I am very caffeine sensitive. A cup of coffee usually gets me agitated, followed by a crash, and headache. However, on these tough Monday mornings, sometimes one really needs a jolt. Here are some alternatives to coffee that can help you wakey-wakey in the morning.

1 Green Tea. The caffeine in tea is minimal. Aside from boosting energy, it also has a plethora of other health benefits.

2. Brief Exposure to Cold. A few seconds of cold water at the end of your morning shower can spark some adrenaline to get your up and about.

3. Nuts. Nuts have healthy fats that induce metabolism and a steady flow of energy.

4. Hot Chocolate. Can stimulate similarly to coffee. Besides, who needs an excuse to down more chocolate?

5. Wheat Grass Juice. Full of the right vitamins and minerals to help you produce natural energy.

6. Light morning exercise. Light calisthenics will get the blood pumping. No one has ever fallen asleep during Pilates. The key is to not exert yourself which will cause a crash later.

7. Read something interesting. Ok this is not something I do. My husband works an odd schedule and often wakes up way before he has to. He’ll lay in bed and read a fun book on his Kindle. He says that being awake while lying down eases him into the waking day.

8. Schedule some exciting activities. Its hard to wake up for work. It’s easy to get up for home-made waffles. Make sure the first thing you do each day is fun. If you are getting tired at work. Schedule something fun for lunchtime or right after work, so you can stay excited in anticipation the whole time.

Lunch is in a few hours. Any ideas?