“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” ~ John C. Maxwell

Your morning routine can set you up for success or for sluggishness – so, a strong morning routine is key, as a foundation for the rest of your day, week, month, and year. It can enable you to feel grounded, focused, goal-oriented, and energetic. We’ve compiled some of our favorite ways to optimize your morning and your whole-body health!

You can begin by planning ahead now, for tomorrow morning and every morning to follow. Choose from these, incorporate them into your morning routine for a few days or a week, and evaluate what works best for you… then build on them as you feel called or ambitious!

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Proper hydration is critical for all our cells, which means when you’re well-hydrated, you’ll have more energy, better brain function, and a healthier body, head to toe. The best way to gauge how much water you need to drink is to check the color of your urine. The darker the color, the more water you likely need to drink. And don’t forget to add in essential minerals for optimal absorption and increased energy! A simple way to optimize your hydration is to add a pinch of quality mineral-rich salt to your water. We love Redmond Real Salt because it’s pure, unprocessed, and full of trace minerals.

Breathwork & Beyond
Just by practicing breathing techniques, you can improve your nervous system, immune system, and overall health. You can practice some simple box breathing, inhaling for a count of 4, holding for a count of 4, exhaling for a count of 4, and holding for a count of 4. By focusing on counting, you can detach from outer thoughts and center on your breath, bringing yourself into a calm, meditative state. We love teaching our patients various forms of breathwork techniques to help them heal and perform optimally in everyday life. We provide a specific resource on Conscious Breathing, which includes a simple yet comprehensive program that can be used daily to improve energy, mental clarity, and physical health.

Get Grounded
Grounding, or earthing as it’s also referred to, is a powerful way to energize your body while also enhancing your nervous system balance. The earth is full of free electrons (energy) that we can absorb in our bodies. This energetic charge can help neutralize free radicals, normalize our circadian rhythms, increase circulation, and more. Practically speaking, that means less pain and stiffness, lower inflammation and stress, better sleep, improved heart rate variability, normalized blood pressure, and more energy! If you can’t get outside, barefoot, with your feet on the earth, another fantastic way to ground is with the Biomat, which sends a gentle heating current through amethyst stones, causing a release of negative ions and far infrared rays that penetrate deeply into the body. We utilize the Biomat with our patients and can facilitate purchasing for home use.

Rise & Shine
Exposing yourself to the sun, without sunglasses, within the first hour of waking can have a substantial effect on how you feel during the day. This simple practice facilitates the natural rise in cortisol, suppresses melatonin, and increases the melatonin precursor serotonin, which is converted to melatonin when it gets dark – enabling you to get restorative, deep sleep. Your body clock is most responsive to sunlight in the early morning, between 6 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. Make it a habit to get some sun exposure in that primetime light period. Direct sunlight outdoors for 30 minutes has been shown to produce the most benefit, but get what you can according to your schedule.

Achieve Inner Balance
Negative or chaotic emotions are reflected in your heart rhythm patterns and affect how your brain and heart communicate. When these two systems are out of alignment, it causes incoherence. When ignored, these emotions can continue to build and ultimately present as health issues, lead to you shut down, or cause you to try and “numb out” with distractions. The Inner Balance Trainer can provide you with the simple techniques you need to manage stress, revitalize energy, and restore your mental, emotional and physical balance. Learn more and unlock the power of your heart at back2normalpt.com/heartmath

Move Mindfully
Morning movement promotes an optimal boost of energizing, mood-elevating hormones in the bloodstream – better than coffee! Choose a movement practice that is appropriate to your fitness level and unique needs and performance goals. You can start slowly with a five-minute commitment, and build over time. Starting your day with movement helps you prioritize fitness, health, and time management, and stacking in an educational podcast or audiobook makes the time even more valuable, as you’re simultaneously enhancing your mind.

A strong, sustainable morning routine is built on good habits, and that means finding a routine that fits your individual lifestyle and needs.

How do you start your day? 

Ready to uplevel your morning, and your whole-body health? Seek advisement with our specialists, and let us guide you with the most effective practices for your unique needs! We offer a wellness-focused & supportive environment that can help you achieve your goals. Be sure to check our social media and blog updates for regular wellness inspiration, information, offers, and support.

The Back 2 Normal blog is an educational resource written by Back 2 Normal employees and professional associates. Back 2 Normal bloggers are professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.