Using Energy and Impulse to Solve a Mass on a Spring Problem

[quark001]

A mass m hangs from a spring. The natural angular frequency of the system is given in radians per second. The mass, while hanging at rest in equilibrium is struck from below and an impulse of x Newtons is imparted on the mass. How high above the equilibrium position does the mass rise?

So at the point in time where the mass is struck, the forces acting on it are gravity, the restoring force and the applied force. The restoring force (ks) is acting upwards and cancels with the weight (-mg), right? So we are left with the applied force. But how do use the impulse and angular frequency to progress from here?

 

[voko]

Think about the energy.

 

[runningninja]

You're thinking in the correct direction in terms of Newton's Laws, but there is a much easier way to approach this using energy (as voko said).
Energy will give you the final distance from equilibrium, but you just need to figure out how to use impulse to solve for your initial energy.