that has the oneeeeeeee high-intensity portion of their YouTube Video or DVD and routinely pop that in for about 5-10 minutes a morning. That routine is fair game and thoughtless. Merely think of it as helping you aid blood flow throughout your body and brain-not exactly for “exercise” purposes (especially if you can’t get right up and got out for quick, brisk walk or un).
I know right, wouldn’t it be great to have an inner body cam so we can see proof of how all these things work inside us? I dream of that!
But here, until then, let me turn over to you-someone who can break down to a science-why getting that blood flow going through your body works for your brain and your life, that very day! (Moreover the long-term/external/physical benefits of exercise).
Associate Professor of Psychology Justin Rhodes explains why in this Scientific American article: After being cooped up inside all day, your afternoon stroll may leave you feeling clearheaded. This sensation is not just in your mind. A growing body of evidence suggests we think and learn better when we walk or do another form of exercise. The reason for this phenomenon, however, is not completely understood.
Part of the reason exercise enhances cognition has to do with blood flow. Research shows that when we exercise, blood pressure and blood flow increase everywhere in the body, including the brain. More blood means more energy and oxygen, which makes our brain perform better.
Another explanation for why working up a sweat enhances our mental capacity is that the hippocampus, a part of the brain critical for learning and memory, is highly active during 
exercise. When the neurons in this structure rev up, research shows that our cognitive function improves. For instance, studies in mice have revealed that running enhances spatial learning. Other recent work indicates that aerobic exercise can actually reverse hippocampal shrinkage, which occurs naturally with age, and consequently boost memory in older adults. Yet another study found that students who exercise perform better on tests than their less athletic peers.
The big question of why we evolved to get a mental boost from a trip to the gym, however, remains unanswered. When our ancestors worked up a sweat, they were probably fleeing a predator or chasing their next meal. During such emergencies, extra blood flow to the brain could have helped them react quickly and cleverly to an impending threat or kill prey that was critical to their survival.
So if you are having a mental block, go for a jog or hike. The exercise might help (cont’d)
