Summer vacation is over and, as we all struggle to adjust to our regular work and school schedules, it can be so tempting to become reliant on coffee in the morning and afternoon to bump up our energy. However, too much coffee can actually do more harm than good, disrupting our sleep and occasionally tampering around with our anxiety and stress levels.

Luckily for us, there are plenty of ways we can wake ourselves up and boost our energy without always relying on a cup of joe to get us functioning. Here are five ways to perk ourselves up during the day without relying on coffee to put some pep in our step.

1. Switch to matcha! If you absolutely need the caffeine boost, but want something that won’t give you a sudden energy crash, try matcha green tea. It contains almost the same amount of caffeine as coffee, but it doesn’t have the shaky, twitchy side effects we’ve come to know and want to avoid. Matcha is also a healthy alternative because of the process in which the tea is made. Matcha tea is made by blending whole tea leaves into the water, which ends up giving us a great source of antioxidants. One thing to keep in mind though is that it takes longer for the caffeine from matcha to hit us than coffee, so give yourself a little bit more time for that to kick in.
2. Stretch those limbs! Whether you are in bed or rolling out of bed, stretching in the morning can be the best way to get yourself energized and ready to go. Stretching increases the blood flow to your muscles and, as a result, you will start to feel refreshed. This has the effect of waking you up faster. Stretching throughout the day, especially if you have a desk job, can help to maintain your energy.
3. Grab a glass of cold water! The first thing you should drink in the morning to wake yourself up is a cold glass of water. Not only will the cool temperature trigger an adrenal response and boost blood flow, it’ll also curb off the mild dehydration some of us wake up with in the morning. I’m sure you’re wondering why mild dehydration in the morning would matter. Because one of the symptoms of dehydration is fatigue, which is no good if you need to be up and about.
4. Jam out to a favorite song or two! Feeling tired during work or while you are commuting? Or are you just generally feeling sluggish when you wake up? Listen to your favorite songs and it’ll perk you up. We recommend creating a morning playlist for you to jam out to while you’re getting ready for the day. According to Matthew Edlund, M.D., director of the Center for Circadian Medicine in Florida and author of The Power of Rest, people who listen to music generally receive a boost in their endurance and energy.
5. Get some sun! As cozy and as comfy as your bed is, getting outside for some early morning sunshine and taking a stroll can boost your energy more than a 5 minute snoozefest. Walking outside in the morning not only gets your blood flowing, but the early morning sunlight can boost your levels of serotonin, which contributes to the improvement of your mood considerably. Also, as an added bonus, people who generally get a good dose of sunlight early in the morning versus later in the day are generally associated with a lower BMI, according to recent studies.