6 Simple Morning Habits That Could Change Your Health Forever

Let’s face it; most of us are rudely awakened by our alarm clock every morning. After hitting the snooze button a few times, we crawl out of bed and begrudgingly begin our morning routines in a hurry, not because we’re enthused to start the day, but more likely to avoid being late for work or getting the kids off to school in time. Before we know it, we’re settling for quick caffeine or a sugar high, or skipping breakfast altogether. By the time we’re ready to conquer the day, the day has already conquered us. It’s a bad routine that constantly sets us up for failure.

Our first two hours after we wake up can be the most productive time of the day¹, yet most of us make poor use of this window of opportunity and many of our fast-track habits are not healthy for us. So how can we switch our usual morning muddle into a time of healthy habits? While these suggested changes may involve a little effort at the beginning, once they become part of your normal routine, you will probably never want to go back to your old habits again.

1) Put Away the Screens

Until you dedicate time to YOU, put away your phones and stay off the computer screen. Yes, our smartphones are awesome and we literally have the world at our fingertips, but they can also be a major distraction. 77% of Americans check their smartphone screens 46 times a day. Altogether, we spend 90 minutes on our phones a day which can add up to 3.9 years in a lifetime². Yikes!

Try to stay away from your phone and/or computer screens until you need to, and see if the time spent focusing on you makes a difference in your productivity and overall happiness.

2) Stay Hydrated

It’s a common morning protocol in millions of households… the first person to wake up starts the coffeemaker. Most of us refuse to function before that first cup of joe, but what we really should be reaching for is plain H2O. When we wake up in the morning, our bodies need to be rehydrated. Drinking water right away helps the body hydrate its cells and improves digestion³. Water also helps flush toxins out of the body (especially with lemon) and helps cleanse the colon, allowing for better absorption of minerals⁴. Keeping your body hydrated is also important for your heart. According to the American Heart Association, your heart doesn’t have to work as hard if you are hydrated because it allows the blood to pump easier through the blood vessels to the muscles⁵

So drink some good old pure or filtered water when you first wake up. We’re not asking you to give up coffee completely, just let it percolate for awhile.

3) Stretch Your Body

When starting a healthy morning routine, don’t forget to include stretching into your new pattern. Spending 10 minutes on stretching when you first get up will help lengthen those tight muscles, help you feel energized, and increase blood flow to the muscles and brain⁶. It will also help with better posture and may help relieve some back pain as well⁷.

Go ahead and give it a try. Here are some simple morning stretches to get you started.

4) Meditate Before You Start Your Day

Although the benefits of meditation can be enjoyed throughout the day, starting the morning with a meditative practice has its advantages. There are many definitions and perceptions about the purpose of meditation, but for this article we’ll break it down into the easiest explanation we can: it is to help you slow down and eventually stop the ceaseless noise of our mind. A meditative state is the state of deep peace that occurs when the mind is calm and quiet, yet completely alert. Meditation is not the act of concentration nor does it require mental effort. Of course, this is easier said than done. If you want to learn more about how to meditate, please read this helpful article.

Once you start a practice of meditation, you can start seeing the benefits quickly. Meditation can help reduce stress⁸, and the inflammation caused by stress⁹, which is reason enough to start the day by calming the mind. It can also reduce anxiety levels¹⁰ and even certain anxiety disorders such as phobias, paranoid thoughts and panic attacks¹¹. Other studies have shown that meditation can increase attention and mental quickness in older adults¹². Meditation can even regulate your blood pressure which can help prevent cardiovascular disease¹³. There are so many good reasons to meditate, why not give it a try? If you’re having trouble getting started, there are many free guided meditation apps available for your smartphone – just don’t get distracted by your email or social media feeds if you reach for your smartphone to help you meditate!

5) Start Your Day With the Right Fuel

All too often, we settle for a quick donut, sugar-filled cereal, or just skip breakfast entirely during the work week. This is a bad habit to get into – and an even harder one to get out of! Our biggest period of time between eating is generally from dinner to breakfast, so it makes sense that our bodies need a healthy replenishment when we wake up. Breakfast gives your brain and body the energy necessary to start the day. Eating a healthy breakfast will improve your performance at work or school, help prevent weight gain, and even make you feel happier¹⁴.

Even on those busy mornings, it’s important to eat right to start the day off on a good note. For some great fast breakfast recipes, try this website as well as this one.

6) Support Your Immune System

Our immune system consists of a network of cells, tissues and organs that work collectively within our body. When our immune function is challenged we not only feel bad, but we can end up with missed work and school days. This doesn’t do anyone any good!

Taking time every morning to help support* your immune system is a great way to start the day. Here are 8 simple ways to boost your immune system. Another great way to help support your immune system* is with Sovereign Silver’s Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol™, the #1 selling silver supplement on the market.

Silver is a natural element that can be found in whole grains, edible and medicinal mushrooms, mammalian milk, spring water, sea water and tap water. It has been used for more than 2,000 years to help safeguard human health. More information about silver can be found here.

Changing your morning routine may require a little work from you and your family members, but the rewards are worth it. Try these simple morning habits for two weeks and see if you don’t notice an improvement. Your mind, body and spirit may thank you.

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