How You Start Your Day is How It Will Go: 5 Tips

20 December, 2017

Have you ever looked at how you wake up every morningHardly anyone gives a second thought to it, but the truth is that it is one of the most critical times of your day. How you start your day has a significant impact on how the rest of your day goes — or at least that’s what the studies say.

If we asked people right when they woke up, most of them would exchange a good sum of money for five more minutes under the covers.

Within this group, there is another subgroup of people who postpone getting up as much as possible, condemning themselves to a rushed morning. For many, getting out of bed is very unpleasant, the first obstacle they have to face on a normal day.

“Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it”.

-Richard Whately-

Whatever the case,  science has actually discovered that your first actions of the day determine the way you will behave throughout the day. So, here we’ll give you 5 tips to start your day on a positive note.

Listen to your alarm

A lot of people set multiple alarms at 5-minute intervals, anticipating that they will not get up with the first one. If that’s you, I encourage you to get rid of it.

A study by the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) confirmed that postponing the alarm again and again causes “memory loss, less reaction capacity and decreased performance during the day”.

a dog yawning in bed

If you wake up only after hitting snooze over and over, I suggest using a technique that has had very positive results when it comes to eliminating this habit.

Before going to sleep, lie down and set the alarm so that it goes off in 5 minutes. As soon as it goes off, get up. Repeat this about 10 times. You’ll see that your brain will be programmed to do the same the next morning.

If you get up right away, give thanks and get pumped up

If you get up immediately, thinking only about what time it is or what you have to do during the day, you’ll probably start your day with low spirits. Don’t give yourself up to stress and worries first thing in the morning.

It’s not that difficult, just take 1 minute to give thanks for a new day. Think about how you’re a valuable person and how you deserve a good day. You can even create your own ritual, memorize a prayer to say when you get up. You’ll see how you’ll start your day in a good mood that will affect your whole day.

Breathe and stretch

After your minute of gratitude and self-motivation, sit up on the bed and stretch. As much as you can. Fully extend your arms, while you flex and stretch your legs. This simple movement will tell your muscles that it is time to prepare for activity, but without tension.

a woman doing deep breathing

If you wake up when the alarm goes off, if you give thanks and stretch, your body and mind will be ready to start your day. And if you want to enhance that good attitude even more, there is nothing better than taking another minute to breathe.

Breathing holds the key to good physical and mental health. Breathe in and out deeply to fill your brain and muscles with oxygen. You will feel great.

Don’t drink coffee, drink water

Eastern philosophy say that whoever drinks a glass of water daily before eating avoids many diseases and prolongs their life. Drinking a glass of water wakes you up and activates your digestion in a gentle and beneficial way. It also helps you eliminate toxins and feel awake.

A lot of people have coffee first thing in the morning for energy. However, there are theories that drinking coffee very early can lower your body’s natural production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which you need to start your day. We recommend drinking that first cup of coffee around 9:30 or 10 in the morning.

Stop checking your email or grabbing your phone

First of all, it’s not good to be in the habit of sleeping with your cell phone next to your bed, unless it is turned off. New research suggests that these devices negatively affect our ability to rest during the night. Also, if you use it as an alarm, put it far away so you will have to get out of bed to turn it off.

a man meditating at sunset, start your day with meditation

According to some experts, people who check their email first thing in the morning start their day badly. Nothing is so important that it can’t wait until you shower, get dressed, and have breakfast. That first moment of the day is for you and you alone. Don’t waste it by stressing out ahead of time.

Try this self-care routine when you wake up in the morning. You’ll see it will not take you more than five minutes and it will pay off with a better attitude and mood throughout your whole day. It is also a practice that will increase your self-esteem and in the long-term, give you a better life.