What
is it like for you to wake up on a weekend morning? Does your kitchen
chime with blithe conversations, chuckles from sibling banter,
manifestly teenage drama, or all of it together? Do you savor the
morning light with simple family time?
Happy
mornings go a long way to make happy people. As a matter of fact, our
mornings can set the tone for the entire day. If you wake up
stressed, changing your tone for rest of the day will require serious
conscious effort. Similarly, a good morning can lend us the lens of
positivity and strength to deal with life through the day. Not to
imply that it’ll take off your worries or solve your troubles for
you, but it will put you in the right frame of mind giving you the
serenity and space to have a perspective. Research shows that
starting your day on a positive note is directly correlated to
well-being throughout the day.
That
said, many of us struggle with our mornings. There’s mad rush with
the morning chores, food, getting ready, rushing to work, and the
burden of the to-do list weighing us down even before we’ve
literally started our day. So, how does the happy-morning thing
practically workout when we don’t even have the time to be happy?
While
you cannot cut down on the chores or get extra time in the mornings,
there are ways that can help ease the rush and make your mornings a
little more zen.
- Let the morning light in
Morning
sun is good for health. Morning sunlight brings in the cozy warmth
enabling the body’s natural thermoregulation process which helps
the regulation of cortisol, or the stress hormone. Sunlight also
helps in the production of serotonin, or the happy hormone that
uplifts our mood. Interestingly, people with seasonal depression and
sleep disorders are given the ‘light-therapy’, specialized lamps
that provide the effect of sunlight minus UV rays. Additionally,
morning sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D, which helps boost
our immunity.
Drag
the curtains, let the light in. If it’s spring or summer, open the
windows and let fresh air in. It will fill your house with a natural
vigor and a vibrant energy.
- Make your bed
This
may not sound like the wisest advice for a good start to the day.
Ironically, research has proven that people who make their bed in the
morning tend to be positive, confident and sociable. While people who
do not make their bed in the morning tend to be shy, moody and
sarcastic. Additionally, making your bed in the morning is a habit
recommended by many successful people. It gives you the feeling of
accomplishment in the morning.
- Exercise
Running,
stretching, gym, CrossFit, Pilates, yoga, breathing exercises, do
whatever works for you. Do it. From physical fitness to immunity to
serotonin to mental wellbeing, exercise helps it all. It’s the
magic mantra that will put a lot of things in place.
Make
exercise a habit. Your body needs it, your mind needs it too.
- Manage your routine
You
cannot expect yourself to be all Zen when there’s a pile of work
pending, you have cooking to do, dishes, tidying, hurrying for office
etc. you need to manage your routine. Start a day prior. When you are
back from work, keep things in place. Do the tidying around the house
at night. Do the dishes, clean the kitchen before you sleep. Manage
meals during the weekends. You can have prep done for the entire week
and keep it in the freezer. That should save half you cooking time.
Encourage kids to keep morning clothes, books, bag etc. ready the
night prior.
Once
you are prepared and have a plan for the day, you won’t be running
around to catch up on time in the morning.
- Aromatherapy
If
you need a jumpstart to your day, the morning essential oils can help
usher in the energy and positivity, giving you the right start.
Citrus fragrances (lemon, orange etc.) help regulate serotonin.
Peppermint and rosemary bring in energy and alertness. Add a dash of
cinnamon and ginger, and you’ll get the perfect blend for the
perfect morning.
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- Have a healthy breakfast
Some fresh juice with balanced proteins and
carbs, have a healthy and hearty breakfast. It’s important for your
metabolism and energy, which needs the right nutrition to get started
and roll for the day. Healthy breakfast will not only boost health
but will keep you elevated and energetic for the entire day.
Balancing your meals and water intake will also help you manage
acidity, an acute condition bothering almost 60 million Americans
(according to a study published in The Washington Post).
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