If you’re one of the lucky few who wakes up with a smile on your face and a pep in your step – don’t take your superpower for granted! For the rest of us, getting rolling in the mornings can feel a lot like work. Consider switching up your routine with these helpful tips from Canopy at Citrus Park, and start loving – or at least stop despising – your mornings.
Set a Daily Alarm
Poor sleep can make us irritable and anxious and lead to some serious health problems. If you want to feel your best in the morning, quality sleep is the way to get there. More than just getting enough sleep (experts recommend a minimum of seven hours for adults), getting quality sleep also means establishing a regular sleep schedule. Bedtime isn’t just for kiddos!
Research shows that establishing a consistent sleep routine helps to keep us healthy and functioning at our best. The takeaway here: Set a daily alarm on your phone that will wake you up at the same time every day, weekends included, and also try to get to bed at the same time every day. That discipline will give your body the structure to get the most effective sleep, and you’ll start waking up feeling super – not sour.
Make Time for What You Love
Whether work or school commutes, life commitments, or just the desire to catch a few extra z’s, our mornings pull us in tons of different directions. Many of us are full-go from the moment we wake up. The tip here is easier to follow than our first and a bit more intuitive. What’s the idea? Have something to look forward to!
Build time in your busy morning schedule for an activity that brings you joy. Take 30 minutes to read a good book, practice some heart-opening yoga, or take a brisk walk. Not only will spending this time in the mornings put you in a headspace to tackle the rest of your day with energy, but you’ll find that, in the evenings, you’re looking forward to your morning “me” time the next day.
Be Mindful
Letting our days dictate how we feel can pretty quickly lead to anxieties and resentments. Rather than reacting, start the day with intentional breathing and gratitude exercises to help you put your best foot forward.
Breathing exercises can settle the mind and help to release anxiety, and you have your choice of many. The breath focus technique outlined here builds around the idea of inhaling peace and exhaling tension – and that’s a great mindset for the start of a new day.
Add in any thought exercise, prayer, or meditation that will focus your attention on gratitude. Research shows that the benefits of gratitude are many. Actively expressing gratefulness releases us from negative emotions and may actually train our brain to better recognize reasons to be happy in the future. Here’s some inspiration to get you started!
Fuel Your Body
Simply put, drinking water and eating nutrient-rich meals with plenty of protein in the mornings will give your body what it needs to function well. For some, that won’t be a chore. If that’s you – celebrate! You’re on your way to enjoying lovely mornings. If these habits feel harder to establish, here’s some motivation.
Drinking at least one full glass of water in the morning, before eating anything (and definitely before your coffee) will rehydrate your body and jumpstart your metabolism. You’ll feel better and more alert if you do it regularly. You’ve heard the other part forever, so it’s nothing trendy or new, but eating a healthy breakfast with protein is still the best way to help your body feel and perform its best over the course of the day. When you have a yummy meal to look forward to, that should put a smile on your face, too.
Looking for more health and fitness tips? Check out the Canopy at Citrus Park blog for recipes, neighborhood hot spots, and more.