Sarah W.There are morning people, and then there are people who merely endure — rather than thrive — during the first part of the day. Regardless of which camp you are currently in, there are changes you can make that can improve your earliest hours. Here are some tips for a more successful morning routine that actually works for you instead of against you.
Get a Good Night’s Sleep
A good night’s sleep is the best way to ensure you have a better, more productive morning. According to the CDC, an adequate night of sleep for an adult aged 18-60 is in the range of 7-9 hours. However, many adults report sleeping fewer than seven hours each night. In fact, according to research published in the medical journal MDPI, an estimated 25% of the population suffers from sleep disorders.
Studies show that quality sleep is necessary for both your physical and mental wellbeing. Insufficient sleep is linked with many health issues, including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Moreover, it can also negatively impact your performance, whether that be at school or at work. If you neglect sleep long enough, it can even cause you to have bouts of microsleep. Microsleep is when you briefly become unconscious due to a lack of regular nighttime rest, if only for a few moments. However, this can be extremely dangerous if it happens while you are driving or operating heavy machinery. Insufficient sleep also has severe psychological effects, including increased risk of anxiety, depression, paranoia, and suicidal thoughts.
However, if you get quality sleep, it can have great benefits on your overall health. According to the CDC, those benefits include getting sick less often, it being easier to stay at a healthy weight, and lower overall stress and better mood. It also lowers your risk of certain chronic diseases, like Diabetes, and makes it easier to manage impulsive behavior or bipolar mood disorder. No matter how you look at it, the benefits of a healthy night’s sleep greatly outweigh any time you save by skimping out on it.
Morning Meditation
While meditation is not for everyone, it is shown to provide tangible benefits to those who take the time and give it a try. Mindfulness meditation can help reduce stress, improve your focus, and tune out distractions and outside noise. If you incorporate it into your daily routine, you will be more mentally prepared to tackle whatever life throws your way.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Mornings can be tough. However, according to WebMD, a good breakfast can make all the difference. A great meal at the start of your day can turn a crabby morning into a calorie-fueled jumpstart into productivity. Good choices for breakfast include whole-grain cereals or wheat breads, low-fat milk or yogurt , and fresh fruit or nuts.
Moreover, a great breakfast each morning can help you maintain a desirable weight, healthy blood sugar, and resting heart rate. To top it all off, a good meal helps you refuel after a morning workout — which is another great way to help build a healthy daily routine.
Quick Morning Workout
There are few better ways to ensure a productive day after a good morning workout. Even a quick 20-minute walk or jog, or even a hasty weight lifting or calisthenic workout, can have a great impact on your health. Best of all, exercise releases endorphins, helping you to feel happier and more fulfilled throughout the day.
Manage Your Priorities
Setting out each morning with a solid plan in mind can improve your chances of reaching your goals throughout the day. Having a calendar on your fridge or within easy reach (such as on your smartphone or computer) during the early hours can help you remember what tasks lie ahead, and to help you prioritize which are most important. If you have some meetings to make, or extra work to squeeze in before the weekend, you will have ample notice and be better able to conquer the day.
In Conclusion
By incorporating these morning musts into your daily habits, you are starting off your day ahead of many others. You want your morning routine to give you a headstart, and that is just what this will do for you: from morning workouts to meditation, to a good night’s rest and well-managed calendar, you will have everything you need to succeed.
