“The early bird catches the worm” *insert eye roll*. Clearly, I’m not a morning person, and I’m sure a lot of people can relate. Not only does my alarm sound like nails on a chalk board, but for another 10 minutes my arm is aimlessly searching for the snooze button. I think I’d get an A+ in procrastinating, because by the time I finally get out of bed, I have to rush out the door. Let me tell you, this is no way to start your day. Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to start you day off on the right foot.
Here are 6 ways to improve your morning routine.
Sleep with your blinds half open – This is something I started doing and it has made waking up in the morning much easier. When the natural light creeps into the room, it signals the brain to slow its melatonin production, and boosts adrenaline, which tells your body to wake up.
Drink a glass of water – When we sleep, our body gets dehydrated, so having a little H20 is a great way to replenish it. This is an easy thing to add to your routine, and water is always good for your body. You might want to even add some lemon to it for even more benefits. You should aim for about 8 cups of water a day anyway, so you might as well get a jumpstart.
Eat a healthy breakfast – A great way to increase your energy first thing in the morning is to have a hearty breakfast. This might consist of getting up 15 minutes earlier to make something fresh, but it’s worth it. Some healthy choices might be oatmeal, Greek yogurt with fruit, bananas, eggs, blueberries, strawberries, and cereal.
No screen time until breakfast – Instead of reaching for your phone right when you wake up, grab a pen and some paper. You can add a quick entry in your journal or even draw something. This can help activate different parts of your brain. I can almost promise that you will have a better morning doing this than checking your phone.
Just breathe – This is something you can do in 3 to 10 minutes. Just close your eyes and focus your mind and energy on your breath. You can either do long deep breaths or rapid-fire breathing. Taking the time to focus on your breath and thinking positive thoughts could help you start your day feeling less stressed.
30 minutes of exercise – Take a walk, hit the gym, or do some yoga. Any of it will do the trick. Getting the blood flowing in the morning can really wake up the body and is great for your brain. You could even do something as easy as a morning stretch to increase blood flow and send oxygen to your tissues. This can be a tough one to start, but once you do, there will be no turning back.
It might not be easy to make all these changes right away but try implementing them one at a time. Overhauling your entire morning routine could be overwhelming, so take your time and make these changes slowly. Eventually, your morning won’t feel like such an inconvenience, and you’ll be able to greet it with a smile.
These tips, along with a personalized vitamin regimen, could help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to start the day. If you want some more help with energy or sleep, you can take our free online assessment to get personalized vitamin recommendations based on your unique needs. Ready to find the right high-quality vitamins for you? Take the assessment today.
