In building better habits, it’s also important to pay attention to how we start our day. For some of us, the first thing we do is check our phones. In doing so, we can be giving ourselves unnecessary stress.
What happens as soon as we wake up?
Since we came from rest, our bodies experience some complex changes. These include changes in blood pressure, heart and breathing rate, melatonin levels, and much more. Our blood pressure starts to rise a few hours before we wake up, controlled by our circadian cycle, and it continues to rise as we wake up. Exposing ourselves to potentially unpleasant or stressful content as soon as we wake up may leave us on edge or in an uncomfortable mood for the rest of the day.
How to start your day positively
Don’t hit the snooze button
Giving yourself those extra minutes of sleep can signal to your brain to indulge in another sleep cycle that may leave you more sleepy or restless by the time you would need to wake up. It also leaves you prone to oversleeping or needing to rush to not be late to existing engagements. This may cause more stress and uneasiness throughout the day.
Start with light exercise
Stretching as soon as you wake up can help take away stiffness of the muscles by improving blood circulation and elongating the muscles. This helps the muscles relax and will help improve your posture. In addition to posture, it also helps prevent neck and back pain. It’s important not to overexert yourself during this time and focus on stretching and warm up exercises to gently nudge your body to alertness. It’s also good to include breathing exercises in the mix to lower blood pressure and help your body better regulate stress and fatigue.
Don’t forget to hydrate
At night, the body repairs itself and eliminates toxins that have accumulated over the day. Drinking water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach will aid in flushing out toxins that have accumulated over the night. When you drink water on an empty stomach, it can actually assist to suppress and dilute the acid in your stomach, preventing stomach acid from rising in the first place. It also aids in the balancing of the lymphatic system, resulting in a rise in the overall degree of immunity.
