I was delighted recently when Bupa Life Insurance approached me to feature in a new article on healthy morning rituals: Lifestyle Experts Share Their Healthy Morning Habits.
As quoted by Bupa…
We spoke to some of Australia’s most successful lifestyle and wellness experts for their favourite healthy habits, to help you kick-start your day.
So I’m keeping up the well-being trend with a post on their topic!
We all know it can be a struggle getting out of bed in the mornings! However there are many ways you can ease your transition from sleep to being mindfully awake. Starting your day in this way will allow you to feel healthier and more energised throughout your day.
Here are a few of their healthy morning tips to get you on track:
Wake up early
If you’re a night owl who likes to sleep in late, you may actually be doing yourself a disservice. Instead of staying up into the wee hours of the morning, adopt the habit of going to bed earlier, even if it’s simply 10 minutes earlier a day. When it’s time to wake up, resist the urge to hit the snooze button over and over again! That extra 15 minutes of sleep is not deep sleep, so it does not come with the same restful benefits. Instead, allow plenty of natural light to enter your bedroom to stimulate your circadian rhythm and invite your body to wake up naturally.
Sit up straight
Start your day the way you wish to continue by taking several steady, long, slow breaths. As you do maintain an awareness of your posture. Not only will this energise your system, it will remind you to keep checking in with your posture throughout the day.
Yoga… of course!
Waking up your mind and muscles is one of our favourite parts of the day! Nothing beats some simple yoga poses to get your blood flowing and your muscles primed. By boosting your circulation and gently rousing your muscles from sleep, you signal to your body that the day is getting started. When stretching, be careful not to go into the stretch too deeply. It should never be painful. As a wonderful side benefit to waking up your body, your mind is also activated ready for the challenges in the day ahead.
These simple tips will add a few extra minutes to your morning routine, however their effects can be felt all day long. Give these tips a try and transform your mornings with new, healthy habits.