What can you do to get a spring in your step first thing in the morning without having to resort to coffee? How do you get your mind and body energised every morning so that the day doesn't drag right from the start? Here are five simple steps to help you get up and go, go, go!
Step 1.
Aim to finish eating by 7pm
Eating in the later evening is not only likely to cause excessive fat storage it also disrupts your sleep. Unless you are doing something very active in the evening such as working out or playing sport then most of us do not need to eat after dinner. If you are active and are truly hungry then have a low-sugar, easily digested protein based snack such as cottage cheese or hummus with vegetable sticks, cooked chicken/turkey, live natural yoghurt with berries or whole-grain sourdough bread with avocado. Many of us like to have a sweet supper snack. This is usually because of habit not hunger. Eating a high sugar snack soon before going to bed may cause a blood sugar crash during the night, stimulating your adrenal glands and causing you to wake around 3am. The same is true for high-sugar drinks consumed at night including fruit juice and alcohol.
The ultimate aim is to essentially do a mini-fast each night. This allows your body to rest completely, including your digestive system. Lowered calorie intake also stimulates the production of Melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for making us fall and stay asleep (it also influences female reproductive hormones and helps prevent the physical signs of aging such as increased wrinkles).
Step 2.
Wind down before bed
Sorry, winding down does not include watching tv. Watching tv and using a computer actually stimulate your brain. You need to unplug physically, mentally and emotionally before going to bed. Winding down before you go to bed helps you to sleep more soundly and consequently wake more refreshed.
Good evening wind-down practices include yoga, stretching, meditation, writing in a journal, listening to soothing music, receiving a massage, having sex or having a bath. Plan to wind down for at least 30 minutes before getting ready for bed but preferably for an hour.
Step 3
Feed Your Mental Energy
What do you focus on first thing in the morning? For most of us it's our busy to-do list, or the demands of our children or the largely negative daily news features. All these things can make us dread getting out of bed and facing the day. Take even just 5 minutes, but preferably 15-30 minutes when you first wake up to focus your mind on positive thoughts and on your needs and desired outcomes. This may mean getting up a little earlier than everyone else but the investment in your happiness is worth it. During this morning inspiration time you could:
* read a passage from an inspirational book
* think of at least 5 things that you are thankful for or that you love about your life right now
* look at your vision scrapbook/board and visualise one of your desired end results
* plan one activity for the day that you will enjoy/look forward to
* watch an affirmation video (mind movie)
* listen to an inspirational audio
The idea of this time is to do something that empowers you and feeds your soul and your dreams; something that stimulates emotions of joy, contentment and expectation in you; something that fires your energy on an emotional level.
Step 4
Hydrate and Power UP
Once you have fed your mind it is time to feed your body. One of the main causes of tiredness and 'brain fog' is dehydration. Start your day with a large glass of water or herbal tea. One of the ideal morning drinks is warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice because it hydrates you and also helps your body to complete the detoxification process that happens while you sleep.
At least 20 minutes after your morning drink have a protein based breakfast. Most people have a carbohydrate based breakfast of cereal or toast. Eating complex carbohydrates can tax our digestive system and leave us sluggish. They also cause high blood sugar levels, leading to low-blood sugar, low-energy and hunger for more sugar about an hour or so later. Protein, however, is far more satisfying and stimulates the production of neurotransmitters that promote alertness.
Eggs are an ideal breakfast food of light protein. Cook them lightly as soft-boiled eggs or in an omelette. I like to make a quick salad of soft-boiled eggs, chopped spinach and fresh herbs dressed with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Ideally add raw egg yolks to a smoothie, but only if you know they are fresh (I wouldn't eat supermarket eggs raw). Avoid eating raw egg white as it can inhibit your uptake of the b-vitamin biotin.
Alternative light protein breakfasts include a micro-filtered whey protein drink, a green smoothie with fermented spirulina, chemical-free turkey or chicken sausages, fish, fresh fruit salad with chia gel or pre-soaked nuts or asian style soups.
Step 5
Embrace Daylight
When you wake up in the morning spend some time outside as soon as you can. Obviously this is easier when the weather is warmer, but it doesn't have to be for a long period of time. Hanging the washing up outside will do the trick. However, you do get maximum impact from this step if you do some form of exercise outside in the morning. The reason for this is that both sunlight and exercise promote the production of the neurotransmitter seratonin. When you get up early and go straight outside to exercise your seratonin levels soar, you feel great all day, and your hormone levels transition smoothly from a seratonin dominated state to a melatonin dominated state as the sun sets. Serotonin is thought to have an energizing effect and contributes to wakefulness in the brain and body. Deep sleep also improves your daytime serotonin levels and helps you to wake up feeling happy and positive.
There you have it, five simple steps to feeling energised every morning: enjoy your dinner as the last meal of the day, relax in the evening, focus on your desires, fuel your body at the start of the day and take a walk in the morning sunlight. Five pleasant ways to embrace each day with a spring in your step and a smile on your face and not a cup of coffee in sight.
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