Are you a morning person who can jump out of bed and get started with your day immediately? Or, like me, do you struggle to get up and get going on most mornings? Everyone struggles with waking up feeling positive and refreshed at one time or another, but if it is becoming a regular issue, then it’s time to take action. Making small changes and building better habits around sleep and your actions during those first few moments will help you grab the day by the reins and focus on what is truly important. Whether that is performing better at work or just accomplishing all the to-dos on your list, it’s all relevant.

Here are some steps to consider to help create a morning routine that will ensure an uplifting start to your day.

Targeted Stretching

One area to focus on is how to keep your body nimble. Learning how and what to stretch can boost your body into feeling ready to handle whatever comes its way. It boosts well-being by directly targeting any aches or pains that may have settled in overnight, helps your blood to flow better, improves flexibility and helps lessen injury, and generally relaxes out those kinks in your muscles. Find the best stretches for your body, and try to include them in your morning routine. This is one of my favorite stretching routines done by Shen Yun principal dancer, Linjie Huang. It’s a 15-minute routine and is especially good for those who sit at a desk for long periods of time. It’s good for both beginners and more experienced women (and men). It was shared with me by one of our readers!

Work on Getting a Better Night’s Sleep

There are many ways that we can improve our sleep – not drinking any caffeinated beverages in the afternoon or evening is one way. Refraining from screen time at least 30 minutes before bedtime is another. Taking a warm bedtime bath is also a good idea. On the negative side, snoring is a sleep disruptor. Using snoring prevention techniques can be helpful in getting a better night’s sleep. Just like sleeplessness, snoring problems affect everything from your relationship to your well-being.

A Healthy Drink

It seems you either love coffee or you hate it (kind of like mushrooms) and for those of us who love it, it’s our go-to morning drink. But what if you drank an 8-ounce glass of water or maybe some celery juice before you hit the coffee? Coffee can cause an exhaustion crash later in the day so it’s good to add in some additional nutrients along with it.  All of these things improve your chances of starting the day off in the best way possible.

Throw In A Workout

Exercise is one of the best ways to start the day. It gets the blood pumping, gives you an adrenaline boost, and generally improves your mood. It doesn’t have to be anything too vigorous, a brisk walk around the neighborhood is enough to feel some sort of positive impact.  Of course, there are other options like yoga, tai chi, a dance class or a Zumba session that will also do the trick. As we age, it’s also a good idea to add in some resistance and weight-bearing exercises. Thirty minutes of exercise per day is a good goal.

Set Yourself Up With a Healthy Breakfast

Many people I know are practicing some sort of intermittent fasting routine… I mean the word “breakfast” literally means breaking a fast. Experts suggest that 12 hours may be sufficient to cause the body to burn some of its fat storage.  We seldom have time for a big breakfast during the weekdays but a tasty easy-to-make smoothie will provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals, enhance essential hydration, provide antioxidants, and even make your digestive system more functional.  Dr. Mark Hymen  who wrote the book, “Young Forever“, recommends a smoothie containing the following ingredients:

• Regeneratively-raised goat whey protein (goat because it has a more digestible protein; regeneratively-raised farming practices reduce carbon emissions and improve soil quality)
• Plant protein (such as pea protein)
• Urolithin A
• “Gut Food” by Farmacy
• Creatine
• Frozen berries
• Macadamia or Cashew milk
• You could add in MCT Oil, Athletic greens, adaptogenic mushrooms

A Great Self-Care Routine

Do you start the day with a shower? Or, just roll out of bed and hope for the best? Well, there are a few options in between, and taking care of yourself as a first act of the day has a lot of benefits. Take some time to set up a skincare routine, or fit in some gentle breathing and the results will be alarmingly great for how you feel about the morning.

Self-care also includes a spiritual practice such as meditation, devotionals or prayer.

The morning is not the easiest time of day for many of us and I know you may be thinking “How the heck will I have time to do all this?”. But I promise you if you set up a routine and stick to it, your entire day will be much better.

Do you have a morning routine to help ensure an uplifting start to your day? I would love to hear about it!

If you’d like to add in some additional morning rituals, you’ll find more information here.