A lot of us start off our day being abruptly woken up to the loud “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP” sound coming out of our phones. We snooze it, roll over and try to make every last minute count under our warm comfy covers until we HAVE to get up. The first thing we do is go downstairs and reach for a warm cup of coffee to wake us up from our sleepy daze. Now instead of the “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP”, it’s a “THUMP, THUMP, THUMP” as our heart rate shoots up from the effects of the caffeine on an empty stomach. We then freshen up, get dressed and land at our desks to start our day’s work.
Albeit we’ve made it to work on time and accomplished some great work from feeling “switched on” from our adrenaline rush, it soon gets to midday when we start to crash. To ensure we remain productive for the rest of the day we rely on more caffeine and sugar to see us through.
If you’re used to this typical morning routine, it’s likely you experience some of the following:
Feeling fatigued
Irritable
Poor quality sleep
Low moods
Headaches
Tension in your relationships
Less energy and enthusiasm to accomplish all your daily tasks/personal hobbies
This is because our nervous system and adrenal system are burning out from the overstimulation we’re feeding them.
These experiences are all too common and many of us are looking for quick fixes to feel better and get on with our lives such as painkillers and energy drinks. However, the most effective long-term fixes are those that require behavioural and lifestyle changes, which in turn also promote health and longevity.
My 3 tips to reconstruct your morning routine:
1. Swap the “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP” for perhaps a “CHIRP, CHIRP, CHIRP”?
If you are unable to wake up naturally, I would suggest getting a natural sound alarm clock that uses gentle sounds such as birds chirping. These sounds have proven to reduce stress and aid our moods. Alternatively, you could use a sunrise clock/dawn simulator. This type of alarm clock softly lightens the room mimicking the sunrise. As the room is lightening up, peaceful natural sounds accompany gently awakening you.
2. Swap your first drink of the day from caffeine to a warm cup of lemon water
I would recommend 500ml water with the juice of ½ lemon or 2 limes.
Health benefits:
Helps flush out toxins
Is deeply hydrating as it can travel more deeply into your tissues and cells than plain water
Is alkalising when consumed therefore if you are to continue to have your morning cup of coffee, having lemon water 30 minutes before can help reduce the negative impacts the acidic coffee would have on an empty stomach
Is a good source of vitamins C and B and minerals such as Calcium and Magnesium
Strengthens the immune system
Regulates blood pressure
Helps regulate our body temperature
Awakens the mind and energises your body for the day
Boiling water can reduce the effectiveness of the lemon. So, if you would like your lemon water warm, first add cold water and then the boiling water.
3. Don’t skip the most important meal of the day - breakfast!
Again, if you are going to continue with your morning coffee, I would advise you to have breakfast first to reduce the load on the nervous and adrenal systems, as well as protecting the acidity levels in the stomach. Skipping meals also strains our adrenals and reduces our blood sugar levels which contribute to the symptoms listed above.
For those that struggle with finding the time I would suggest:
Preparing something the night before such as overnight oats
Bake your own healthy breakfast bars in advance (these can be done in as quickly as 15 minutes) for you to grab on the go
For those that lack an appetite that early:
Eating some fruit is a nice option that is full of nutrients
Coffee reduces our appetite so getting used to eating before/instead of the coffee may make room for your appetite to return
Bonus tip – practice a form of self-care to ease you in and set the tone for the day ahead
If you can find the time, I would encourage practicing a form of self-care in the morning before your workday begins. Examples could include:
Reading
Meditating
Exercising
If you are looking for help to implement and sustain new lifestyle habits/ behaviours in order to improve your health and wellbeing (and essentially your quality of life), as I health coach I keep you accountable and motivated so that you really achieve your health and wellness goals. Additionally and most importantly, I provide you with the tools needed for you to accomplish sustainable, long-lasting lifestyle changes.
My aim is to educate and support people to be able to live their best lives.
Website: www.wellbeingfromsource.com
Instagram @wellbeingfromsource
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