Top 10 Morning Habits for a Healthy Body and Mind

Envision yourself waking up gently to the sunlight streaming in, feeling remarkable, your mind clear, and mentally prepared to seize the day. This is a feeling which is rarely attainable due to the challenges modern life presents, and is something most of us yearn for. 

Usually, your morning starts with an alarm blaring, alongside the constant pressure of unending work waiting for you. This ultimately leads to the mental state of feeling rushed and overwhelmed. Imagine if, instead, you could generate a state of calm tranquillity combined with endless energy every morning. 

From motivational podcasts to drinking refreshing water, your ideal morning starts with the right step and promises a productive day. The perfect morning routine extends beyond simply avoiding social media and encompasses a range of activities, all designed to meet your personal needs. 

Whether you label yourself a “morning person” or not, an efficient routine has been proven to foster productivity, enhance effectiveness, and promote overall well-being. Now, let us discover the perfect morning routine that balances both a healthy mind and body, and how you can personalise it for yourself. Steps for a more productive day!!

1. Master Your Wake-Up Time

As Ayurveda describes, Brahm-Muhurta is the ideal time to start your day. This notion suggests that there is an optimal time for waking that enables individuals to meditate or connect with their higher selves. Engaging in such practices at this time may improve one’s mental health and prepare one for the day ahead.^[1]

Similar to the Brahm-Muhurta philosophy, Robin Sharma’s 5 AM Club emphasises the importance of waking up before sunrise to achieve enhanced health, productivity, and personal development. The aim is to eliminate distractions before the world fully awakens, allowing for uninterrupted growth.

Incorporating these principles enables you to achieve much more than simply waking up early – you now have a structured approach to a focused, purposeful, and productive day. 

An alarming shout will certainly get you out of bed, but replacing the sound of your old-fashioned buzzer alarm with something more melodic may actually aid in getting rid of that morning sleep inertia.

So, try to pop a song or an instrumental tune that is more rhythmic and birds chirping at their best, rather than the melodious upbeat stuff. Sounds might help you gradually wake up from sleep rather than sending you back to sleep.

Did You Know: A melodious alarm, such as a pop song, a rhythmic instrumental melody, or ambient noises like birdsong, may help you wake up more softly rather than startling you out of your sleep, according to research.^[2]

Most of us have the annoying habit of hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock. Above all else, to break this habit effectively, developing a healthy routine is key. If you have more time in the morning, take advantage of it to establish a productive routine.

 Take a moment to check your phone’s alarm sounds and select your favourite upbeat song. The morning you set your alarm for will be one you’ll be glad you did.

Avoid scrolling through your phone or checking your emails, messages immediately when you wake up.

2. Boost Your Morning with Natural Light 

Leave the curtains or blinds undrawn during the day, allowing maximum sunlight to enter the room, as this can be beneficial in maintaining the internal biological clock. When you get adequate sleep, your internal clock functions optimally, facilitating a natural wake-up. 

Even before you start your coffee habit, this allows you to gradually feel more alert with the early morning brightness. Throughout the day, unexplained light phenomena in the morning help you achieve your target bedtime without feeling sleepy, and you wake up feeling grateful.

Did you know? Waking up to natural light can help regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to wake up and feel alert.^[3]

To be honest, who doesn’t want to wake up feeling refreshed and not be able to perform their daily routines in a zombie-like manner?

If your schedule allows, clear skies without prior commitments, make time to step outside and relax. If you’re cramped in the mornings, the first thing you can do is roll out of bed and unfurl the window and curtains, which induces an immediate chemical change, prompting deeper, more spirited breaths. 

Sit out in the early morning sun for 10-15 minutes, as it helps you relax, boosts your mood, and also aids your body in absorbing vitamin D from the sun.

On bright, not-so-sunny days, feel free to use overhead lighting while indoors and get a head start on installing ceiling lights for light therapy.

3. Hydrate to Energise

Once you wake up and stretch, your body needs to be hydrated as it hasn’t received any water for several hours. If drinking two glasses of water is the first step in your morning routine, that’s a powerful habit that can boost your day.

Water is able to flush out toxins, rehydrate cells, and jumpstart metabolisms. All of which will make you more alert. Drinking water not only aids physical hydration but also supports brain function, ensuring mental focus and clarity are not compromised.

Your body can feel sluggish when you’re dehydrated, and it can be challenging to accomplish tasks as energy levels decline. Therefore, replenishing water first thing in the morning helps enhance a positive attitude.

Did you know? Drinking water immediately after waking up helps kick-start your metabolism and hydrates your body, which in turn aids in maintaining better energy levels throughout the day.^[4]

You can also include healthy beverages like lime water, chia seed water, methi water, and barley water, as they are hydrating and contain nutrients beneficial for overall health.

After drinking an adequate amount of water, ensure that you clean yourself up first. Enjoy a quick stretch, wash your face, and brush your teeth. Achieving these few things will ensure you feel refreshed both mentally and physically, ready to tackle the day.

4. Jumpstart Your Day with Physical Activity

Doing a gentle stretch first thing can help improve muscle stiffness and tightness, while also enhancing alertness and making one feel more energetic, rather than sluggish. 

Activity during this time helps blood flow to the brain and other body parts, delivering additional energy and improving cardiovascular health.

Physical activity in the early hours of the day can also enhance crucial brain functions, such as decision-making and alertness, increase attention, and improve working memory.^[5] If you can exercise, the suggestions below can assist you in engaging in movement during the early hours:

•  Ramp up your dog’s regular walk by a couple of blocks.
• Take a brisk walk or jog in your neighbourhood for 15 minutes.
• Use walking or cycling for commuting to work; alternatively, alight a train or bus one stop earlier.
• Shift your yoga routine to the morning. 
•  Toss in some gardening- it has loads of feel-good and health benefits.

Did you know? Research suggests that morning stretching can help reduce muscle stiffness and increase blood flow, thereby improving overall mood.^[6]

5. Eat a Nutritious Breakfast

Fueling your day with a protein-rich breakfast is ideal.^[7] It not only fills a calorie deficit but also energises you for the day to come. 

Plentiful carbs in the form of whole grains, whole fruits, and vegetables, as well as proteins like eggs or plain yoghurt, are also on hand to help elevate and sustain your energy levels.

Take a moment or two to savour your drink of choice, rather than gulping it down, as most people tend to do. Think about including the following in your breakfast:

• Whole Grains: millets, Oats, quinoa, or whole-grain bread are fantastic examples. They are packed with fibre and energy, which are released at a slower pace. For this reason, people who consume these feel full for longer periods. 

Try Aashirvaad Whole Wheat Atta, which is manufactured from the best quality grains that are deep and have a golden amber colour. With the contemporary ‘chakki-grinding’ technique, Aashirvaad delivers Atta that is 0% Maida and 100% Sampoorna Atta. With a unique 4-step process, which entails sourcing, cleaning, grinding, and nutrition lockage, Aashirvaad guarantees chakki atta quality.

• Proteins: Rich sources include eggs (scrambled, boiled, or poached), Greek yoghurt, and cottage cheese, all of which are packed with protein and vital amino acids. Muscle repair and satiety are two fundamental functions they perform.
• Fruits & Vegetables: For a good boost of vitamins and antioxidants, add a handful of berries alongside your banana or apple. You can also add some kale or spinach to your smoothie or omelette for a nourishing boost.
• Healthy fats, such as nuts, seeds (like chia or flax), and avocado, can contribute to sustained energy and optimal brain health.
• Beverages: Balance your breakfast with water and enjoy a hot drink in the morning, such as herbal tea, green tea, or black coffee.

All these easy yet wholesome options prepare your body and mind for an effective and active day ahead.

6. Meditate or Journal for a Calm Start

Take a moment to meditate or journal, or do both simultaneously. Morning meditation sessions, coupled with daily meditation, can elevate mindfulness and self-reflection, thereby easing anxiety and stress.

If anxiety and stress take charge of your mornings, meditation can greatly assist in shifting to a self-compassionate approach to mornings. Meditation also alleviates personal suffering inflicted by oneself, thereby boosting kindness.  

You can also transform your morning routine by incorporating daily journaling. With the guidance of a timer, devote 10 to 15 minutes for writing with the intention to space out thoughts, invoke affirmations, or define the purpose of the day. This simple change can ease mental clutter.  

Did you know? Taking a few minutes to meditate or journal in the morning can significantly reduce stress and increase mindfulness throughout your day.^[8]

7. Chores to Help Energise Your Morning

 Completing a few simple chores in the morning can improve your day and also build motivation for what lies ahead. Here are some simple tasks to consider: 

• Make your bed
• Clear breakfast table
• Put the dishes away
• Sort clothes and place them in the washer
• Wipe down the counters
• Wipe down the work desk
• Take out the bin

By completing these small and simple chores, one can achieve a greater sense of accomplishment, which can help tackle the various demanding activities throughout the day. These simple tasks help build motivation and a positive mindset for the rest of the day.

Did you know? Setting a morning routine that includes a few small chores can actually boost your productivity for the entire day.^[9]

8. Create a To-Do List  

You have a lot of things to accomplish every day, and for some reason, a few tasks always manage to get overlooked.   To remember everything you need to accomplish, jot down important errands like:

• Picking up overdue library books
• Updating your project outline
• Fetching ingredients for the evening meal shortly after waking up.  

Creating a checklist serves different purposes, as it allows you to focus on managing your obligations and gain a clearer view of what needs to be done immediately and what can be addressed later, thereby easing some of the pressure and anxiety.  

 To-do lists also come with the added advantage of being structured. Writing down your tasks provides a physical reminder, whether electronic or paper, so you can stop worrying about having to remind yourself to address the task.^[10]

9. Engage In A Hobby

If waking up in the morning feels like something torturous rather than looking forward to something, then devoting time to things you absolutely love can change this. Your routine should certainly not be reserved only for productivity. Splitting mornings into enjoyable segments can motivate the rest of the day.^[11]

While practices like yoga, meditation, or journaling may not come naturally to you at first, they can become enjoyable over time. Even though hobbies do not deliver instant enjoyment, it is still valuable to dedicate a fraction of your morning to a pastime of pure elation. For example, you might:

• Spend a few minutes conquering an online game, 
• Watch the latest video from your top content creator
• Devour an audiobook or explore reading
• Pump up a curated selection of your favourite songs
• Sketch and paint captivating pictures
• Work on intricate and simple craft projects
  

10. Practice Massage or Abhyanga

Abhyanga is a type of massage practised in Ayurveda wherein the full body is treated with warm, medicated oil. As standard massages target muscle relaxation, Abhyanga is an energy work that aids relief on a different level: harmonising life energy within the body while promoting wellness. 

The massage adheres to general principles but also differs for each individual, incorporating specific oils and techniques to nourish the individual on a mind-body-spirit level.

Abhyanga may utilise light pressure, which involves gentle stroking movements on the skin. It is best known, however, for its deep, broad oil stroking, intended to nourish and balance the body’s systems and tissues through the application of oils.  

Light massage, in comparison, encompasses a wider range of strokes, characterised by relaxing touches with low to medium pressure, aimed at helping the client unwind, refresh, and reduce their stress levels. 

Did You Know? Both techniques may alleviate some tension, but Abhyanga excels at fostering detoxification, enhancing circulation, relieving stress and sleep difficulties, and promoting a sense of balance, vitality, and overall wellness. ^[12]

Abhyanga can be done once a day or multiple times a week, which supports the addition of these self-care practices into the morning routine, setting a positive tone for the day ahead. 

The Bottom Line

Since mornings are unavoidable, embrace them and design a refreshing morning routine. A routine that works for you creates a habit that positively guides the rest of the day, while also enhancing your general health and mood. 

Remember, successful mornings start the night before! Getting good sleep, paired with a proper bedtime routine, will ensure you wake up feeling revived and ready to tackle the day.

With this in mind, it is possible to turn mornings into an energising start to the day by implementing small, purposeful changes. To avoid morning stress, make it a habit to plan your daily tasks with allocated time slots every morning. This will help you stay organised and reduce procrastination throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions