A healthy morning routine enables one to lead a productive and stress-free day. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. While every person needs to devise his/her own routine based on individual requirements and lifestyle, there are a few healthy morning habits everyone should follow to lead a happy and healthy life.
Get Up Early
It is THE most important healthy morning habit everyone should follow. Waking up early gives you an edge as you get ample time to follow other healthy morning activities and plan for the rest of the day. Moreover, you get to do all this in a calm and relaxed atmosphere away from the hustle-bustle of the day.
Getting up early requires that you sleep early so that you don’t feel drowsy or sleep-deprived the next day. It also requires that you follow a fixed routine of going to bed and waking up daily so that your body gets used to the routine and starts following it automatically. If you keep changing daily the time you go to bed, you will never be able to inculcate the habit of getting up early.
Read about 7 Healthy Bedtime Habits Everyone Should Follow
Drink A Glass of Water
There are several advantages of drinking water early in the morning on an empty stomach. It helps to flush out toxins from the body, thereby keeping the skin hydrated, glowing, and healthy. It provides hydration to the whole body. Water promotes intestinal movements thus helping the body to digest and eliminate food efficiently and preventing constipation.
Put Off Checking Your Phone
Checking our phone the moment we get up is one of the worst habits most of us are guilty of. It provides unnecessary stimulation to the brain and keeps the brain occupied with mostly useless stuff. Even if important, there is no urgency to go through news notifications, bank account balance, e-mail, etc.
In any case, phones keep us hooked for a significant duration of time throughout the day. So it advisable to delay its usage in the morning. Also, the mind is relaxed and fresh in the morning and it is better to use that time for other important activities.
Meditate
Meditation means to focus one’s mind on a particular object, thought, or activity. The best time to meditate is early in the morning since the quiet environment helps you to concentrate fully.
Apart from the physical benefits like slowing of heart rate, increasing blood flow, increasing immunity, and preventing infections, meditation also results in psychological benefits like calming of body and mind, building self-confidence, increasing attention span, etc. It also helps you spiritually as it makes you aware of your body, mind, and soul and helps you to connect with the universe and God at a deeper level.
Meditation should also include a few minutes of expressing gratitude and being grateful for the countless blessings.
You may find it difficult to concentrate initially as your mind keeps drifting to routine thoughts. Don’t lose hope. With daily practice, you will be able to concentrate your mind for increasing periods of time. So make it a habit to meditate daily in the morning.
Exercise
We all are aware of the benefits of daily exercise. The time of the day you choose to exercise depends on your personal choice. Some people prefer to exercise in the evening while some like to do that early in the morning.
Following a daily routine of exercise strengthens the body by increasing the blood flow, toning and strengthening the muscles, and increasing the overall energy levels. It also releases endorphins which makes you feel good throughout the day.
The type of exercise one chooses also depends on personal choice. It could either be a brisk morning walk out in the open, going to the gym, doing aerobics, yoga, etc.
So pick any activity that interests you and start moving.
Read more about How to Start Exercising and Stick to It
Plan Your Day
Once you are done with all these above activities, it is time to prepare your ‘to-do’ list for the day. It is preferable to write down this list rather than just making a mental note as that would unnecessarily clutter your mind. It is also important to plan your activities based on the priority that they deserve. This would ensure that you don’t miss out on the important things or push the important tasks at the end of the day when you would be left with relatively little energy.
Once you start doing this daily, it will not take more than a couple of minutes to jot down the task list. Planning ahead gives you a purpose and satisfaction that you are not missing anything.
Have a Hearty Breakfast
Breakfast is undoubtedly the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast gives you sufficient energy to kick start your day with full vigor and strength. It enables you to concentrate on your tasks in a focused manner.
A healthy breakfast is one that includes whole-grain carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, minerals (like calcium and iron) and vitamins. A healthy option is to include whole fruits instead of fruit juice as that incorporates fiber in your diet. Try to avoid ‘ready to eat’ meals or foods containing refined carbohydrates or excess sugar.
Read more about 50 Iron Rich Foods You Can Add to Your Diet
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