The start of our morning sets the tone for the entire day. It can be rushed, hectic and tense, or it can be relaxed, refreshing and productive. When the day begins on a great note after a good night’s sleep it seems like we’re able to take on whatever life throws our way.
Getting energized in the morning doesn’t require a complete lifestyle overhaul. Making one or more of these small changes to your morning routine can provide big energy boosts before you even walk out the front door.
Don’t Skip Breakfast
Forgoing food in the morning can affect energy levels and how your brain functions throughout the entire day. Our brains need glucose from food to perform tasks, and after hours of sleeping, reserves are low. When glucose levels are low the brain has difficulty focusing. Starting the day with a healthy meal gets the brain and body energized to take on work.
If you have trouble finding time to put together a world-class morning-starter, these tricks can help you sneak in a healthy breakfast.
- Plan out your breakfast meals for the entire week in advance.
- Group meal ingredients together when you unpack the groceries.
- Prep breakfast the night before.
- Stock healthy pre-packaged breakfast items at the office.
If you are really pressed for time, don’t settle for Jimmy Dean sandwiches,consider a service like My Fit Foods. The company creates fresh meals that hit all of the nutritional benchmarks and can be warmed up in the microwave.
Have a 10-Minute Morning Stretch Session
Stretching isn’t just a pre-workout activity. A short stretch session in the morning can help get the blood flowing to wake up the brain and body. The time can also be used to meditate and focus on your breathing. Adding this quiet “me time” to the morning schedule will put you in a relaxed, positive state of mind after just waking up.
Take a Walk
It sounds a little counterproductive, but exercise increases energy levels. And it doesn’t take hours of strenuous activity to see the benefits of exercise. Any kind of physical activity helps build endurance and delivers oxygen to tissue so that muscles work more efficiently. Often, walking is all you need to do in order to get your body energized in the morning and decrease fatigue by up to 65 percent.
In a previous post we discussed how afternoon walks can help combat post-lunch fatigue. The same benefits hold true for people that take a morning walk. Walking for 10-15 minutes creates “calm energy” that lasts for hours. Grab a bottle of water and head outside for a breath of energizing morning air.
Spend Time with Loved Ones
Having purpose is one of the most powerful things in the world. Purpose can give us that extra bit of energy we need to handle a tough task. It can keep us going when it seems like we have no energy left.
For many of us, loved ones give us purpose and put things in perspective. Sharing success with the people we love is what makes our accomplishments worth all of the work. Our significant others and children remind us of why we work so hard and strive to achieve our greatest goals. Spending a little bit of quality time together in the morning is often all the inspiration we need to get energized for the day ahead.
Want to make one of these changes a regular part of your morning routine? Use our Wellness Challenge as an easy starting point to turn your morning routine into a healthy habit!