Small steps to revamp your morning routine for big results
Do you tend to wake up on the wrong side of the bed every morning? Starting your morning with your best foot forward is important as it sets the tone for the rest of your day, so why not implement these small steps to revamp your morning routine for big results?
Create a morning routine
Just like a bedtime routine is important to help you fall asleep quickly and easily for a good night’s sleep, a morning routine also holds immense benefits.
However, many people stumble haphazardly every morning from the bed to the bathroom and the kitchen trying to get their day started.
Start your morning revamp with a plan that creates structure and builds healthful habits into this critical part of your day.
Wake up the right way
The ability to wake up feeling refreshed and alert starts the day before. Sleep research¹ shows that engaging in intense exercise and sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, going to sleep at the same time every night (as long before midnight as possible) and getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep a night are vital steps to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the world.
When it comes to the actual wake-up, research² suggests that lower-frequency alarm sounds (500 Hz) might be more effective at waking us and curbing sleep inertia* than higher-frequency sounds. Ideally, use a sound that is pleasing, familiar and melodic, and gradually builds to rouse you from sleep.
*Sleep inertia defined: The Sleep Foundation describes sleep inertia as “the feeling of grogginess, disorientation, drowsiness, and cognitive impairment that immediately follows waking”.
Up and at ‘em
Hitting the snooze button is another morning no-no. This common practice can disrupt your sleep cycle by repeatedly pulling you back into a light sleep stage, which can leave you feeling groggy and less alert throughout the day.
However, snoozing may help you feel less groggy if you are woken up during deep sleep, as this can prolong sleep inertia.
Snoozing can detract from your overall sleep quality and impacts your circadian rhythm. Instead, get up when your alarm goes off and expose yourself to morning sunlight as quickly as possible.
Sunlight is a potent regulator of your circadian rhythm. It helps reset your body clock by communicating to your brain that it’s time to start the day.
Going outside barefoot to catch these morning rays while standing on grass can also benefit you because grounding – the electrically conductive contact of the human body with the surface of the earth (also known as earthing) – appears to improve sleep and normalise the day-night cortisol rhythm³, which is critical to feeling fully awake in the morning and tired at night.
The research also found that grounding can help to “reduce stress, shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic toward parasympathetic activation, increase heart rate variability”, and reduce pain, speed wound healing, and reduce blood viscosity.
Incorporating a short stretching routine or a brisk walk can also help wake you up without feeling overwhelmed.
Rehydrate and refuel
The kitchen should then be your next stop to prioritise your sustenance and fuelling. Boost hydration with a glass of water before eating or drinking anything else as you can often wake up slightly dehydrated.
One study⁴ found cognitive and mood improvements in young adults. The research findings showed that “a small amount of water (200 ml) was sufficient to alleviate feelings of thirst, improve hydration status, and attenuate anger, fatigue, and TMD (total mood disturbance)”, and that larger amounts (500ml) were “necessary to improve working memory”.
Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley¹ found that one of the secrets to alertness, which forms part of a three-part prescription, was eating a breakfast high in complex carbohydrates, with limited sugar.
The researchers also discovered that a healthy controlled blood glucose response after eating breakfast is key to waking up more effectively.
Take a moment
Before you officially start your day and pick up your phone, consider dedicating a few minutes to meditation, deep breathing exercises or gratitude journalling to centre yourself and improve focus.
When you feel calm and centred, make a to-do list, prioritise your most important tasks and plan your day with a structured approach to your tasks. Do all of this before letting in distractions by looking at your phone or opening your laptop.
By revamping your morning routine with these small steps, you can reduce stress and start every day with intention, focus and more energy, which can help you achieve more in less time.