You hear the first-morning alarm and keep hitting the snooze button until it’s too late. As you wake up, thoughts of running late and all the things you need to do flood your mind. Feeling overwhelmed from that much stress, you think it might be better to go back to bed. If this sounds like you, then you might need to reconsider your morning routine.

What Is a Morning Routine?

A morning routine is simply the things you do in the same order every morning after waking up. From hitting the snooze button incessantly, brushing your teeth, checking emails, or having your breakfast while reading a book, different people have different morning routines. They are simply the order of priorities which in turn shape our lives.

The Importance of a Good Morning Routine

 Having a good morning routine is associated with multiple benefits. It is believed to increase productivity, boost happiness, reduce stress levels and get us prepared to embrace a new day.

Interviews with many successful people have shown that when it comes to morning routines, they do some things differently from others. In fact, they do not rush straight to checking emails first thing in the morning but prioritize spending time with themselves, planning their day, connecting with loved ones, as well as maintaining healthy habits.

How Living in China Helped with My Morning Routine

For many years I’ve been following a morning routine, and I can say that it made a great difference in my life.

For me, building a morning routine was not a choice but a necessity.

I’ve been living in Beijing, China, which as you might know is famous for pollution and all sorts of food scares. China offers a lot of great business opportunities. Life here is dynamic and extremely fast paced, which can be stressful and overwhelming for many.

One of the healthiest morning routines I am grateful I developed while in China is early swimming. While waiting for the pool to open, I had the chance to meet and talk with the “Damas”, the elderly female generation which I absolutely admire. I learned a lot from them about health and the importance of a morning routine. For example, an 80-year-old lady swims every morning for about 45 minutes, at 7 am.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is when a Chinese woman who I think is in her early 30s tells me that she is actually in her late 50s.

She has absolutely no wrinkles, is very slim and wears short trousers and high heels but considers herself old. I tried to ask each one of them what their secret to looking so young was. The answers differed from green tea, sugar-free diet, nutritious breakfast, exercise, etc. 

Morning Routines for Health & Wellness

Wake Up Early

Waking up early is not for everyone and is by no means easy. However, there are many benefits of waking up early. To begin with, if you are someone who keeps hitting the snooze button until it is too late, then wakes up in a pool of sweat realizing how much there is to do, waking up early would give you enough time to come around to yourself at your own pace. 

By waking up before sunrise you actually greet the day. Think about all the quiet time you get to spend with yourself. No emails, phone calls, babies crying, or other distractions.

 Starting your day by doing what most relaxes you reduces stress and anxiety. Also it gives you a chance to plan your day ahead. This way helps you better prepare mentally; you will feel calm and in control of the day. As stress levels decrease, your productivity will increase dramatically.

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Morning Meditation and Yoga 

If you are like most of us, your morning routine consists of getting on your phone and checking the news or your email as a way to wake up. What follows is an almost immediate transition towards the to-do list for the day.  Before you know it, you’re tired and there isn’t time to exercise.

Leaving exercise for later in the day is a great way to come up with excuses and neglect it.  Meditation or yoga do not need to take that much time. You do not have to spend time to learn, or go to special places to achieve a state of tranquility. You can do both Yoga and meditation from the comfort of your home.

Meditation and yoga have been very helpful in combating anxiety and depression. Meditating for only ten minutes helps to declutter your brain and instills the feeling of calm.

Yoga on the other hand boosts your energy and improves focus and concentration. In this way you become mentally prepared to handle the complexities that the day might bring without feeling overwhelmed.

While searching for yoga classes I could do from home, I stumbled upon the “Yoga International” community. They offer a free month, which is enough to see if yoga is for you and if you are going to be persistent with it. At Yoga International, they have many qualified yoga instructors who offer different styles of yoga classes, courses, programs, and articles. I’ve been taking classes with them for quite some time and really recommend them, claim your free trial.

Morning Detox

Detoxification or detox has become very trendy word in the health and wellness world.

The purpose of detox is to cleanse the body of harmful toxins released from normal bodily processes. By purging away these toxins from the body you naturally strengthen your overall health.

Fortunately, our body has its own detox system, which is quite sufficient and very effective. So, we don’t need to go for any rigorous and expensive detox process. By choosing to start your day with a morning detox drink of your choice, you will simply be enhancing your body’s natural detoxification system.

A morning cleansing can be just as simple as squeezing fresh lemon juice into a glass of warm water and adding some fresh ginger and a spoon of honey.

Both honey and lemon contain compounds that are very beneficial for our health, and thus very efficient for detox. Also, the honey-lemon combination is very tasty.

Honey, when raw and unprocessed, is rich in antioxidants, and can be used as a replacement for sugar.

Lemon on the other hand is an excellent source of vitamin C and promotes alkalinity in the body.  It keeps your body hydrated by maintaining the pH balance, aids digestion, etc.

The combination of honey and lemon is a very powerful one. That’s why it has been widely used for its health benefits. Some of them include: strengthening the immune system, aiding digestion, assisting with weight loss, etc.

For best effects drink your honey – lemon detox on an empty stomach to see the differences.

Related Reads:

Ginger Benefits: Why You Need to Add More Ginger to Your Diet

Turmeric Benefits for Health, Uses, and Recipes

Indian Spices: The Essentials, Uses, and Health Benefits

How to Prepare Your Morning Detox Drink: 

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp Honey (Raw, unprocessed)

Half a Lemon juice

One glass of water

Directions:

Warm the water without bringing it to a boil. If the water is too hot honey loses its healing qualities.

Use a wooden spoon to add honey. Mix well.

Lastly, add the squeezed lemon juice. Depending on your level of tolerance for acidity in the morning, you can add juice from the whole lemon, or just half of it.

Take a Cold Shower 

Taking a cold shower as part of a morning routine is supposed to be very beneficial for our health.

According to clinical trials, a cold shower can help relieve symptoms of depression, improve blood circulation, burn fat, and have an overall positive effect on health.

 Showers are generally considered cold when the water temperature is about 20°C (70°F) or bellow.

The science behind what actually happens when your body is exposed to cold showers, is that the cold triggers a neurological response that causes the brain to release dopamine and other stress relieving neurotransmitters.  Cold showers essentially shock the brain and changes the immediate state we are in. This is why cold showers are beneficial for people who suffer from depression.

Cold showers hijack the nervous system by increasing your heartbeat rate leading to higher oxygen intake in the body and improved alertness.

Furthermore, cold stimulates the release of endorphins, or the “happiness hormones”. Endorphins are released through activities that boost pleasure and a feeling of well-being, such as exercise, meditation, sex, laughing, eating chocolate, drinking wine, etc. 

Cold shower is also part of the Danish hygge lifestyle, which aims to promote happiness

How to Cold Shower Properly?

You might feel overwhelmed at the thought of freezing cold morning showers, especially during the winter.

However, science suggest that the habit to cold shower should be adapted slowly. Rather than shocking the body with cold immediately, cold showers should be preceded by a gradual adaptation from hot and lukewarm water.

For maximum benefits it is recommended to take cold showers for up to 5 minutes, at least 2-3 times per week.

From my own experience, it took some time to adjust, but it wasn’t too hard. The feeling of happiness that comes right after shower while hot blood is rushing all over the body to warm it up, makes my morning showers exciting and something to look forward to.

Take Care of Your Skin 

Now that you have decluttered the mind with yoga, cleansed the body with a detox drink, it is time to take care of the skin as well.

Our skin is very sensitive organ. As such it is exposed to impurities and toxins as a result of environment pollution, our diet as well as lifestyle habits such as smoking.

There isn’t really a way to detox the skin. However, rubbing in skin oil as part of your morning routine is very beneficial.

Depending on your skin type, coconut, almond, argan, shea nut oils are all very effective for providing the necessary amount of moisture the skin needs. It is essential to moisturize the skin, especially in winter or if you live in dry areas.

Keeping the skin moist will help prevent the formation of wrinkles and give your skin a younger look. With continuous usage, oils can be beneficial for cleansing and nourishing the skin.

When talking about skin oils, it is necessary to mention essential oils.

Made of plants, roots, flower extracts, essential oils are used not only in aromatherapy but can also help treat certain skin conditions, such as dry, oily, sensitive skin, skin prone to rashes and acnes.

Essential oils are very strong extracts, so it is always better to consult a dermatologist before using them to treat skin conditions.

Have a Big Breakfast

The science behind the first and the most important meal of the day, is that it provides us with the energy necessary to carry out daily tasks. That’s why breakfast should be very nutritious.

The core of a healthy breakfast consists of whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy as well as fruits and vegetables. This combination is very beneficial to your health and keeps you full for a long time.

According to clinical research, people who regularly eat healthy breakfast are more likely to concentrate and perform better at work, control weight and blood sugar levels, as well as maintain overall good health.

To quote the famous nutritionist Adelle Davis (1960), who said “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” 

In other words, breakfast should be our biggest meal, with the largest intake of calories. Our metabolism is most active in the mornings and helps to burn more calories.

When it comes to busy lifestyle, we are often tempted to sleep till late and skip breakfast. This is a negative tendency, as clinical research has shown that there was a 27% increase in coronary heart disease among those who regularly skipped breakfast.

However, if you need to skip a meal, it is better to sacrifice dinner, as our metabolism drastically slows down in the evenings. Healthy breakfast is essential to our health, so do not skip the most important meal of the day.

Related Reads:

Chinese Breakfast Foods for People Who Love Variety

How to Add More Whole Grain Foods to Your Diet

Green Tea

Green tea contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and chlorophyll, which are the key factors to its multiple health benefits.

Unless you are having your green tea on an empty stomach, morning is one of the best times to drink green tea and reap the plethora of its benefits.

Green tea contains caffeine and an amino acid called L-theanine, which can improve your mental alertness. Incorporating green tea as part of your morning routine can help you stay focused and concentrated, therefore increase your productivity.

Read more about the health benefits of green tea here.

Related Reads:

Green Tea Health Benefits: Why Drink Green Tea

8 Best Green Teas for People Who Don’t Like Green Tea

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