10 healthy morning habits to start your day

By Papri Mukhopadhyay

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going”

– Jim Rohn

Do you feel an urge to scroll the social media sites or playing an online game right after waking up? And then without taking shower, skipping the breakfast you have stepped out of your house, right? Have you ever noticed when you starts your morning in this way, the rest of your day appears to reflect that anarchy as well? The spirit of your morning helps to make the spirit of your day. We all know the proverb “Morning shows the day”. So why not to start the morning with some positive vibes? When you are able to make some healthy habits for the morning, you are stepping a step ahead towards success and mental peace as well. Nurturing some healthy habits in the morning helps to prioritize your mental and physical health for the rest of the day. What you do in the morning determines how you think or act for the rest of the day. Not everyone’s ideal morning routine will be same, so the habits mentioned here are meant for people across ages, gender or background.

Choose the habits that works for you, feasible for you. And don’t forget that consistency is the main key of any habit. Here are 10 simple habits that you can practice as daily morning routine to start your day with full of energy and enthusiasm.

Stay away from your smartphone

After waking up if the first thing you do is using your smartphone to check the social media platforms ( or work mail whatever it is) you are inviting a lot of bullshits into your brain. Because your phone has many distractors like news notifications, social site notifications etc which draw your attention to them quickly. Using your phone as the very first thing in the morning is a very easy way to derail your whole morning routine. Try to be detached from any electronic device for the first hour of your day so you can begin your day with a positive mindset.

Drink water

Drinking a glass of water right after waking up is a healthy way to hydrate your body. Water aids in detoxifying the toxins of your body formed overnight. Your body needs some water after seven hours of not drinking water to start the physiological process of the body. So try to build up a habit of drinking a glass of water after waking up.

Make your bed

It may sounds an unimportant chore to do after waking up, but it can be a simple and small way to make you feel accomplished. It will encourage you to do another assignment and another. Completing such simple tasks will give you the confidence to do more and more. At the end of the day you would find out that you have completed many tasks with confidence.

Practice gratitude

Even before your feet touch the floor in the morning, give yourself a couple of minutes to practice gratitude. You have the blessings of nature to enjoy another day. Do smile for the same. Smile helps the brain in releasing the feel-good hormones ( Dopamine, Serotonin and Endorphin) which can relax your whole body and lift your mood as well. Some studies have shown practicing gratitude helps in reducing stress hormones also.

Be active

When you move your body the blood starts to flow all over the body properly. You can be active by some stretching, simple yoga, jogging, cycling or a brisk walk with your pet in a park. Early morning sunlight works as a key for your circadian rhythms. Disruption in this rhythm may leads to premature ageing or many lifestyle deceases. whatever the technique you choose to follow, the movement energizes the body and the souls. The exercises need not have to be intense or complicated necessarily. Any physical activity helps in making you energetic throughout the day.

Breathing exercise and meditation

Upon waking a ten minutes of deep breathing exercise helps you to gain a positive state of mind and may works as fuel for the entire day. Meditation is a technique of mindfulness. A five minutes of meditation is a great way to begin your day. Just because of this healthy practice you may gain a control over your emotions which has a great influence on your capabilities to deal with the challenges throughout the day.

Self care

Appearance has a substantial contribution in building self confidence. So putting some efforts in pampering yourself in the morning may acts as a confidence building practice. So brush your teeth, wash your face, floss, shower and put on some clean clothes to look presentable and feel confident inside out.

Choose a soothing playlist

Music is very useful to fade away all the stresses. Play your favorite, relaxing and soothing tracks. You could listen to them while you are working out or having breakfast or on the way to work. Soothing music promotes concentration and motivation.

Check your schedule and plan accordingly

Jot down your schedule for the next day in the evening before. In the morning what you need to do is to just go through the already prepared list and prioritizing it according to your feasibility. So you have a clear idea and plan about the agendas of the day. This habit helps you to organize your workload, enhances efficiency and reduces stress level. Upon successful completion of your daylong schedule you will cherish the feel of accomplishment.

Get enough sleep

Needless to say that planning for sleep in the morning seems quite awkward. But it is obvious that you should have a well rested body to commence your day with full of energy. An irritated and sleep deprived mind is not conducive for showcasing your true potentials. Therefore adequate sleep in the night is very crucial to make upcoming day fruitful.