A healthy morning routine begins at night because how we behave at night, directs the following morning. When we comprehend how the action creates a reaction, it can encourage us to start making changes so that a healthy morning routine can flourish. In this blog I give you my healthy morning routine, which could inspire a new healthy seed to sprout in your life.
Healthy morning routine begins at night
When we stay up late at night it’s obvious we’re not going to feel as refreshed as, if we went to bed earlier.
We’re more likely to sleep in and snooze the alarm first thing.
Rushing to get ready, and less likely to eat breakfast as a result.
Sound familiar to you?
The care routine needs to change, because this stress especially as a mom, is completely unnecessary if we learn to manage our time better.
It’s a juggling act, a push and pull, a need to let go to allow new mental habits in.
My healthy night routine
Legs up the wall pose (Viparita Karani)
Kid/s have gone to bed the necessary household chores are done. Its time to set a 20 minute timer and put your legs up the wall.
This pose is the best exercise most mums need daily. I cannot stress how great this is for our body as the benefits are;
- An ideal all rounder for motherhood as most mums nervous systems are switched on full power all day
- Great restorative pose for pregnancy exercises and postnatal times.
- This exercise resets the nervous system bringing us into a calm relaxed state.
- Improves circulation
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves digestion
- Aids sleep
Herbal tea
Having a herbal tea at night really can encourage your body to de-stimulate and let it know your winding down now.
Herbal teas can improve relaxation, sleep, reduce stress and a whole host of other benefits. I found this great tea article for more information.
Caffeine’s out for me by 7pm, I have my last coffee at 1pm as I know it helps me exercise and work, but definitely doesn’t aid my sleep.
I love pukka tea and the Pukka Herbs Night Time, Organic Herbal Tea With Valerian is ideal at night.
Reading at night
Reading at night can help tire the mind and body. Its not a sensory overload exercise like the TV is. It requires concentration and focus. All of which will encourage your body to slow down.
When choosing a book picking one which doesn’t over excite the senses is crucial for a good sleep.
Im a bit of a sensitive thinker, so reading information which charges my senses, like Arundahati Roy The God of Small Things: A Novel isn’t going to support me sleep. It’s going to ignite every living cell in my body to want to make peace and justice in the world and rile me up with feelings of helplessness.
Instead i’ll choose an educational book which helps me grow, but doesn’t over stimulate my senses.
Hot bath
Having a hot bath at night can really help you get to sleep earlier because;
“At night our body temperatures naturally drop, which signals the production of melatonin—or the sleeping hormone. Soaking in a warm bath will raise your body temperature, and exiting will more rapidly cool it down, thus instigating the production of melatonin, and better preparing you for sleep.”
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/style/beauty-products/a18673205/hot-baths-benefits/
Adding in Dead Sea Salts with Lavender & Jasmine can enrich mineral content which improves skin glow and complexion, relaxes muscles and brings the body into a state of calm.
Increasing the likelihood of getting to bed sooner.
Limit technology
You ever felt so tired at 8pm that you turn the TV on and it suddenly jerks your brain back into being totally awake again?
Then over tiredness sets in and its past midnight before the light goes off. Way past bedtime and you wake up feeling exhausted?
I’ve lost count how much i’ve done it.
Limiting technology at night, really can improve our sleep cycle as technology stimulates the mind.
Having a time that works for you to cut technology out and begin winding down an hour or two before bed , can improve the likelihood of sleeping better and earlier.
Healthy morning routine
Awakening an hour before the kids
By following a night time routine like i’ve just wrote about means, you are more likely to have slept better, as a consequence and much more likely to be able to wake up, an hour before your kid’s arise.
By doing this it enables;
- Time for you first thing, allowing your energy to settle
- Wake up properly before having to speak
- Mental quietness
- Be able to practice yoga/meditation
- Plan, set focus and intention for the day ahead
Drink water in the morning
Drinking water as a first start to your day helps the liver rehydrate. It works super hard while we sleep at detoxifying the body.
By flushing toxins out of your body with water first thing it will help reset your body and boost energy levels.
Adding a slice of lemon will increase detoxification, help digestion and constipation and boost vitamins and minerals intake to the body. Heres an article on the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning.
Adding a shot of Organic Aloe Vera Drink⚠️ do not take if pregnant can improve our overall health with so many health benefits. I found this great Marie curie article for more insightful information.
Kombucha
Over the past six months I’ve been making my own kombucha and including it in my morning routine.
It’s great for the gut and digestion, full of probiotics and immune system boosting properties.
If you’re interested to learn more check out the kombucha page
Smudging
Smudging also known as cleansing your space, helps clear energies, lift energy and mood. It also helps to bring you into your space, creating focus and vitality.
What I think is important, is asking yourself, how does it make you feel? When moving the smudge stick clockwise, anti clockwise, starting at the top or at the bottom of your body moving upwards or downwards?
What works for you?
I really think getting into your body and mind is what’s important in this cleansing, uplifting energising exercise and learning to understand how you feel doing it.
⚠️ Be mindful to have at least one window open to not set the smoke alarm off, but more importantly to enable the energy to move. Fresh air is our friend.
I use White Sage Smudge Stick + Palo Santo + Abalone Shell Bowl before practicing and then have a diffuser with essential oils on, at night.
Yoga practice
Stretching, bending, breathing, being in your body, first thing in the morning, is such a great ritual for a healthy morning routine.
The benefits of yoga in the morning are;
- Sets up a more positive day
- Alleviates stress
- Improves flexibility and strength
- Reduces anxiety
- Can decrease depression
- Can relieve chronic pain
- Improves heart health and circulation
- Can reduce bodily inflammation
- Can improve sleep
- Can help improve social connections through awareness
I usually manage at least 45 minute practice.
If i’m lucky to be awake 90 minutes earlier which is quite normal for me in the summer time, I definitely get a 75 minutes in.
My practice depends on how im feeling. For instance if my mood feels fiery, i’m needing a bad ass abs workout.
If i’m feeling unsure, I need to balance.
When I feel upset, I need to meditate.
But when i’m feeling tired and sluggish, I need a vinyasa practice.
Most of the time I need to be calmer with my thoughts and actions.That good old patience button us moms can need more of.
This then translates to a gentle but strong practice.
Coffee time
Its that time of the day i’ve been up at least an hour, had my healthy morning juices routine, flushed through me.
Just finished yoga and the sound and smell of sweet coffee is coming for me.
Literally get so excited for my first cup.
Can you tell I don’t get out much? ?
I love a coffee especially after my morning practice as the aloe vera, Kombucha and lemon water has run through my body, rocking its detoxifying job and I’m ready for it.
I was never a coffee drinker till Sebalicious was two years old. I was a total tea Jenny. Oh how time can change us.
I have at least 2 coffees a day, sometimes 3 if writing lots, followed with a glass of warm water.
I bought a De’Longhi EC680M Espresso machine in 2020 literally won’t go back to a cafeteria. Proper freaking coffee every time, love it.
Cold shower
⚠️ Any heart issues consult your doctor before trying
By having a shower after yoga and coffee you are cleaning your body and clearing your energy lines.
Theres a man called Wim Hof who has his own YouTube channel. I began watching his videos in 2018 and they inspired me to begin wild swimming and taking cold showers, to support my bodies experience of PTSD.
He explains cold shower benefits here Wim Hof why you should take a cold shower
They’re so great for our overall health, energy, immune system and vitality. I wash in warm water and then the last 2/3 minutes is cold. Count to 180 if need be.
Healthy breakfast
Break the fast is what breakfast is all about. You’ve slept hopefully well, you’ve exercised and flushed your body out and before work begins, a healthy morning routine needs a decent breakfast packed with protein, carbohydrates vitamins and minerals.
Feed your body fuel your mind.
It’s the most important meal in the day, but so many skip it.
As a kid my mum wouldn’t allow us out till we’d eaten breakfast.
Eating a healthy breakfast has so many benefits such as;
- Helps energy and mood
- Increases metabolism rate
- Maintains a healthy weight
- Improves concentration levels
- Reduces diabetes and heart issues
- Can improve mental health
A healthy morning routine weekday breakfast in our home is a glass of homemade smoothie, cereal (muesli or weetabix are my favourite) sprinkled with cinnamon and Spirulina and sometimes toast.
At the weekend its usually either banana and maple syrup pancakes, or eggs, black pudding, toast and sausages. With a why smoothie goodness
Vitamins and Minerals
Theres loads of arguments for; if you eat a healthy diet your body doesnt need extra vitamins and minerals.
However there’s loads of reasons to add them into your body to.
Im a bit of a devils advocate at times, so I used to sometimes stop using them, to see how different I felt. I genuinely feel better for having them, mentally physically, emotionally and have since bought a subscription, so i’m not running out.
I have two, flaxseed oil, vitamin d in the Scottish winters and neurozan.
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