The way you start your morning can have a strong impact on the rest of your day. Here’s some science behind the right morning routine.
If every day begins hectic, stressful, and unorganized, you’re likely not having very good days. You’ve got to learn how to create a beginning to your day that allows you to enjoy your day. The right start has a strong impact on the rest of your day. You might think there’s an art to a good morning routine, but there’s a lot of science behind it as well.
When do you drink water and coffee?
Do you reach for the coffee pot first thing in the morning? Is your coffee set to brew before you wake? Maybe you should delay the coffee and start with water. Science tells us that you lose significant amounts of water during the night, which should be replenished when you wake. Instead of starting the coffee pot before you go to bed, wait to start it until you’re awake and begin your day with water.
Whatever your caffeine of choice happens to be, it should be delayed for 90-120 minutes after waking. This aligns with your body’s natural cortisol peak, making it most useful at this time of day. This caffeine timing helps maintain sustained energy levels throughout the day and limits the chance of an afternoon energy dip.
Get outside early in the morning
The sooner you can get outside and begin to enjoy exposure to sunlight, the better. The science behind this morning routine tip is that early exposure is crucial to help release a healthy amount of cortisol in your body. On sunny mornings, all you need is 5-10 minutes outside, but when there are clouds blocking the sun, it should be extended to 15-20 minutes. This could mean you take a short walk first thing in the morning or go outside and sit on your deck while drinking your water.
Get some morning exercise
It’s crucial that you integrate some exercise in your morning routine. This can boost your mood and energy levels through the release of endorphins. This can be as simple as some calisthenics and if you perform these exercises outside, you’ll handle your sun exposure while getting the early morning exercise that you need. Your morning exercise routine can give you energy that lasts all day long.
Wait to eat breakfast
As you create your morning routine backed by science, it will be easy to wait at least an hour to eat your breakfast. Some experts also suggest practicing intermittent fasting, even if you don’t need to lose weight. This helps you create an eating habit and routine that balances your circadian rhythms in most of your organs. This is important to the rest of your day and to your sleep schedule.
At the very least, wait one hour to eat your breakfast to improve digestion because your body isn’t ready to eat and digest food as soon as you get up in the morning.
Plan your day with structure
There’s no doubt that your day will become interrupted by things you don’t anticipate, but if you start your day with a plan and a structure for what you want to accomplish, you’re going to be ahead of the game. When you don’t make a plan for your day in the morning, it’s easy to get lost in the immediacy of things and get sidetracked from what you want to get done. By having a plan, you’re making time work for you instead of feeling like you’re always behind.
When you have a regular morning routine that works for you, its easy to find its foundation in science. Those mornings when you can’t stay on your routine, you’ll notice a difference and won’t want to have many days where you get sidetracked. If you don’t already have a good starting system, try, and put some of these science-based steps into practice, today.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase. There is no extra cost to you. We only promote products we believe in.
