Monday 8 July 2019

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

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In the last post we talked about the importance of a good morning routine - for your overall physical and mental health. We shows three simple tweaks you can make.

Here are three more.

Delay that coffee
This is very interesting. How many of us claim we cannot start a day without our cup of coffee to get us going?  Funnily, research shows that people are more addicted to the idea coffee is helping them, then any actual boost. Psychologically we are persuading ourselves that we need the coffee.

But when you body wakes up in the morning it naturally starts pumping the hormone Cortisol, which acts in a very similar way to caffeine.
Neuroscientist Steven Millar says: "Most people's Cortisol levels peak sometime between 8am and 9am. So do not start your day with a coffee as that is when your body will naturally be its most alert. It can actually blunt the energy boost you get from the Cortisol.  Instead have a herbal or fruit tea, combined with a slow energy-release breakfast, such as porridge. Save drinking caffeine for 9:30am to 11:30am when your Cortisol levels are naturally dropping. It will keep you energised longer."

Do some exercise
Exercise is the closest thing we have to a miracle drug. It is as key for your head as it is for your heart as studies show an aerobic workout or even a fast walk will lift your mood, and may even slow the brain's aging process by protecting memory and thinking skills.
"Exercising on an empty stomach in the morning is a good way to get the blood flowing through to the brain rather than the digestive system, and this can help super-charge your thought process," says Tim Blakey, creator of the training app Primebody.  Whether that is using weights, or some cardio, exercise can also help regulate your appetite for the rest of the day.
HMHB notes: Lawrence has attended a residential bootcamp, and they would do an hour exercise before breakfast (normally nibbling on half a banana first just to wake the body up - now he knows why!!).

Plan your day ahead
Of course, we all have unforeseen events we need to deal with in the day, but being able to try and organise yourself is a good idea. Being confident is about having belief in your own abilities to achieve goals and complete tasks. So spend some time visualising yourself having positive experiences. Research shows that planning your day, watching yourself complete tasks and imaging the feeling of accomplishment can help the day feel less daunting. It does improve focus, and prevents procrastination.

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