5 morning health habits starting the day off right

With each day you greet, what could you do to set a healthy tone right from the start?  Beginning each day with health in mind, you are more likely to keep focused on practicing and choosing healthy habits that support your well-being.  By putting the emphasis on both physical and mental wellness, this is a health fix that should be as routine as getting dressed for the day.

How well your morning starts off will determine the tone of your day.  Cultivating healthy habits first thing upon waking can influence how you feel, act, and think during the remainder of your day. 

Here are 5 examples of morning health habits to add into your daily routine helping your day go a little more smoothly:

1.  Drink a glass of water with lemon juice in it

Upon waking up each day, most of us can be slightly dehydrated.  Dehydration can lead to a lack of get-up-and-go energy along with a sluggish metabolism.  Why not start off the day with a tall cool glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon juice in it?  Even though there is limited scientific evidence of lemon water’s impact on health, at the same time, drinking a glass of water with lemon just might be a good healthy habit after all.   

Citrus fruits like lemons are high in vitamin C, an antioxidant helping protect cells from damaging free radicals.  Juice a half of a lemon into water and a person will get a mere 6 calories and more than a fourth of their daily vitamin C requirement.  Plus, adding lemon to water enhances the taste therefore increasing its appeal for some to drink more water improving hydration.  Drinking a daily glass of lemon water may also do the trick working as a morning laxative to help prevent constipation. 

For those wanting to shed a few pounds, lemon water may be able to help.  Not that it’s a magic panacea for weight loss, but thanks to compounds called polyphenols found in lemons, they may slow one’s appetite.

To make lemon water, use whole lemons (not lemon juice in a bottle), squeezing the juice from one lemon into 8 to 12 ounces of water.

2.  Have a morning stretch

Body stiffness is an almost universal trait among most adults in the morning.  When the alarm goes off and we throw back the covers, our bodies are not exactly in the mood to gracefully jump up out of bed.  As we lazily force ourselves to stand up, attempts at walking are even more pitiful as we shuffle around getting ready for the day shaking off stiffness. 

To shake off grogginess and give your body a boost of limberness, a morning stretch can be just what you need to be ready for the day ahead. 

Some of the ways a is very beneficial is that it raises the body’s core temperature loosening up muscles preparing them for the day’s activities, it keeps the spine supple and agile, increase range of motion, accelerates the release of mood-enhancing endorphins, and stretching offers a beneficial break from a hurried-up, frazzled morning routine.

3.  Find a few minutes to meditate

Yes, mornings are busy but make time to find time to quietly close your eyes and meditate. It could be simply sitting on the edge of your bed or a comfortable chair clearing your mind of clutter focusing on what your ideal day would be.  Or you could sit outdoors, close your eyes and listen to the sound of the wind rustling tree leaves, birds singing, or the rush of a breeze as it caresses your face.  Just a few minutes at the start of each day meditating can have a huge impact on reducing stress and increasing ability to focus. 

Research shows that meditation can influence our brain by improving our cognition, empathy, learning, memory, and compassion while reducing fear, anxiety, and stress.

4.  Make fruits and veggies a part of your morning

First, breakfast is important and one food component absolutely necessary at breakfast is produce.  Whether fresh or frozen, fruits and vegetables will help fuel your body with the vital nutrients it needs to get going for the day.  Plus, the high water content of produce is perfect for adding in hydration right from the start.  Consider adding berries to Greek yogurt or oatmeal, try avocado and tomato on whole-grain toast, or throw fresh spinach or kale in your breakfast smoothie or scrambled eggs. 

You can never go wrong when starting the day off right by including fruit and veggies as part of your morning routine. 

5.  Take time to look good

No matter where you are going, putting time and effort into your appearance helps build self-confidence.  When you feel “put together” it is one less thing to worry about.

Have your routine of showering, washing your face, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, applying lotion, do dress to impress and whatever other grooming habits you have that make you feel good about yourself. 

When we walk out the door to greet the world looking and feeling our best, the day is bound to be better.