Hypnopomp is the term for the state of consciousness leading out of sleep and into awake. It is that brief period of time where you drift somewhere between a halcyon dream and the burgeoning day. Once you are in the awake stage, hypnopomp has technically ended, but your mind does not forget it existed. The first half hour or so of being awake, your eyes do their best to readjust to the light levels. Certain limbs still wait for their fair share of blood as you saunter around your room. Outside, the sun peeks through your honeycomb shades. You decide to let it inside and, as a result, your pupils dilate into big black gumdrops. This is called the morning and, although it is not a state of consciousness, it definitely plays a big part in our lives each day. We all have our routines. Here are five of them:
THE NEWSIES
Staying informed is not only a healthy way to live your life, it’s super cool and allows you to participate in conversations about current events. Some, a.k.a. my parents, wake up and head right for the day’s events. The outlets are endless and online. Save a tree, go newspaperless. Did something happen between midnight last night when you fell asleep and today at 8am? The verdict’s out on a big court case, a celebrity death, a cruise ship tipped on its side, a wall down, a wall up, another Amber Alert in a town no one has heard of. These are not only all things you should be informed about, but they will also help you to become the most informed person around the watercooler, which is obviously important.
THE RECORD PLAYERS
If you’re lucky enough to have one of these ancient devices, you’re bound to use it in the morning. The soft crackle spilling out of the speakers is the perfect soundtrack to the brain haze that’s totally happening. While some may prefer the soft and tinny folk sound, others dabble in jazz or pop. Right from a dream, the brain can recall song lyrics. Why not sing them in the shower? If you missed the gramophone train, the iPod will do just fine. Any way to get your body to shake off sleep and start grooving to the beat of the day.