If you are one of those people who constantly struggles to get up, or you feel that the morning is not enough to carry out all the necessary tasks to start off on the right foot; we share 7 healthy habits that will transform your mornings and they will change your life.
Also read: 5 reasons and 5 techniques to get up early even if you hate doing it.
7 healthy habits that will transform your mornings.
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Sleep 8 hours daily.
The beginning of a good day begins the day before. Although we know that sleeping 7 to 8 hours is what is recommended; a night’s sleep that started at 10 pm and ended at 6 in the morning is not the same as one that starts at 2 am and ends at 10 am.
No person is biologically programmed to stay up late. And doing so could be affecting your circadian sleep cycle.
The later you go to bed, the lower your productivity will be the next day. Keep in mind that you will have to get up early to do your usual tasks. Your mood, motivation and concentration will be greatly affected.
A study carried out by the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania in 2004 showed the effects of sleeping few hours at night. Over the course of 14 days, they exposed different groups of people to perform the same tasks on four, six and eight hours of sleep. The research found that cognitive performance declined continuously for the groups that had slept four and six hours.
Even for the six-hour group, the cognitive deficit was equivalent to two nights of complete sleep deprivation.
Also, keep in mind that your daily routine is much better when you are motivated. If you’re sleep deprived, you’re more likely to lose motivation. So go to bed early and never lose motivation for your projects.
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Plan the next day from the night before.
If you go to bed late, you didn’t hear the alarm, you don’t have your clothes ready and you don’t know what important appointments you have; it will be very likely that you wake up alarmed, anxious and stressed.
To “save” these anxieties, it is important that you adopt Healthy habits; how the next day before. Start by knowing what outfit you will wear for that important meeting you will attend and prepare your to-do list.
Also read: What activities successful people do before going to sleep.
In terms of productivity, planning your day ahead will allow you to focus on the really important things. It will be the difference between the time you will invest in meeting your goals for the day; and time wasted on distractions or relatively unimportant choices.
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Drink water on an empty stomach.
Many of us start our daily routines with a cup of coffee that allows us to wake up and start our day. However, by doing so we are not adopting healthy habits.
It is better to drink a glass of water, preferably lukewarm. Since it will give you better digestion and a better reduction of metabolic waste that may be accumulated in our immune system.
Also read: 5 steps to take advantage of time in the morning.
Drinking water on an empty stomach not only helps us clean our intestines but also helps us prevent other health problems. For example, it helps cleanse the colon, which allows the stomach to more efficiently absorb the nutrients we need.
A better digestive system automatically takes care of the better functioning of other activities in our body. In the same way, this system is responsible for glowing skin, since water intake allows the elimination of toxins in the blood.
Drinking water also promotes the creation of new cells in the blood, muscle cells; and it can also help you lose weight.
Additionally, if you are one of those people affected by stomach problems related to few or no bowel movements; Drinking water can be of great help, since many of these problems are caused by a lack of this important element in the body.
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Change your breakfast by taking nutritious or detoxifying juices.
Surely you have heard about the green juices or detox in the morning. This stopped being one of the exclusive healthy habits for people who wanted to lose weight; or treat any gastric problem.
I know that it is more practical to prepare a cereal, a coffee or even not have breakfast. However, the benefits of these juices are proven and preparing one will take little time in the morning. Literally in just 1 minute.
You can prepare a simple one based on banana, orange, apple and two vegetables; like spinach and cucumber. You will notice a change in your body and your performance of the day.
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To meditate.
For those who think that meditating is something very “complicated”, we tell you that they do not have to last 30 to 40 minutes in a state of relaxation. Starting with 5 to 10 minutes a day in the morning will help you start a day with a clear and serene mind.
These short sessions will signal the brain that it is time to go into “work-mode” or “exercise-mode”; or whatever you are going to do. In addition, this routine will help you overcome a lack of motivation when you don’t feel like doing a certain job.
Also read: Benefits of motivation, what they are and why they work.
That moment of silence in which you find yourself in the morning will allow you to discover new ideas. You can also find answers to problems that overwhelm you; and it will even lead you to focus even more on your true purposes. Whether it’s for your day or your life in general.
There are applications for your smartphone that will help you introduce yourself to this habit; “Guided Meditation”, “Relax Space” or “MeditationES”, are some of them that will help you immerse yourself in spaces of calm and relaxation.
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Establish a time to go to sleep, so you will have an excellent morning.
Definitely the worst mornings are the ones we wake up exhausted; Because we didn’t get enough sleep.
According to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, author of the book “What does the most successful people do before breakfast”; you need to set a certain time to go to bed.
Many activities at night, such as being on the computer or watching television, reduce valuable sleep time; what makes our morning more exhausting.
Starting the day after an excellent rest raises your productivity. It allows you to be clear-headed and have the energy to complete all your activities.
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Do exercise.
Exercising in the early hours of the morning is one of the most beneficial healthy habits.
Researchers at Appalachian University found that practicing physical activity in the morning reduces blood pressure, stress and anxiety. Plus it helps you sleep better at night.
It also increases your productivity as you release endorphins. In addition to being more awake, it will give you an extra boost of energy.
It can even increase your mental clarity 4-10 hours after exercise.
Also read: How to create and maintain an exercise routine.
Keep in mind that the benefits of exercise persist throughout the day. You will continue to burn calories after your workout; which may translate into beneficial weight loss.
Additionally, it’s much easier to plan your exercise routine in the morning when you have some control over the things you do; unlike the routines after work, when we are tired and even cannot fulfill them because the working day has become longer.
Similarly, a morning of exercise will allow you to make healthier choices in the foods you eat throughout the day. Getting up and doing a physical activity will already be a sufficient effort that you had to make; so that you spoil it by eating not so healthy foods. On the contrary, you will want to continue making favorable choices for your health.
Conclution.
The previous 7 healthy habits will allow you to have excellent mornings. Remember that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. That’s why it’s important that you get mental and understand all the benefits.
A day that starts well is more likely to end well.
Do you know of other healthy habits to start the day on the right foot? Share it in the comments!
And remember, if you are really interested in creating your own business, you can read our book “How to create a company while working: Discover how to manage your time, manage your money and motivate yourself while creating a company and working for another” , where you will find all the information you need to found your own company, without having to leave your job.
