A calm mind is more productive than a chaotic brain, helping people fight off the signs of anxiety and depression. Thus paving it to better mental health.
As a child, you might have heard your grandma say that how you start your day has much to do with the rest of the day. In a way, when you have a fixed morning routine and start your day positively, things get better eventually. Also, according to research, our willpower is a limited resource, and the reserves do dry up eventually. Under such circumstances, it gets even more essential to turn up to a morning routine to break it off with that toxic cycle in your mind. Helping you with it all, here are 8 essential morning habits for better mental health.
Avoid Checking Your Phone Immediately After Waking Up
In the morning, when you wake up, your brain switches between delta waves (from a deep sleep state) to the theta wave (daydream state) and then to alpha waves (relaxed but not processing information). By picking up and scrolling through your smartphone just after waking up in the morning, you are exposing your brain to sudden shockers. Thus forcing it to be wide awake, skipping the required steps. Also, when you are already in a state of procrastination, not having great feelings about your personal life, things can go bitter with news of your friends having an international trip or someone getting their dream job. Instead, it is always better to keep your mornings for yourself, working on personal betterment.
Make Your Bed
While some may find making their bed a chore to avoid, in the long run, this can have a calming effect on your mind, helping it declutter the stress. As per famous author McRaven, “By making your bed in the morning, you have completed at least one task for the day.” So tidying up the covers will go a long way, helping you feel good and in better mental health for the rest of the day.
Drink Some Water
It all starts with the food. Your eating and drinking habits do define your mental health. When you wake up after seven or eight hours of sleep, it is enough time to dehydrate your body, adding to mood swings and anxiety levels. So indulging in some resourceful drinks is always a healthy option. Go for the OG coconut water or any other fruit-infused drink you like. Having lukewarm water with honey and lemon first in the morning can make you lose weight.
Fill In Your Journal
You can be your own therapist. How? When you continuously think of the same incident repeatedly, things can stop making sense, leading to a complex situation. But writing it down in a journal can help resolve those unsolicited emotions you have held onto for too long. Also, you get to focus on the good things in your life, paving the sense of emotional upliftment and thorough motivation.
Exercise Or Meditate
A healthy body leads to a healthy mind vis-a-vis. You can exercise or meditate based on your goals and aspirations. Many people also walk or run in the morning, breathing all the fresh air they need. Moreover, exposure to bright Sunlight in the morning benefits the body, making you shed off all those depressing thoughts.
Indulge In Some Skincare Routine
Have you ever wondered how, on Earth, these celebrities get such nice and glowing skin? They have a set skincare routine backed by the right food and drink. Because each skin type is unique and you have specific things to care for, get a routine done for yourself and stick to it accordingly. Make sure to choose the products with ingredients that suit your skin, and you are good to go. Glowing skin will surely get you multiple compliments, boosting mood and self-confidence.
Prepare Breakfast
If you love cooking, what better it can be than starting your day with a fulfilling yet healthy meal? Get into the kitchen, grab your favorites from the fridge, and start cooking or baking. According to research, quality breakfast is associated with better mental health in adolescence. So if you have young adults in the house, cook for them and let everyone proceed seamlessly in the journey of better mental health. With a corporate job, things can be difficult but try to indulge in such an activity for at least on the weekend.
Water Your Plants
Research shows how gardening did help people in the USA deal with anxiety during COVID-19, for the best. Are you someone who loves nature and has a blooming home garden? Then half of your problem is already solved. There are no greater health benefits than staying near plants in the morning and spending time with them. Also, besides helping you with better mental health, gardening as a hobby introduces you to various plant species with great effectiveness. You learn so much about nature, which otherwise would have been impossible.
So that is all about your mornings and mindfulness. There are no hard and fast rules to better mental health, and you can always have your way, altering and changing through the stages.
