A good day starts with a stress-free and healthy morning. Setting and sticking to a morning routine will help you prepare for your day and help boost your productivity. Here are some strategies to help you build a healthy morning routine to kick-start your day.
Plan the night before
The best way to have a good morning is to plan the night before. It is a good practice to go to bed and wake up at consistent times every day, to help your body get into a rhythm. Eat a healthy dinner and avoid a big or heavy meal late in the evening which makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.
Many people wake up feeling harried right away as they think about the things they need to do or want to accomplish that day. A good way to avoid this is to take time before you go to bed to ‘download your brain’ and schedule the day to come. Write out when you are going to work, eat lunch and exercise.
“I advise patients to put pen to paper, rather than typing notes to your phone,” says family medicine physician David Wyncott, MD. “Writing down the day’s tasks and goals can help organize your thoughts and help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. Particularly when it comes to exercise, you are much more likely to achieve exercise goals if they are scheduled in your day.”
Start without your phone
Try to avoid going on your phone or computer first thing in the morning. When we immediately check our phone, we are overstimulated from the moment we wake up – with emails, the news, video reels and social media.
“Many people use their phones as an alarm clock, but I encourage you to buy an old-fashioned alarm clock and use it,” says Dr. Wyncott. “Ease your brain into the day by delaying use of your phone.”
Start with water and stretches
Rather than scrolling to start your day, drink a glass of water when you wake up and either stretch or exercise. Most Americans do not drink enough water, and a simple practice of drinking one full glass of water to hydrate yourself before coffee or tea will boost your health.
“Many patients ask if it’s better to exercise early in the morning or later, and the answer is simple: the best time to exercise is whenever it’s easiest for you,” says Dr. Wyncott.
If you cannot or do not want to exercise early in the morning, instead take time when you wake up to do some simple stretches. An easy yoga pose like a ‘sun salutation’ is a great morning stretch that almost anyone of any age or ability is capable of and will help get your blood flowing.
Practice gratitude
While you stretch, think intentionally and with gratitude about your day, Dr. Wyncott says. “There is something very powerful about setting intentions, about saying to yourself that no matter what this day holds, I get to live this day. Think about what you are grateful for, and those small moments of gratitude can help give your day intention.”
Eat a healthy breakfast
Always eat breakfast, even if it is on the run. Have something with protein or fiber to help sustain your energy and keep you satisfied through the morning until lunchtime. A protein shake or protein bar can be a good choice if you are heading immediately out the door to work. Or try making overnight oats – some recipes can be made in the crock pot overnight and kept warm or refrigerated overnight and eaten cold the next morning. Either way, they are ready for you to grab and eat as you start your day.
Watch your caffeine and sugar content from coffee and latte drinks. It is very easy to get into the habit of drinking too much coffee in the morning, so make sure you have that full glass of water first.
“Remember that we all face the stresses that come from work, bills and family responsibilities,” says Dr. Wyncott. “Try to let go of some of these stresses and picture yourself having a good day. Visualization can be very effective and can guide you as you live your day.”
We often want to make many healthy changes at once and then have feelings of failure when it doesn’t work. But it is very difficult to change more than one habit at a time. Make one healthy change to your morning at a time, sustain it and then think about taking the next change. Give yourself time and grace to make positive changes to your morning routine.
David Wyncott, MD
Dr. Wyncott graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in sociology and completed a premedical program at Johns Hopkins University before attending The George Washington University School of Medicine where he received his medical degree. He completed his residency in family medicine at Saint Joseph Health System, where he served as Chief Resident and received the statewide Outstanding Resident Award from the Indiana Academy of Family Physicians. He teaches in the Saint Joseph Family Medicine Residency as Senior Associate Program Director. He loves teaching and has particular interest in underserved medicine, family centered obstetrics, resident education and educational research.
