5 Ways For A Slow & Easy Morning
For those with anxiety, depression, or burnout, the mornings can be one of the most difficult times of the day. Negative feelings can begin to creep in upon waking, and set in motion an underlying overwhelming tone for the day, leading some to dread the day before it even begins.
However, mornings can be such a great time of day as they are the beginning of a fresh start. Each day we wake is a new beginning as yesterday is put in the archives. Instead of running through a mental daily to-do list and conditioning the mind to dread what’s ahead, rather think of all the opportunities in the day ahead. How we begin our day sets the tone for the day, and beginning the morning slow, mindfully, and on a positive note is key to eliminating those overwhelming feelings of anxiety that lead to negative thought patterns and burnout. Below are five ways to begin your morning calmly and optimistically.
Lemon Water
Starting your morning with a big glass of lemon water is not only refreshing, but has a plethora of health benefits as well. It helps aid in digestion, provides a healthy dose of vitamin C, prevents oxidation, and keeps the body hydrated. A glass of water with fresh lemon helps with ample blood flow, allowing the brain to function more efficiently and stress levels to decrease.
Healthy & Slow Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so starting it off with whole, natural, and healthy ingredients allows our brain the proper fuel to begin our day. Eating slowly has been linked to lowering negative feelings of anxiety, as it allows us to really taste and absorb the satisfaction we get from our favorite meals. It allows our body to really value and take in our nutrients. Instead of rushing through breakfast, taking the time to eat a healthy and slow breakfast can increase our immune function and boost our mood and morale, which in turn decreases feelings of stress or anxiety.
Limit Technology
While technology has its benefits, it can also be the number one culprit in our feelings of anxiety, depression, and other negative emotions. Spending hours on your phone scrolling through the endless world of social media can make us feel discomfort and instill negative feelings. Using your phone upon first opening your eyes in the morning instills those negative feelings in us that we could carry with us throughout our day. Instead, take the morning to practice some self-care and focus on your feelings, thoughts, emotions, and mindset as you begin the day. Try stretching or moving your body in a way that feels good for you.
Gratitude & Mindfulness
Beginning the day with a mindful outlook is crucial to a positive day ahead. One of the best ways to do this is to practice gratitude. It is easy to get sucked into a spiral of negative thoughts full of reasons why the day won’t be great. Instead, think of reasons why you should be grateful for the day ahead of you. Once two or three reasons come to mind, write those reasons down in a journal to set the tone for a positive day ahead.
Movement
Moving our bodies within the first hour or so upon waking up can be so helpful for our bodies and mindset. When we exercise or move our bodies in ways that feel good, our body releases endorphins which are our body’s natural feel-good hormones. This can lead us to adopt a more positive thought cycle, and approach the day with a little bit more optimism. Going for a nice morning walk and taking deep breaths of fresh air can calm down the nervous system and provide us with more clarity for the day ahead.
