Create a Healthy Morning Routine

The importance of a healthy morning routine can lay the groundwork for the day ahead. By starting your day by doing something positive, you will increase your likelihood of being more productive during the day.

The morning is a busy time, from getting kids ready for school and getting yourself ready for work you could feel burnt out before even leaving your house. Try the following to avoid stress in the morning and start your day on a healthy note.

Wake up early and do something productive

There are many things you can do to avoid a stressful or sluggish morning one of the most important thing to do is to be productive!

Exercise. Whether it’s a more relaxed exercise like yoga or something that gets the heart pumping like cardio both will wake you up and give you energy to have a productive day.
Make your Bed. Just this simple task is a habit that can contribute to a productive day. Something as simple as tidying your room gives you something to check off your to-do list before walking out the door.
Tune Out. Don’t look at your phone for at least 15 minutes after you’ve woken up. Let the emails sit for a little while, waking up and immediately checking your phone can stress you out before you even get out of bed!
Shower. Another simple task you might already be doing, a morning shower will wake you up and make you feel fresh and ready to face the day.

Eat a healthy breakfast

The most important meal of the day sets the tone for how you will feel. Eating well leads to feeling well.

Trade in coffee for lemon water. Lukewarm water with fresh lemon squeezed into it has numerous health benefits and its best to be drank first thing in the morning. It starts your metabolism, and gives you boost of energy. Coffee drinkers may have trouble not reaching for a cup of joe first thing in the morning but one would be surprised how you might not need it after resisting the urge for just 30 minutes.
Avoid greasy and heavy breakfasts. This one should be a given. Try a breakfast packed nutrients and balanced in carbs, protein, and fat that provides long lasting energy.

Prepare the night before

Have a wind down routine. Go for a walk, write in a journal, or read a book, whatever helps you relax and forget about your day
Keep a consistent sleep schedule. This is extremely important for keeping your morning routine effective. If you sleep in late on Saturday and Sunday it could take you until Wednesday until you are back to your healthy cycle. Plan on sleeping in just an hour or two more on the weekends so you can easily adjust back to your weekday schedule when Monday hits.
Tune out. An hour before bedtime try not to look at your phone or TV. The devices arouse chemicals that stimulate the brain, making it difficult to fall asleep. Also the light from the electronics may suppress the brains productions of melatonin, making it difficult to sleep.

The best way to make these suggestions into habitual routines is to be realistic with yourself with what you will do and make easy changes one step at a time. You don’t have to start out by waking up at 5 AM and working out, try something simple like waking up 20 minutes early to do morning stretches. Consistency is key and as you add more to your routine the more productive you will feel throughout the day.

Sources:

Huffington Post, Lifehacker

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