Rise and shine! Sometimes once awaking in the morning all we want to do is roll over and press snooze. I know I have! Starting the day and shifting out of morning grogginess can be tricky sometimes. If it’s cold outside or in the room, it can be challenging to want to move out of the comfort of your warm bed. Or, if you struggled to fall asleep that night, you could feel that you need an extra hour or two of sleep. Heck, maybe even just an additional 5 minutes! I’m sorry to say that no matter the reason you'd like to stay sleeping, your body should get up and moving when you wake up, vs. letting yourself drift back into sleep. Your likelihood for reawakening with even more grogginess goes way up after you've hit snooze, according to science. But here are three tips to keep in mind in the morning that will set your day up for success and help get your mindset in a positive place to move on to the rest of your day. If you start incorporating these simple tricks before you even get out of bed, I promise you’ll start seeing a shift to your mentality in the morning.
- Stretch. I know we've all been told this one before, but it doesn't have to be a full-hour-long yoga routine. Although that would be fantastic, a simple 5-minute stretch while
you're still in bed will help awaken your body. First, sit up in bed and roll your head gently from side to side. You want to avoid any strenuous or sudden movements as your body is waking up. Be gentle with yourself and show appreciation for your body for giving you an evening of rest. Next, raise one arm in the air and move it in the opposite direction to give your side body a nice stretch. Then do the same on the opposite side. Thirdly, raise both of your arms into the air at the same time, inhale while you stretch back, filling your lungs with air, and doing a mini backbend. These gentle practices will help your mind and body connect for the day, and put you in a mindset of taking care of yourself while you move on to the rest of your day. - Write/Journal. If you've ever read the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, you know
how powerful a "morning pages" practice can be. In the book, she talks about how free-flow style writing for approximately three pages can change your life. It opens up your subconscious in a way that allows you to connect with a deeper version of yourself, as well as release any trapped or subconscious emotions onto the page and out of your brain. It's essential to do these pages first thing in the morning while you're still in bed, as this is when your subconscious is still available to connect to. Even if you just write "I don't know what to write" over and over again, this will free your mind up to eventually writing more, and you may be surprised at the results. It's a way to support your mind and subconscious in the morning, first thing, and this is a fantastic way to start the day. Although it may sound like a lot, it only takes about ten to fifteen minutes tops. I recommend giving it a try! - Take some deep belly breaths. The point of these mini routines is to connect you with your body to start the day on the right foot and feel calm and balanced. If you’ve never
tried breathwork before, a simple and effective way to start is by doing the “box breath.” Take a slow inhale for four counts, hold for four counts, exhale slowly for four counts, then hold at the end again for four counts. Repeat this breath for just one or two minutes, making sure to breathe deeply into your diaphragm. You’ll notice a sense of calm as breathing this way stimulates your Vagus nerve, which is vital to regulate your nervous system (which is directly connected to your “rest and digest” state, meaning it's also good for your gut microbiome).
There are many ways to start your day off on the right foot, and some things might work better for you than others. It's essential to try a few and see how they work for you, and if you don’t see the results you’re looking for, try the next thing. Morning routines are very individual, and it's important to listen to yourself and your body when it comes to finding the right set for you. If you have questions about more morning practices, please don't hesitate to reach out, as I would love to help guide you on your health journey to becoming the very best (and healthiest!) version of yourself.
