Have you ever noticed how even the most rebellious kids tend to thrive more in a classroom setting? The reason for this phenomenon is routine. And in fact, adults thrive on routine as well. Our brains love it when they can relax and simply go through the motions. Routines also help us reach our health goals because we can implement habits that become part of our daily process. We challenge you to examine your routines, especially as we get into summer and tend to get a little lax. Let’s start with the first 5 minutes of your morning. Here are the top three habits your Wellness Center team recommends to kickstart your day in a healthy way:
1. Skip the snooze button and head for the light! When the alarm goes off, wake up and open the curtains! Going in and out of light sleep with the snooze button actually makes us even more tired, but natural light signals our brain that it’s time to wake up.
2. Before you lead the bedroom, set an intention for the day. We like something as easy as “Today is going to be a great day.” Sending these positive messages to the day stimulates hormone cascades that quite literally set the tone for your next several hours.
3. Hydrate. Our favorite recommendation is to drink 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice with 8oz of water. The acid stimulates digestive function and the water lubricates joints and tissues to truly get ourselves feeling awake.
After these three things, it’s up to you to find what works for your morning. Do you thrive on a shower right away? Some people like to get a workout in the morning, while others prefer some light stretching at this hour. Perhaps you enjoy the process of making a slow drip coffee or maybe you’re more of an “eat your overnight oats and go” person. Find your morning routine and stick to it for at least 14 days to implement the habit (30 days to make it really stick!)
