Healthy Ways to Start a Great Day!

Want your days to go a lot smoother? Start by adapting to some healthy, and peaceful morning routines. This doesn't mean there will never be rough days but the way you handle situations throughout the day are attributed to how your day starts. Let's discuss some tips to help you make the best of your day!

Tomorrow Starts Tonight

One of the best ways to start with a great morning is to get adequate sleep the night before. Studies have shown that people who do not get enough sleep are less productive, have difficulty concentrating, impaired cognition, increased weight gain, increased risk of diabetes...the list goes on. Getting enough sleep improves creativity, problem solving skills, healthy mood regulation, improved memory, and lowers the likelihood of depression, anxiety, and mental disorders. Give your mind and body a break by shutting down early to secure a great rising the next day!

Rise and Shine...Literally

Rise with the shine of the sun! The best thing about going to sleep early is waking up early the next day. This allows you that extra "me" time you deserve. It's been said that getting out of bed is the hard part. That extra time is great for reflecting, processing, head clearing, and mental planning. When it is time to leave the bed, your mind and body are ready.

Be Grateful

No matter how early or late you rise, gratitude should always be the first part of your routine. Congratulations!!! You are here in a new day! That's a lot to be grateful for. Expressing gratitude increases happiness and a positive mood. Focusing your energy on the things you do have versus the things you don't have, creates a positive outlook on life, keeps you in the present, increases optimism, multiplies the good, increases patience, and a higher sense of self-worth.

"In the morning, instead of saying to yourself, 'I got to wake up' say 'I get to wake up!'

-Erykah Badu

Give Electronics a Break

Aht Aht! Leave the devices where they are! The emails, text messages, and social media notifications can and will wait. Let's be honest...most of us read our social media before anything. Do we really need so much negativity first thing in the morning? Absolutely not! It's the easiest way to trigger your stress response, activate your fight or flight response, overstimulate, and have you on edge for the rest of the day. Giving yourself at least 30 minutes without devices in the morning helps increase self-discipline, and self-control, increases alertness, and makes you feel in the present.

Meditate

"Meditation is the practice in which an individual uses a technique such as mindfulness or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. It can be done in silence or with the aid of chanting for religious or spiritual purposes or as a method of relaxation,"

(Merriam-Webster Dictionary).

Just 5-20 minutes of morning meditation can significantly improve your mood, and mental state. There are many ways to meditate including, deep breathing meditation, walking meditation, and mindful meditation. Give them all a try to see which technique best suits you!

Move Your Body

I'm not saying jogging 10 miles every morning at the crack of dawn is what you're supposed to do but some form of exercise does wonders for your mind, body, and spirit. Just start. It's amazing how a 5-minute brisk walk can lead to a 10-mile run. Exercising early in the day is a great decision that promotes other great decisions. Just remember that working out doesn't have to be everyday or very strenuous. Stretching, Yoga, walking the neighborhood, or a stationary bike or treadmill while listening to thought provoking podcasts will suffice. Some benefits of early morning exercise include, increased metabolism, happier mood, weight loss, healthier heart, increased energy, improved coordination, strengthened bones, blood flow regulation, lower blood pressure, and decreased stress.

Hydrate

Wake up your organs! That first sip of water first thing in the morning is...ahhhhh; especially after 8(ish) hours of no hydration. It will help remove toxins, improve your digestive system by boosting your metabolism, boosts your immunity, and improve your skin, nails, and hair. It also has psychological benefits; there is a mental sense of healthiness that makes you want to continue with this throughout the day.

Write

Not a book (LOL), but jotting down your thoughts, feelings, and emotions is powerful. It kind of gives you an idea of how you want your day to go. From personal experience, you can set the tone for your day. Write small goals you'd like to accomplish. It can be as simple as folding and putting away those clean clothes you've put off for weeks, or more complex, like finish writing this blog post...personal jab at myself. Free writing is also great. Allow your thoughts to flow naturally.

These are just the minimal amount of healthy morning routines to start a great day. The list goes on but I'm here for a fun time, not a long time! Some other very important things to do are listening to or reciting morning affirmations, eating a healthy, well-balanced breakfast, drinking your favorite coffee or tea blend, read a chapter or two of a new book or a blog post, listen to motivational music or podcasts, the basics; washing your face and brushing your teeth, and make time for your self-care! If you start with just a few of these routines, a great day is ahead of you!

Start the conversation with a few of your favorite rising routines that help you start a great day. We'd love to hear from you!