IT'S TIME TO GET SOME SPRING IN YOUR STEP - AND KEEP IT THERE!
If you’re stuck in a cycle of feeling less than restful every morning when your alarm goes off, it’s time to reinvigorate your sunrise routine. There’s nothing worse than starting the day feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus and not being able to shake it off as you head into the office or prepare for a full-on day looking after the kids. The following tips couldn’t be easier to incorporate into your morning (though it may mean getting up just 15 minutes earlier to make it happen, but it’ll be worth it). We hope after a few days or perhaps weeks of practice, they’ll all become good habits you just can’t shake.
TRY TO BE CONSISTENT WITH SLEEP
We all have our own unique internal body clocks and many of us are aware of the times of the day when we function better than others. Regardless of whether you’re a morning person or you thrive in the afternoons, keeping a consistent routine when it comes to the times you go to bed and wake up in the morning is really important. According to Ayurvedic physicist Vasant Lad, “It is good to wake up before the sun rises, when there are loving (sattvic) qualities in nature that bring peace of mind and freshness to the senses.” So if you can work with the rhythms of nature – even better!
“It is good to wake up when the sun rises when there are loving qualities in nature that bring peace of mind and freshness to the senses.”
GET UP & GET MOVING
Speaking of nature, if you’re able to get out of the house and enjoy some fresh morning air and sunshine, it will do wonders for your mood and energy levels, whilst stimulating digestion and elimination. This also gives you a chance to think about the day ahead or reflect on the previous day with a clear mind. If time is of the essence in the morning (which is likely the case for most of us!), prioritise taking 10 minutes to move your muscles with a few stretches or a short yoga practice. There are loads of free videos on YouTube you can follow – we highly recommend looking up Yoga With Adriene, if you’re not already familiar.
“Prioritise taking 10 minutes to move your muscles with a few stretches or a short yoga practice.”
HYDRATE BEFORE YOU CAFFEINATE
That morning cup of tea or coffee is something many of us look forward to before we even hit the sack in the evening, but hold fire! You can still have your morning shot, but before you do so, take the time to drink a glass of warm or room temperature water. This will help flush the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys and stimulate peristalsis (the contraction of the muscles in the digestive and urinary systems) to prepare your body for the day ahead.
If you’ve been thinking of cutting caffeine altogether, you can still enjoy the ritual of a hot morning cuppa with a zing of a different kind. A citrus tea is a lovely way to put a spring in your step and help cleanse your system, too. Our Studio Red Lemon, Ginger, Horopito and Lemongrass tea is lively, a little bit spicy and a whole lot refreshing.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE
This can be a really daunting task for many – reflecting on our lives and taking stock of what we’re grateful for every day – but practising gratitude is such a beautiful way of injecting a bit of positivity into your day. Keep a gratitude journal next to your bed and every morning, write down just a couple of things you feel grateful for. Simple as that! If you often feel worried or anxious when you wake up or before you go to sleep at night, jotting down some positive thoughts is a great way to ease anxiety and clear your mind of any negative thoughts. We love our Gratitude Notebook by An Organised Life.
For help with getting in the zone for sleep at night time, have a read of our article ‘A 10-minute evening wind-down routine for a restful night’s sleep’
