7 Habits For A Healthy Morning Routine

Introduction

We cannot stress enough how important it is to have a healthy morning routine. How we decide to start the first few hours of our day has an impact on our mental, emotional and physical state for the rest of the day.

While different routines work for different people, below are 7 ways to boost your healthy morning routine.

1. Stop hitting the snooze button

We’ve all been guilty of pressing the snooze button on our alarms to give us those extra 20 minutes in bed. However, be aware that this behavior does not only quickly turn into a daily habit but it also may disrupt healthy sleep patterns and leave you feeling sluggish for the rest of the day.

If the snooze button has become a ritual of your daily morning and you are having a hard time getting out of bed, consider the following tips to greet the day with pure excitement and energy and enjoy a happy morning:

• Go to bed early and make sure to get an adequate amount of sleep. According to the CDC guidelines adults are recommended to get anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep per night. The more you sleep, the more you feel rested and the easier it will be to get out of bed in the morning
• Wake up at the same time everyday. Consistency is key whenever you are trying to create a habit or routine
• Create a healthy morning routine worth waking up for. Simply ask yourself: What would my ideal morning routine look like? How would I like to spend the first 1-2 hours of my day?

2. Always make your bed

There are two kinds of people. Those who make their bed immediately upon waking, and those who leave it undone all day. Although it may only seem like a small accomplishment, making your bed does indeed set the tone for the rest of the day and has shown to boost overall productivity. It’s definitely one of those morning activities that should be on everyone's morning routine list.

This phenomenon is further emphasized in the book, “The Power of Habit,” by Charles Duhigg. According to the author, daily bed-making becomes a keystone habit, something that starts a chain of other good decisions throughout the day, and gives you a sense of taking charge. Duhigg claims that these keystone habits cumulatively lead to "a greater sense of well-being and stronger skills at sticking with a budget." Pretty impressive results, simply for taking a minute or two to pull up the sheets and comforter.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Hydrating your body is key upon waking and essential for a perfect morning routine. Most people start off their day with a cup of coffee or energy drink, however, after being in a fasted state all night it is best to prioritize water first over any other beverage to avoid becoming further dehydrated. Waking up feeling dehydrated is fairly common, as our bodies lose a significant amount of water during sleep. 

If you have a hard time remembering to drink a full glass of water in the morning, consider setting up a glass of water next to your bed the night prior and use it as your daily cue until the new habit is formed.

For additional benefits and added vitamins & minerals you can add some fresh lemon juice and pink Himalayan sea salt to make your own lemon water drink.

4. Get moving & strech your body

Now that your body is hydrated, incorporate some daily movement in your routine. Exercise not only keeps you physically in shape but it also helps to set the tone for the day, boosts energy levels, increases focus and overall productivity. This will vary based on your lifestyle, preferences, your current fitness, as well as, how much time you have available early in the day. Here are some examples of a few morning activities to kick start your day:

• Yoga or Pilates
• Cardiovascular Exercise (Running, Biking, Swimming)
• Strength Training
• Light walking

Remember: You don’t have to workout for hours to be fit or experience the benefits of daily exercise. In fact, 25-45 minutes of activity in the morning is all you need to move one step closer in the right direction and towards creating your ideal morning routine.

5. Self-care ritual

A little self-care never killed anybody. Whenever we take care of ourselves we tend to feel more “put together” and possibly a bit more confident in our own skin. Nothing feels better than a cold shower, a good skin-care routine, a little styling to your hair and some make-up for the ladies to accentuate those facial features.

Tip: Set aside 20-40 minutes in the morning to figure out which form of self-care truly makes you feel your very best and implement it into your everyday morning routine.

6. Review your goals or to-do-list

Got goals? Write them down and remind yourself daily to keep striving in the right direction. The more you speak your dreams and goals into existence, the more you are likely to stay focused on your journey.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What can I do today to get closer to where I want to be?
• If I could only achieve one thing today what would it be?
• What could I do today to step outside my comfort zone?
• How do I want to move my body, or creatively express myself today?

Feeling overwhelmed ? Write a To-Do List and plan out your day accordingly. You will notice that your day seems a lot more manageable and structured once you remove all the guesswork.

7. Prepare your self a healthy breakfast & take your supplements

Now the most important part before you leave the house for the day - A healthy, nutrient-dense, power breakfast. Try adding a protein, carbohydrate and fat source to your first meal of the day. All of these three macronutrients are essential for optimal health, sustained energy levels and cognitive functioning. Also, adding a good fiber source or supplement to your breakfast is key. Fiber is essential for gut health and functioning, it will help keep you regular, maintain balanced blood sugar levels and keep you satiated between meals.

If you are not a big morning eater, consider preparing yourself a smoothie. Smoothies are easy and fast to prepare and a great option while on the go.

Tropical fiber fruit smoothie recipe

This smoothie contains everything you need to get your day started the right way. Try out this recipe yourself and let us know what you think in the comment section. 

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Greek Yogurt (Plain or Vanilla Flavored)
• ½ cup Cashew, Almond or Whole Milk (adjust to your desired consistency) 
• ½ Banana
• 1 scoop Fiber G (Mango-Orange Flavored)
• ½ cup crushed or cubed ice

If you want to add more protein to this smoothie, add 1-2 scoops of Whey or Plant-Based Vanilla flavored Protein Powder to the mix.

Instructions:

Add ingredients to your blender. Blend, Snap a Picture & Enjoy.

Summary

We hope that this post helped you to get a few ideas of what your healthy morning routine could look like. Again, there is no “perfect” morning routine and your mornings may look completely different than somebody else's and that is exactly how it is supposed to be. Play around with the 7 habits mentioned above and cater each point mentioned to your own liking. Lastly, always remember- “You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be great.”

Sources:

• https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/how_much_sleep.html