Seven Tips for a Healthy Morning
Think your mornings are too hectic for the healthy start? Try these tips to start your day off right—
1) Prep the Night Before: Planning the next day’s wardrobe and gathering items you’ll need when you head out the door in the morning will make your morning much less stressful. You’ll probably sleep better knowing you’re ready for tomorrow, and making that prep part of your evening routine can help you mentally prepare for your bedtime wind down.
2) Have A Bedtime Wind Down: You’ll want a good night’s sleep to avoid a hectic morning so find a routine that works to calm your brain. Experts tell us the bright lights of electronics keep our brains excited and prevent the output of our natural sleepy time hormone serotonin, so ideally make your bedroom an electronics-free zone. You can also switch your electronics to a nighttime mode to reduce the negative effects of the screen's light, but do put away the phone and the tablet at least 10 minutes before you plan to be asleep. And do make a plan to be asleep at a time that allows you to get at least seven hours of sleep and preferably eight.
3) Give Yourself The Gift of Time: Set your alarm 10 minutes earlier for a few extra minutes of preparation for the day. Maybe you’ll use it to listen to a happy morning song—The Beatles “Here Comes The Sun” is a great way to start your day! Or maybe you can spend 60 second stretching in bed before your feet hit the floor. Or maybe you’ll want to start your day with a quick prayer. Make the start of your day your own and then take on the world with a happier heart.
4) Avoid The News: Sure, you might want to glance at the weather so you know how to dress for the day, but television or internet news is addictive and too often those minutes you spend being outraged at the latest world news just add to your morning stress.
5) Reach for Water Even Before Your Coffee: We talk about hydration all the time but it’s even more important after a full night’s sleep. There’s a reason the scales are usually lighter in the morning and that’s because our bodies have spent all night processing water. But there’s been no water coming in, so it's time to recharge your hydration to start the day off feeling well.
6) Move Your Body: Did you do your stretching in bed? Good! Now add a few minutes on an exercise bike or a treadmill. Or find a 10-minute YouTube video like this one to wake you up and get your blood flowing. Only have five minutes to spare? Try this five minute beginner workout instead.
7) Put Some Protein in your Breakfast: Keeping some hard-boiled eggs on hand makes it easy to add protein or you could whip up a healthy egg white omelet. And don’t forget to add some fruit and healthy high-fiber grains to your breakfast menu. Even easier, try a PWM breakfast bar, with 15 grams of protein and plenty of vitamins in every low-calorie bar.