7 ways to create a healthy morning routine

A happy morning sets the tone for the rest of your day, but it can be a challenge to get out of bed feeling refreshed and raring to go. Automating elements of your morning routine and implementing healthy behaviours first thing will help start your day on the right foot.

[Photo Credit: Anatoliy Karlyuk]

Try incorporating these self-care practices and productive habits into your morning routine to boost your energy and set yourself up for success.

1. Prepare the night before
The best way to take care of ‘future you’ is to prepare for the next day before you go to bed. Clean the coffee machine, unload the dishwasher, lay out the kids’ clothes, make a batch of overnight oats, and take care of any household tasks that will help make your morning routine go more smoothly.

2. Don’t hit the snooze button
Train your body to wake up naturally by getting out of bed at the same time each day and resisting the urge to ignore your alarm. Waking up around the same time every day — rather than sleeping late on weekends — makes it easier to stick to your healthy morning routine habits during the workweek. If you’re feeling sleepy in the darker winter months, try a smart alarm clock or phone app that mimics the sunrise and wakes your body up in a more gradual, natural way.

3. Make the bed
Outer order breeds inner calm. Making the bed each morning is a seemingly simple chore that will leave you feeling accomplished and inspire you to stick to productive habits throughout the day. A neat and tidy bed also promotes good sleep hygiene and will encourage you to go to bed on time.

4. Stretch your body
If you wake up feeling stiff and sluggish, try adding a full-body stretch into your morning routine to release tension and get your blood flowing. You don’t need to commit to a full yoga session, just try some simple upper and lower body stretches. Start on the ground in child’s pose before moving into downward dog, and then stand up for some exercises to strengthen your back and wake up your hamstrings.

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5. Eat a healthy breakfast
A good breakfast will jump-start your metabolism and help you feel more energized and focused throughout the day. Hydrate your body with a glass of warm lemon water first thing and then enjoy a balanced meal of whole grains, fresh fruit, lean protein, and nutritional superfoods.

6. Take a cold shower
Many experts have studied the rejuvenating health benefits of cold showers as a form of hydrotherapy. Starting your morning routine with a blast of icy water can boost your circulation, improve your immune system, release endorphins, and aid in muscle recovery.

7. Spend 15 minutes on self-care
Before you start answering work emails or get the kids ready for school, try to spend at least 10 to 15 minutes each morning on an activity that’s just for you. Whether it’s a walk, deep-breathing exercises, or writing in a journal, taking time for your physical and mental health will give you something to look forward to each morning and help prepare you for the demands of the day.