Mornings are the most important part of your day. Why? Because they set the tone for the next 12 hours, dictating your energy and mood throughout. There’s a reason why scientists claim that breakfast is paramount, and that this meal should be chock full of energy-inducing nutrients.
Alas, mornings are our great beginnings, the foundation we lay as we set out to conquer another day. Yet, creating and upholding a daily ritual is a task easier said than done (the snooze button has entered the chat). So how do you create a healthy morning routine you can stick to?
This guide will show you.
The Morning Basics
Every healthy morning routine needs to start with a solid foundation of essentials. By considering these must-do aspects every time you jump out of bed, you can build out a healthful daily practice that will support you until nighttime.
Get a good night’s sleep. Why discuss an evening activity in a morning routine guide? Because nothing sets you up for a fulfilling morning routine better than a good night’s sleep. Being well-rested is the spark plug for your morning routine. A good night’s sleep can jumpstart your day and has extensive health benefits, including:
- better concentration and productivity.
- elevated mood.
- improved athletic performance.
- improved immune function.
To reap these benefits, adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. Create a consistent bedtime schedule to start your morning strong.
Make a to-do list. First figure out the things you need to do in order to go about your day; then make a list of these morning essentials. These could include:
- showering
- getting dressed
- taking care of family members or pets
- putting on makeup or doing your hair
- packing a lunch
Next, figure out how long it takes you to complete each of those essential tasks. Spend a morning timing yourself if need be. Once you know what you needto do and how long it takes, you’ll have a clearer idea of how to fit those necessary tasks into your new and improved morning routine.
Morning routine tip:To give yourself more time for healthy habits in the morning, take a look at your list of “must-do’s.” Could some of these tasks be added to your evening routine? For example, you can try taking your shower before bed instead of when you wake up. Or, if you make your lunch the night before, you can make space in your morning for healthy activities.
Consider Your Wellness Goals
Before you create your ideal healthy morning routine, ask yourself what health goals you want your mornings to support. Your health and wellness activities should encompass both your mind and body.
Take a look below for some health and wellness-focused activities to start your day.
A Healthy Morning Routine of Mental Wellness
Making room in your morning to take care of your head space positively impacts the rest of your day. The National Alliance of Mental Illness has this to say about the importance of a morning routine on your mental well-being: “Having a morning routine can increase your energy, productivity and positivity. It also generates momentum, building up to the brain’s peak time for cognitive work. ... While it may be difficult to find the extra time, you will find yourself reaping benefits [for your mental wellness] throughout the day.“
Instead of opening up social media and scrolling to wake up, try playing music to help you get out of bed.
Check out these practices to boost your mental well-being first thing in the your productive morning routine:
Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness seems like a word reserved for yogis or Buddhist masters who have touched nirvana. But in reality, mindfulness is the practice of being fully aware of your mind and body in the present moment. According to Harvard Health, a mindfulness practice allows you to create distance between yourself and your thought process to make better decisions and gain perspective.
Some mindfulness practices you can incorporate into your morning ritual include:
- meditation
- deep-breathing exercises
- yoga or tai chi
Keep a gratitude journal. You know that it’s polite to say “thank you,” but did you know it can be amazing for your mental wellness? A 2017 study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychology showed that participants who kept a gratitude journal and expressed their thanks reported significant improvements in their moods and mental well-being.
Starting your day with a dose of gratitude can do extraordinary things for your day andyour overall mental health. Spend a few minutes of your morning making a list of things you’re grateful for, write in a gratitude journal — or even write a thank you note to someone you care about.
Avoid social media. You’ve hit the snooze button on your phone a dozen times, and now, to fully “wake-up,” you’re scrolling through social media. Before you know it, you’re feeling self-conscious about the fact that you’re not swimming off the coast of Bali or buying a sprawling mansion in the south of France.
Does this sound like you? Not a great way to wake up, is it?
Studies have shown that social media can have a detrimental effect on self-esteem and self-image. Instead of opening up social media and scrolling to wake up, try playing music to help you get out of bed.
Pursue creative practices. Creative practices can deeply nourish your mental wellness. According to Medical News Today, creativity can uplift your mood, help you manage negative thoughts and feelings, improve concentration and memorization skills and generally help you feel good. Try spending a few minutes of your morning doing something creative, like:
- painting, sculpting or drawing.
- creative writing.
- playing a musical instrument.
- knitting, embroidering, or sewing.
Start Your Day With Physical Wellness
Your body is a marvel. And the time you put into taking care of it through physical health practices can reap incredible rewards. Support your physical wellness goals with these morning routine pillars:
Exercise. Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your short- and long-term physical health. This is a no-brainer. Here are just a few benefits of exercise according to the studies surveyed by Healthline:
- strengthens bones and muscle
- increases your energy levels
- improves sleep
- improved alertness throughout the day.
- increased energy.
Incorporate a run, a bike ride, a dance video, or a trip to the gym to your morning routine to support your physical well-being. The sheer sense of accomplishment after a morning workout can create psychological balance and induce day-long energy.
For maximum physical health benefits, pour yourself a glass (or two) of water before you reach for your coffee mug.
Eat breakfast. In your hectic morning, it may be difficult to prioritize breakfast. But you should absolutely make time for the most important meal of the day. In an interview with Time Magazine, registered dietitian and nutritionist Sharon Collinson says this about the importance of breakfast: “People who consume breakfast regularly often have increased physical activity. They have better dietary profiles and lower intake of snacks. Skipping breakfast is associated with lower dietary quality.”
But not all breakfasts are created equal. According to Collinson, a good breakfast incorporates whole grains, protein, healthy fat or a fruit or vegetable. Here are a few breakfast ideas to get you started:
- Greek yogurt with nuts and berries
- scrambled eggs with veggies and whole wheat toast
- toast with avocado and fruit on the side
- oatmeal with milk, your favorite nut butter and fruit
Drink water. Water fuels every single system in your body. And after (ideally) eight hours of sleep with no water breaks, the body could use a little refueling. In an interview with USA Today,registered dietitian Alissa Rumsey recommends starting your morning with hydration: “After being asleep all night, we wake up every day slightly dehydrated. Starting the day with two glasses of water upon waking is a great way to begin the day hydrated.”
For maximum physical health benefits, pour yourself a glass (or two) of water before you reach for your coffee mug.
Or Have a Little Bit of Everything
Ultimately, the health of your mind isn’t separate from your body. The things you do for your body help improve your mental wellness, and vice versa. For example, consistent meditation practices can decrease stress hormones in your body. Exercise can elevate your mood and help manage stress.
So when it comes to your morning routine, you can mix and match healthy activities to support full body wellness.
Start your morning with a run, a shower and a soothing meditation. Write in your journal while enjoying a glass of water. Do a yoga session before making your nutrient-rich breakfast. Make this routine your own by tailoring it to the practices that are most effective for you personally.
The possibilities (and benefits) are endless.
Enhancing Your Morning Routine With Zebra CBD
Your morning routine sets the tone for the whole day. But with so many things to do, it can be hard to focus and reap the benefits of any healthy morning routine. Sometimes thoughts and to-do lists are whizzing through your head as you try to practice mindfulness, enjoy a healthy breakfast or devote time to creativity. By the end of the morning, it may feel like you’ve spent more time thinking about the day ahead, and no time enjoying the start of your day.
That’s where CBD can help.
CBD’s unique properties may help soothe the day’s worries so you can focus on your nourishing morning rituals. Sourced from natural hemp, CBD (or cannabidiol) is a chemical compound that interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). This system interacts with the body’s nervous system to help regulate functions such as sleep, stress response and response to discomfort. By working with this system, CBD can help support wellness in a number of ways, such as:
- reducing stress.
- elevating mood.
- increasing energy and concentration.
- soothing soreness.
- improving sleep.
These potential benefits can help you immerse yourself in a nourishing morning routine. And after a restorative morning (and a CBD boost), you’ll be ready to conquer the day’s challenges with poise and confidence.
You can incorporate CBD into your routine in multiple ways:
- sublingually (under the tongue) through a CBD oil
- In a daily tablet that can increase effects over time
- in a gummy
- in a refreshing, flavored mint
- in CBD gummy or shot for energy
CBD can help you maximize the effects of your healthy morning routine so you can seize the day.
Implementing (and Sticking to) Your Routine
On paper, your routine looks wonderful. But there’s a big difference between creatinga morning routine and followinga morning routine. Try these tips to implement (and stick to) your new healthy morning rituals.
- Do the math and make a schedule. As you’re creating your ideal morning routine, do a little math. Figure out how long certain activities will take you and create a schedule to follow.
- One thing at a time. It can be difficult to jump right into a routine packed with healthy activities — especially if you’re trying to wake up earlier than normal. Instead, try slowly adding new rituals into your morning. Building your routine up gradually can help you adapt to the new routine.
- Experiment. Don’t get frustrated if your first-draft morning routine doesn’t satisfy you or work with your schedule. Just keep experimenting. You may find that instead of a morning run, you’re more rejuvenated by a vigorous yoga practice. Or, instead of meditation, you’d rather enjoy 30 minutes of soothing watercolor painting.
Make the Most of Your Mornings With Zebra CBD
Zebra CBD knows that your morning routine impacts your day andyour overall health. CBD can be a crucial tool to help you build that healthy morning routine for lifelong health benefits. That’s why we offer the highest-quality CBD ingredients to support your wellness goals.
We’re the only company with a Label Accuracy Guarantee™. All our CBD products are tested and then retested by accredited third-party labs.
Formulated with American-grown hemp free of pesticides and herbicides, Zebra CBD can be the missing ingredient to your healthy morning routine.
Questions about CBD? Contact the Zebra CBD team to learn how CBD can make your mornings better than ever. A great day blossoms from a morning routine that nourishes your body and nurtures your soul. We’re here to help you plant that seed.
Sources:
Healthline. 10 Reasons Why Good Sleep Is Important. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#8.-Sleep-improves-your-immune-function
Time Magazine. Is eating breakfast healthy?
https://time.com/5516364/is-eating-breakfast-healthy/
National Alliance on Mental Illness. The Power of a Morning Routine. https://www.nami.org/blogs/nami-blog/august-2017/the-power-of-a-morning-routine
Everyday Health. Stress Hack: How Maintaining a Gratitude Journal for 1 Month Made Me Happier.
https://www.everydayhealth.com/wellness/united-states-of-stress/kept-gratitude-journal-month-it-changed-my-life
National Library of Medicine. Feeling Thanks and Saying Thanks: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining If and How Socially Oriented Gratitude Journals Work. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28263399/
National Library of Medicine. Online Social Networking and Mental Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4183915/
Medical News Today. What are the Health Benefits of Being Creative? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320947
Healthline. 10 Benefits of Exercise.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-exercise#section8
Healthline. Working Out in the Morning: 13 Benefits.https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/working-out-in-the-morning#benefits
USA Today. Why You Should Drink Water First Thing Every Morning.https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/03/14/why-you-should-drink-water-first-thing-every-day/99123938/
Molecules. Cannabinoid delivery systems for pain and inflammation treatment.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6222489/
