I consider my 30 minute morning routine the backbone of my self-care practice. A good day starts early in the AM (with matcha!) – and what you do as soon as you wake up sets the tone for your entire day. Giving myself a mental, emotional and physical headstart in the morning gives my energy a huge boost. Which helps me be more active, productive and definitely happier. Here are 3 small steps to inspire a healthier morning.
Don’t reach for your phone
Once we check our phones, we’re pretty much plugged in for the rest of the day and it can cause your stress levels to spike from the moment you wake up. Doesn’t sound like the best way to wake up personally.
We’re always being interrupted by email alerts and social media notifications that fight for our time and attention – and reaching for our phones first thing in the morning primes our brains for distraction. Not to mention, the blue light from screens trick your body (and hormones) into thinking it’s mid-day. This can make you feel hungrier and boost your cortisol levels. I like to start my mornings phone-free, which gives me a proactive jumpstart into my day.
Meditate
Meditation is one of my favorite wellness trends of 2020 – and it’s a key step to healthier mornings. It’s a good way to recenter your thoughts (especially if they’re stressful or anxious), build focus, sharpen your brain’s reactivity and highlight your goals and intentions for the day. Meditating for even 1 to 2 minutes can do you wonders. It can be as easy as sitting on the floor, closing your eyes, focusing on your breath and repeating a mantra in your head (like these!).
Hydrate before you caffeinate
Since we naturally wake up dehydrated, making sure you drink a bunch of water before your morning coffee, tea or matcha will help you feel more awake, stimulate digestion and promote gut health. Caffeine is typically followed by a crash – and, on top of that, dehydration brings low energy levels and fatigue. Avoid the double crash and hydrate before you caffeinate!
A couple easy ways to do this: keep a glass by your bathroom sink and chug a full glass after you brush your teeth, or start each morning with a large mug of hot lemon water (which gives you an extra energy boost and helps with digestion).
How do you set the tone for your day? I’d love to hear what steps you take towards a healthier morning.
