It’s that time now when many of us start reflecting on the year that was in anticipation of setting goals for the new year that is hardly four weeks away.
Whatever your ambitions for 2023 might be, there is one habit that can help with you all of them: how you spend your mornings.
Fear not if you’re not a morning person. This is not an attempt to convert you to a 5am Clubber! Whether you routinely wake up at 6 or 7 or 8 (please don’t let it be later than that or you’ll mess up your system entirely), there are massive benefits you can accumulate over a period of time by doing a few right things even for just 5 minutes first thing in the morning.
Are you guilty of any of these damaging habits?
Reaching for your mobile phone as soon as you wake up
Drinking coffee of tea as your first beverage
Going directly from your bed to your couch
When you reach for your phone first thing in the morning, you are priming your brain for distraction. The problem with engaging with your phone is you never know when your emotions may be negatively triggered. For example, it could be an email from your boss or co-worker, a tragic piece of news or a toxic comment on your social media post. Any of these will initiate a stress response which you will carry through the rest of day keeping you in an irritated and cranky mood. It’s best to reach for your phone after an hour or two of settling into your day.
When it comes to coffee and tea, having these caffeinated beverages on an empty stomach first thing in the morning has a devastating impact on your digestive system which has already been dehydrated after a good night’s sleep. Why? Coffee stimulates the production of stomach acid which can cause indigestion, bloating, nausea etc. It increases cortisol (the stress hormone) which can impact things like weight and hormonal balance. Coffee impacts blood sugar negatively. It is a huge contributor to inflammation when consumed first thing.
Good news is that you don’t have to kick your caffeine addiction. Just time it right. A cup of your favourite brew can be fully enjoyed after breakfast.
When you get up from bed but then sink into your couch, you miss the opportunity to flood your body with endorphins, serotonin and dopamine all of which contribute to helping you elevate your mood throughout the day. Going from sleeping to sitting does not aid in blood flow and circulation that prepares your body for the long day ahead.
I’ve always been an early riser but I had all the bad habits described above until just a decade ago. I was addicted to my phone in the mornings, I used to drink tea before anything else and very often I would start doing whatever office work I had not completed the previous night before getting ready and heading to work.
I’ve now incorporated a number of healthy morning habits which I believe set me up for the day ahead - I usually have the clarity, energy and positivity I need to survive and thrive!
A bottle of water by my bedside.
The first thing I do when I wake is to have a few gulps of water from my bottle by my bedside. Some days it’s just a few sips, other days I keep on glugging from the bottle, my body quenching its thirst after the overnight draught.
Five minutes of oil pulling
I’m addicted to Cureveda’s Oil Pulling sachets. I rip open one a day and swish for five to seven minutes. The long term benefits of oil pulling include detoxification, better immunity and gut health. I swish while I walk around the house raising blinds, opening windows, letting the fresh air in and starting the hot water kettle.
Three pages of journaling
You’ve read my newsletters on Morning Pages. This is the habit I’m least consistent about but find hugely beneficial. It’s about emptying your mind on the paper first thing in the morning. I combine this with a gratitude practice so one page is usually all that I am grateful for every day.
Two minutes of breathing
I manage only 2 minutes of deep breathing in the mornings but I try to take these two minute breaks several times a the day. I take deep and long breaths that fill up my diaphragm before releasing. I find that this breathing practice helps me become more aware, more present and more grounded. Starting out by calming and centring the mind has a positive effect for the day.
A glass of apple cider elixir
One of the healthy habits I picked up from my three month programme with Luke Coutinho was to have a glass of apple cider elixir every morning. Take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with the mother culture in a tall glass of water along with a pinch of dry ginger powder. Add a dash of cinnamon powder, turmeric powder black pepper and a few drops of lemon juice. I keep sipping on this and chewing on half of a freshly cut amla during my exercise.
An hour of exercise
I spend ten minutes warming up and then workout for another hour or so. I also spend at least five minutes cooling down. I usually do HIIT on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I go for long 90 minute walks on the weekends. I never skip the warm up and cool down. Even if I have only 30 minutes to exercise, I do manage something rather than nothings. Some days it’s just warming up, 20 minutes of a routine on the treadmill and then cooling down. I’ve completely bought into movement first thing in the morning. When I miss movement in the morning, I can see myself making bad choices the rest of the day - reaching for extra caffeine, being more hungry for junk food and having more sugar cravings.
These are just some of the habits that I’ve manage to incorporate to make my mornings magical. I do most of them most days. There are days when I sleep in because of a late night out or if I’m not just feeling up for it or if I am travelling. I am not too harsh on myself if I skip a day. I just try not to go 2 or 3 days without exercise.
Other suggestions for you to consider to create a magical morning include:
Mediation
Silence
Prayer
Chanting
Reading inspirational material (not the news!)
Go outside in the sun or to get some fresh air
Spend quality time (no devices) with family members
Over to you now:
How would you like your mornings to look like in 2023?
Which habits are easiest for you to incorporate? Which may be hardest?
Do you have a morning buddy you can set goals with and keep on track?