Is a good morning routine crucial? Part One - 3 things to do

I have had several great jobs in my time. Jobs that I just really enjoyed. And I used to jump out of bed in order to get to the office by 7:30am. I would start work, energised, and even sometimes have breakfast at my desk. I was very much a morning person. And the benefits of that would be I would get so much more done in my day.

That goes into life too. If you are up and about you can be productive, get all those niggly little household chores done, exercise better, and improve your overall well-being.

Lately though things have changed for me. (well, I have allowed that to happen). The alarm goes off, I hit snooze and drift off back to sleep for the ten minutes before hitting snooze again and again. Suddenly you have missed an hour and it feels lie the day is getting away from you yet again. Sound familiar??? It is something I know I need to change - and soon.

Statistics say that only one in four people are natural early risers who wake up raring to go - the rest of us are on the back foot before we even reach the office. But developing a good morning routine could be the key to a more productive, successful and healthier life. Okay, yoga and juices at 6am is not for everyone, and is not realistic.  But small tweaks over time can make a huge difference, and have a big affect on your whole day.

Get up at a regular time

Sometimes, it is not about getting up early, it is about getting up at a decent time on a regular basis. Research shows that "people who get up at a regular time with stable rhythms  of being active in the daytime and inactive at night are less at risk of depression and have better overall general health than those with varied sleep patterns" - according to Daniel Smith, Professor of Psychiatry at Glasgow University.

He suggests: "the night before work out how much time you need to do all your morning tasks comfortably and set your alarm accordingly. Then get up at that time each day - never press snooze. You then establish a routine."

Find solo time in the morning

This is easy for me as I live on my own - but if you share a house/flat then find time for yourself before others are up (if you live on your own also read this though - it will help).

I know it may sound impossible if you do live with others, but it could be crucial to find some "me time".

Nicola Forshaw, director of Mind-Fit.co.uk, says: "There is a reason artists seek solitude when they want to create something. Studies confirm that being alone fosters creativity and sky-rocket productivity. This can even be just five minutes. It is also shown to develop compassion for others and help people be more patient.

Sing in the shower

I do love this one - but apparently belting out a song in the shower really does make you feel better (not sure about the people who may hear me though!!).

This was news to me - but we produce feel-good chemicals called Endocannabinoids (no, me neither!!) when we do certain activities like singing, dancing and exercising. These have a similar effect on the body as Cannabis (I can honestly say, being a non-smoker, I have not experienced a joint, and hasten to say we do not condone that). These chemicals (not the cannabis) improve everything from your immune system to your mood and sleep.  When you sing, your body releases over 40% more of these chemicals.