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" If Monday mornings mean alarm-clock-snooze abuse, serious dread, or drag-down weariness, upping your caffeine intake isn&amp;#039;t the answer. What is: doing away with energy-sapping weekend habits. Here&amp;#039;s what you can do to boost your energy Monday--and all week long.   Friday Leave work issues at the office. &amp;quot;At least one hour before you leave on Friday, make a list of what needs to get done next week,&amp;quot; says Jodi Sleeper-Triplett, a certified life coach in Herndon, VA. You won&amp;#039;t dread hitting your desk on Monday morning when you&amp;#039;ve already laid out a plan.  Saturday Nix the weekend warrior routine. Don&amp;#039;t think of weekends as the time when everything needs to get done. Constant go-go-go sends your body into crisis mode, so it pumps out stress hormones. After two days on hyperspeed, you&amp;#039;ll crash on Monday. Aim to do half of what you want to accomplish (schedule the rest in bits during the week), and put relaxation at the top of your to-do list, says Helene Lerner, author of Time for Me. Even lying in your backyard hammock for 10 minutes will help you to recharge.  Exercise smart. &amp;quot;Overexercising on the weekend to make up for missed workouts during the week only ups your risk of injury and muscle fatigue, which can lead to poor sleep and pain on Monday morning,&amp;quot; says celebrity trainer Kathy Kaehler, author of Slim and Sexy. Her advice: Choose a low-level to moderately intense workout and limit it to an hour.   Eat dinner earlier. &amp;quot;The stomach is less efficient when you&amp;#039;re asleep,&amp;quot; says Helene Emsellem, M.D., medical director of The Center for Sleep &amp;amp;amp; Wake Disorders in Chevy Chase, MD. &amp;quot;You&amp;#039;re less likely to get stomach cramps, acid reflux, and heartburn--all of which can interrupt your z&amp;#039;s--if you eat at least three hours before bedtime.&amp;quot;   Stick to a two-drink maximum. Having more than two alcoholic beverages or drinking within two hours of bedtime can disrupt slumber. Alcohol interferes with slow-wave sleep, which restores your physical energy, as well as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which refreshes mental energy. &amp;quot;Most people can&amp;#039;t wipe out the damage of a bad night&amp;#039;s sleep in one day, so you&amp;#039;ll likely still feel groggy on Monday,&amp;quot; says Emsellem. Sunday Prepare for tomorrow. Create a staging area near the front door where everything you&amp;#039;ll need for Monday--from the diaper bag to your cell phone--is ready and waiting to go.  Relax before bed. Turn off the computer and TV (bright light and motion can rev you up) and listen to soft music, write in your journal, or read. &amp;quot;Taking 30 minutes to unwind is key for getting a good night&amp;#039;s sleep,&amp;quot; says Emsellem.  Monday Lay off the snooze button. &amp;quot;A few extra minutes of sleep won&amp;#039;t benefit you--it&amp;#039;s too short a time to fall back into restorative sleep,&amp;quot; says Jon Gordon, author of The 10-Minute Energy Solution. Instead, do simple breathing and stretching exercises, which increase oxygen and energy, as a way to wake up.   Eat a go-get-&amp;#039;em breakfast. The best food picks for long-lasting, all-day energy contain protein, carbs, and a little fat, such as cereal with milk and fruit or an egg with wholewheat toast. And wash it down with a cup of joe: Studies show that coffee increases mental alertness and improves mood.  Take a 10-minute walk. &amp;quot;Even in short bursts, walking boosts the body&amp;#039;s feel-good endorphins,&amp;quot; says Gordon, who advises using this time to set the tone for the day. &amp;quot;Tell yourself, &amp;#039;I trust that great things are in store for me this week.&amp;#039; If you put that out there, there&amp;#039;s a good chance it&amp;#039;s going to come back to you.&amp;quot; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/body/health-fitness/advice/a228/more-energy-yl/>