In 2023, the way you start your day is important, especially for mental health! So, here are five healthy morning habits that will help you to stay positive and promote mental well-being.
Stay Hydrated
Before you take coffee or breakfast in the morning, take at least a glass or two glasses of warm water. Drinking water first thing in the morning flushes out toxins and improves skin health. Kidneys are the primary regulators of fluid balance, and they require water to eliminate waste from your bloodstream. Water is also believed to improve mental performance, increase weight loss and jump-start your metabolism. It also hydrates you and creates an easier digestive flow throughout the day.
Good Sleep Hygiene
You must have heard how important it is to sleep for at least eight hours. Waking up at the same time or within a consistent window every morning is very important as it helps your brain set a routine. Similarly, try and go to bed on time at night as well and sleep a minimum of eight to nine hours.
Meditate
Meditation is one of the widely recommended health practices for all human beings today. Regardless of age, gender or social standing, every person can benefit from building a habit of meditation. This will help you balance your energy and set the mood for the day. You will start the day with a sense of calm and intentionality. Meditation takes various forms, it could be prayer and reading scripture, and it can also be guided through various apps and YouTube videos.
Avoid Phones
Once you get up, you want to know what’s going on in your city or the world. So, what do you do? You pick up your phone and start checking out different posts or sites. Well, exposure to social media, stressful news events, stresses of work and screen time early in the morning is not recommended. Avoid that urge to reply to the overnight email as it can wait.
Exercise
Don’t think of working out only to lose weight. Physical activity in the morning gets our bodies moving and causes an instantaneous release of endorphins, which are the happy chemicals for your brain.
Eat Breakfast
The importance of a healthy breakfast cannot be overstated. Research has repeatedly shown that people who eat a morning meal consisting of complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins like eggs or cheese are better protected against mental health conditions as compared to those who don’t.
