8 Morning Practices to Optimize Your Health & Well-Being !
We live in such a fast paced society, we often forget to slow down for a moment to take the time to care for our personal health and well-being! Besides making sure you get enough sleep at night (8 hours is optimal) and waking up at the correct time for your circadian rhythm to stay balanced (not the afternoon), there are certain morning practices that are highly beneficial to your health and well-being. Morning time prepares us for the rest of the day. I believe it is important to wake up with enough time to do everything that needs to get done so you don't have to rush. A hectic morning can cause unnecessary anxiety and stress which can be detrimental to your health. Before reaching for a cup of coffee or a donut (which you really shouldn't be consuming anyway), cell phone, computer or television, one should take the time to get their mind, body and spirit balanced and prepared for the day! Here is a list of 8 morning practices that will optimize your health and well-being:
1) Drink Water- As soon as you get up you should be drinking a nice large glass of pure clean drinking water. Even better if you add some himalayan or sea salt sole to your water and some lemon. I personally use ¼ teaspoon of sea salt sole under my tongue followed by 10% of my body weight in ounces (13 or 14 ounces of water). The water I use is reverse osmosis alkaline in a glass bottle. Spring water in glass is even better. Getting your body hydrated is the first step to starting your day on the right track!
2) Go Outside- The next step is to go outside and see the light of day! This should be done within 20 minutes of waking up and you should stay outside for at least 20 minutes! Viewing natural light is very important for our circadian rhythm. This is especially important if one suffers from sleep issues or bi-polar disorder.
3) Do some Stretching/ Yoga/ Exercise- Now that you're outside get a good stretch going! Warm up your body for the day! You may even take it one step further and practice some yoga. If you have extra time, take a walk, a jog or go swimming!
4) Practice Breathing Exercises- Now that you're all stretched out, take a seat and practice some breathing. I practice pranayama breathing exercises which involves slow deep breaths and fast breaths as well. It's very relaxing and good for your health!
5) Practice Meditation- You may take things one step further and decide to meditate for a few minutes or longer. You can do this while practicing breathing exercises if you'd like. Close your eyes and let go of all tension, stress and thoughts. You may visualize the sun entering your energy field and filling you with positive healing energy. Chakra meditations are great too!
6) Listen to Positive Affirmations/ Healing Music- Still feeling a little moody? Listen to positive affirmations, healing music or even a hypnosis recording to get your mind right! Or you can just repeat a positive affirmation in your mind!
7) Eat a Healthy Breakfast- Now that you are relaxed and ready for your day, you must put some fuel in your engine! Opt for something healthy and satisfying! My breakfast always includes fruit, healthy grains (oatmeal, quinoa, millet and/or buckwheat), healthy fats (coconut oil and flaxseed oil), green powder (Greener Grasses Alkalizer by Healthforce superfoods and Moringa Powder...FYI Don't use moringa if pregnant or trying to get pregnant!) and protein (vegan protein powder by SunWarrior or eggs). I also add stevia to my oatmeal! No honey or maple syrup as I've quit all sugar except for fruit. If you're not very hungry then drink a nutritious protein shake! They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you eat a good one! A bagel or a donut with a cup of coffee is not a great start to your day! Try to eliminate poor eating habits. This will benefit you greatly!
8) Stay Positive- Remember to stay positive! Every day is a new opportunity to start over! Forget what happened yesterday. Today is a new day. Stay calm, stay positive... and prepare yourself for greatness!
Jennie Haiman is a Reiki Master Energy Healer, Co-Founder of Self Saviorz Society California Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Poet, Author and Entertainer with goals to help raise the vibration and consciousness of humanity!
