Think of our bodies like batteries ! Ideally you wake up in the morning 100% charged, until you reach for your phone – only to find yourself bombarded with whatsapp messages, emails, pressing news stories all whilst rushing to get the kids out of the door for school and making sure you are not late getting your day/ work started !
You almost immediately drop to maybe 80% by the time you’re done with all of this. It might not be obvious, but subconsciously running to your to-do list and social media first thing in the morning is both physically and mentally draining. You can learn to change your energy level by changing your morning routine.
By changing my own, which used to be very similar to the above, I feel way more focused, mindful and intentional about my day. Overall, it has made me much happier and better prepared to take on stressors that come up in the day. It’s made me come to the realization that what you do in the morning has a powerful and long lasting impact on your day.
- Hydrate : I generally start my days with a cap full of apple cider vinegar in 10ml of water. As some with digestive issues that is great for boosting stomach HCL that helps with digestion. It has eliminated heartburn, acid reflux and regulated my system in a way that nothing else has. Follow this up after 15 minutes with my favourite juice, which changes depending on what I am feeling like on that day. Rule of thumb for juicing is preferably all vegetables, or 1 part fruit for every 3 parts of vegetables, if you like. Pure celery juice is also a favourite as it cleanses your system and keeps your gut lining strong. Even good ol’ water is a great way to stay the day! Stay away from caffeine for the first 60 minutes after waking up as your Cortisol levels, stress hormone, are naturally the highest when you wake up.
- Add some movement : Get active ! Could be a short walk, Light stretching, yoga or even a quick workout is a great way to get the heart rate up which boosts your endorphins, or happy hormones, and is a great way to start the day. Even if it’s just 5-10 minutes, preferably in the outdoors, it is great way to get the blood flowing and get you energized for the day. Being out in nature has been proven to have a calming effect and will alleviate any feelings of stress, anxiety and a general low mood.
- Meditation and Breathing : While many find meditation hard at first, the idea is train the mind so that eventually you experience more peace and harmony through the day. Meditation has been proven to change brain chemistry and specifically how we respond to situations after an 8-week period. The best way to ease yourself into meditation is to start with a breathing practice which activates your Parasympathic nervous system, also known as the rest and digest part of the nervous system. This makes it easier to transition in a meditative start. A guided meditation is also a great starting point.
- Set an intention for the day : After breathing/meditating, I like to set an intention for my day either in terms of how I conduct myself, respond to situations and/or the quality of my day. I find that saying this out loud, makes you more accountable to upholding it and following through. It could be the same everyday or could be different depending on how you feel that morning, what happened the previous day or it could also be in relation to what the rest of your day is looking like.
- Eat Breakfast : Breaking your fast with a nourishing balanced meal of complex carbs, quality protein, good fats with adequate micronutrients is essential to starting your day right ! Eating not enough calories or meals that are not balanced, usually send your blood sugar levels out of control and cause you to binge, not eat the right foods and for some eat at all odd hours as well.
Check in with yourself to see what your current morning routine is like and how it affects the rest of your day. Start with one small change, pick any from this list and see how it positively impacts you.