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6 Healthy Habits to Jumpstart Your Day

I am a morning person. I wake up early most mornings in a pretty good mood and ready to jumpstart my day. Mornings, before the rest of my family wakes up and I can enjoy the stillness of my house by myself, are my happy place. Can’t relate? That’s ok! We are all different and our happy places certainly are not all the same. However, creating a solid morning routine can help set the tone for your entire day. And you don’t have to be a morning person to appreciate the morning. I’ve got six healthy habits that can jumpstart your day and have you feeling like a morning person (even if you’re not). You don’t need to do all six to reap the benefits. Pick out one or two to start with then add in a new habit every few weeks. Small changes make the biggest impact.

Get a good night’s sleep

Being ready to start your day actually begins with how you end your day. Create a realistic bedtime ritual and stick to it. Studies show that following a consistent night ritual can help establish better quality sleep. Some habits you should include in your bedtime ritual are:

  • Set a bedtime and stick to it-optimally you should aim for at least 6-8 hours of sleep each night. Plan your wake-up time and work backwards.
  • Get a ready for bed-put on your pajamas, brush your teeth, wash your face; this type of routine can signal to your brain that it’s time to unwind and prepare for bedtime.
  • Turn off screens 30 minutes before going to bed-electronics may cause overstimulation for your brain and make it more difficult to fall asleep.
  • Set up a peaceful sleep environment-make sure the temperature is comfortable, utilize blackout curtains if needed, invest in a comfortable mattress and pillow.

Start your day with a glass of water

Hydration is important as our bodies are 60% water. After sleeping for several hours, your body will become a bit dehydrated so starting your day with a glass of water will help keep your body running smoothly. Keeping hydrated helps with digestion, metabolism, and energy levels among many other things. For all you coffee drinkers out there, sipping a glass of water before your first cup of joe will ensure you are adequately hydrated as caffeine can act as a diuretic.

Stay off social media for 30 minutes after waking up

How many of you grab your phone before you even get out of bed? According to Pew Research Center, 61% of adults and 81% of teens are on social media. While social media does have its benefits, more and more research is showing increased exposure to social media can cause negative mental health issues like anxiety and depression. A lot of these effects are due to users’ fear of missing out, or FOMO, and insecurities derived from filtered photos. So why start your day looking at what everyone else is doing? Take that extra half hour and think about what you will accomplish today.

Eat breakfast

I don’t know if breakfast is really the most important meal of the day, but it definitely has health benefits. Eating a nutritious breakfast helps maintain blood sugar levels after fasting all night. Breakfast can also keep you from becoming too hungry later and overeating at lunch. You don’t have to eat as soon as you wake up if you aren’t feeling hungry yet. But check in with your hunger an hour or so after waking up and see if you’re ready. Keep your breakfast balanced by including these nutrients in your meal:

  • Protein-eggs, cheese, yogurt, nuts
  • Complex Carbohydrates-oatmeal, high fiber cereal, whole grain toast
  • Fruit-berries, oranges, grapes
  • Vegetables-spinach, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms

Planning ahead and making breakfast items that are easy to heat and eat on the go can be a great way to ensure you are able to eat breakfast on busy mornings. Check out my meal plans for easy, quick and nutritious breakfast ideas.

Stretch

Stretching increases flexibility which has several benefits like preventing muscle injury, decreasing joint stiffness and alleviating back pain. You may think of stretching as more of a post exercise ritual but stretching first thing in the morning actually helps relieve tension from the night and also increases blood flow preparing your body for the day. A few easy stretches you can add to your morning routine today are:

Review daily to-do list

Take a few minutes to go over your daily to-do list. Planning out your day will help keep you organized and reduce stress. Whether it’s an app or an old-fashioned pen and paper list, create a daily task list and check off tasks as you complete them. Organizing your daily to-do list by task priority ensures you stay prepared with important chores or assignments. Checking off completed tasks gives you a sense of accomplishment and a visual for what you achieved in a day or throughout the week.

Small changes make a big impact. Create a morning routine that helps you prepare for your day mentally and physically. I work with clients to not only enhance their nutrition but to also enhance their overall wellness. Getting a good night’s sleep and waking up refreshed and ready to start the day are a huge part of staying well. Contact me for more information on how you can incorporate some of these healthy morning habits and get the most out of every morning.