Our morning and how we begin our day sets the stage for the rest of our day. If we begin our day on the wrong foot, or with the wrong habits, it can destroy our productivity and motivation.
Have you ever noticed when you wake up and immediately have an argument, or have something happen that’s inconvenient, the rest of the day just sucks? There’s something to starting your day off on the right foot. With that being said, our morning routine and our early morning habits play an integral role in how our days turn out. And while you may have the best intentions- you could be participating in bad morning habits that are taking away from your quality of life.
Here are 8 bad morning habits you need to stop doing immediately.
1. Eating a sugary breakfast.
Eating a lot of sugar first thing in the morning causes a blood sugar spike, followed by a crash. Not only that- but a major blood sugar spike like that early on will end up making you hungrier, causing you to consume more calories and sugar than you necessarily need.
2. Hitting the snooze button.
Hitting the snooze button causes your brain to wake up from slumber and then tells your body that it was a false alarm, nothing to worry about, it can go back to sleep. But then, when you wake up again, it takes your brain by surprise, leading you to feel groggy and confused. In turn, the rest of your day is spent in groggy mode. Avoid this by placing your alarm across the room, and sticking to the time you set.
3. Not exercising.
While it’s good to exercise any time of day, it’s best to do so first thing. Lara Carlson, Ph.D. an associate professor at the University of New England and president of the New England Chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine said, “There’s research that has looked at people engaging in the morning versus afternoon exercise, and those who exercise in the morning appear to have lower blood pressure throughout the day, and they get better sleep.” So, try working out the first thing for the best results.
4. Checking your phone first thing.
When you first wake up, your mind and body are adjusting to the world around you. By checking your phone, you could be overstimulating your mind and making yourself anxious before you even had a chance to get started.
5. Taking a shower that’s too hot.
Stacy Salob, M.D, who is a New York City dermatologist and clinical assistant professor in Dermatology at Cornell University Medical College and NY Presbyterian Hospital, says taking a too-hot shower first thing in the morning can cause your skin to become itchy, inflamed, and irritated. Instead, she suggests keeping the temperature warm and using gentle cleansers.
6. Not hydrating.
When you first wake up, your body is dehydrated from a long night without hydration. Drinking water will not only wake you up, but it also jump-starts your metabolism, detoxifies your liver, and helps you to produce bowel movements.
7. Negative thinking.
Have you ever realized when you first get up, whatever you assume about how your day will go, is what ends up happening? For example, if you wake up, rollover, and think “Ugh, I have to get up. Today is going to be awful,” it most likely will be. Change these up to positive affirmations, and you will notice a major change.
8. Not making your bed.
Making your bed takes all of five minutes, makes your room appear tidier, and starts off a cycle of productivity for your day. While it may not seem like much- it actually can cause a meaningful increase in productivity for your day. And what do you have to lose? Five minutes? It’s worth it.