How do you start your morning? Let me guess, you start by snoozing a couple of times, then you look at your phone to see if anyone contacted you the few hours you actually slept because you stayed up late last night and were either with friends or binge watching TV. Then you hurry up, throw yourself into the shower, get dressed while getting ready and if you're lucky you'll have half a cup of coffee before it's time for you to either wake up the kids if you're a mother or running out the door to get to work on time. Do you want to start every morning like this, stressed? I thought so. Let's go through different parts that benefit you, your morning and mainly the whole day.
Start by stretching in the morning so that the blood circulation starts properly. The body ends up in a paralyzing state during parts of sleep and therefore it can take some time to get the body going in the morning. Dogs and cats almost always start the morning by stretching. Do it you also.
We need sunlight or daylight to feel good. Fresh air too, of course. Always start by going out in the morning right after you wake up and stretch. It has several health benefits, among other things you get more energy during the day and it helps the body set the circadian rhythm. If you set the clock so that you have time for a 30-minute (quick) walk in the morning, studies have shown that you improve your memory and your ability to plan. A walk can also make you happier and in a better mood, but keep in mind that a walk probably won't make much of a difference and that you need to repeat this new habit pattern at least 5 times a week to see result.
After the walk, eat a healthy breakfast and avoid coffee as much as possible. Not only does coffee on an empty stomach create stomach acid in the stomach, but without food in the stomach, the stomach acid will not be able to work against anything, but instead can come up as acid reflux. The second reason is that we have a stress hormone in the body called cortisol. Our levels of cortisol are at their highest in the morning, so you don't need coffee to wake you up. You simply need to move more in the morning. Once again, stretch yourself and take a walk in the fresh air.
So what does a healthy breakfast mean? It's really hard to answer as we all need different parts for our health. What works for one person may not work for another. But if you want to stay full for a long time, eggs are a good option. Porridge also satiates for a longer time into the day, which means that we avoid snacking on sweets, for example. Avoid sugar in the morning. If you want to eat bread, whole grain bread is a good alternative.
Don't stress through the morning. A good morning actually starts the day before with a good evening routine. Take care of yourself. If you start stressing in the morning, it is likely that you will have a stressful day. Rather get up a little earlier to start the day at a leisurely pace. Regardless of whether you have children or not, it is beneficial to bring out clothes so you know what you and presumed others will wear in the morning and that all the bags are packed and that you know where everything is. Running around looking for keys and gloves before you leave will certainly not help your calm morning that will lead you into a calm day. Then stand up instead if this should happen, take a few deep breaths and think about where you last put them. No one can think in stress. Make time for yourself and your well-being. I believe in you. Now you just have to believe in yourself.
