What you do in the morning sets you up for your whole day. If your morning is rushed and chaotic, you may feel that way throughout the entire day.
If you don’t love mornings, try following different morning rituals. A morning ritual is something you do every morning in your routine. My routine used to consist of hitting the snooze button a few times, checking email, throwing together a quick breakfast, and running out the door. When I started waking up earlier and changing my morning rituals, I felt happier and more productive every day.
Morning rituals to add to your routine for a happier, healthier, more productive day
1. Drink a tall glass of water with lemon
When you wake up in the morning, your body is already dehydrated. You just went all night without taking in any liquid. The best thing you can do for yourself first thing in the morning is drink a tall glass of water. Your muscles, cells, and every part of your being needs that H2O to function properly. By drinking a glass of water with lemon first thing in the morning, you’ll rehydrate your body, flush out toxins, rev up your metabolism, power up your brain, lubricate your muscles and joints, and feel more energized.
2. Stretch
Once you’ve lubricated your muscles with H2O, take a few minutes to stretch and wake up your body. You’ll stimulate blood flow, increasing circulation and flexibility.
3. Rebound
Rebounding, simply put, is jumping (or bouncing) on a mini-trampoline. Tell me this isn’t a fun morning ritual! It’s an extremely low-impact exercise that gets your blood flowing and works every cell in your body. It stimulates your lymphatic system, helping to flush out toxins. I found a couple great rebounders on Amazon: this JumpSport Fitness Trampoline Model 350* in the $300 range; and this Stamina 36 inch Folding Trampoline* at around just $30. Both have great reviews.
4. Dry Brush
Before getting into the shower, a great thing to do is dry brush your body. It increases circulation, and brushes away dead skin cells, revitalizing skin. Use a natural bristle brush and always sweep towards your heart so that the blood flows in that direction. This Yerba Prima Skin Brush* is a nice choice and is listed in Amazon for just under $10.
5. Oil Pull
What is oil pulling? Oil pulling involves swishing a spoonful of oil (I use coconut oil) around in your mouth for 20 minutes, and then spitting it out in the trash. The concept is that toxins and bacteria throughout the body build up in the mouth, and by swishing oil around in the mouth, these fat soluble toxins and bacteria “stick” to the oil and are pulled out of the body when the oil is spit out. You definitely don’t want to swallow any of this oil after oil pulling, and you don’t want to spit it down the drain either because it can clog the pipe. By adding oil pulling to your morning ritual, you may notice whiter teeth, fresher breath, and a healthier mouth.
6. Make a list
Write out a list of the most important things that you want to accomplish in the day. It will help you to prioritize and become more productive.
7. Have Breakfast
Food is fuel and breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a nutritional meal to nourish your body and set the tone for the rest of the day. My go-to breakfast foods are smoothies, eggs, and oatmeal.
*Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.