My Wellness Morning Routine
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Having a morning wellness routine can be a simple, effective and free way to help move your health forward!
Do you ever feel totally overwhelmed by the wellness industry? I know that I do! It feels like every podcast I listen to, every Instagram post that I see, or email I receive, I see some sort of new supplement, food, or wellness item that I could be trying out. It honestly gets really overwhelming, and I start to feel anxious, like no matter how much I do, it won’t be good enough.
As complicated as it’s all become, I’m here to remind you (and myself, too), that much of what your body actually needs is simple. Supplements can be a wonderful tool, but you can also get most of what you need from real, nourishing foods. The same is true for lifestyle. Much of what you need is actually at your fingertips, and it can even be free. Having a morning routine that sets the tone for the rest of the day is one of those things that with a little bit of planning, can be incredibly easy and a wonderful wellness hack.
My typical morning routine
Breath work: before I even get out of bed, I intentionally take the time to do some breath work. Whether this is box breathing (four count in, four count hold, four count out, four count hold, repeat), or 4-7-8 (breathe in for four, hold for seven, breathe out for eight), this helps me to start my day with intentionality. It reminds me to… well… breathe. To not rush or stress, and take the day in strides.
Drink a glass of salt water: One of the very first things I do when I get out of bed is to drink a glass of filtered water with a pinch of sea salt. Sea salt has many of the minerals that our bodies need, and after sleeping with no hydration all night, it’s important to replenish our cells with minerals. I personally love and trust Jacobsen Salt Co. because they are third party tested and very affordable.
Eat within 30 minutes-1 hour of waking up: I used to hop of out bed, go to the gym, workout for an hour, come home, drink coffee, and head to work. Once I was settled at work, I would eat something (sometimes), but it was usually a lot of carbs and and I wasn’t intentional about my protein intake. This is actually one of the worst things you can do for your hormones, and this will typically cause a blood sugar roller coaster for the rest of the day. Eating within an hour of waking up will help give your body the boost it needs to ensure that cortisol levels don’t run wild.
Get outside: This is great for two reasons! Getting outside in the morning sunlight helps your body’s circadian rhythm. This can help to both give you energy and help you to sleep better at night. The second reason requires you to go barefoot - also known as grounding. Grounding might sound a little “woo woo,” but it actually helps your body to connect to the Earth’s natural frequencies, which studies are showing help to reduce inflammation and pain, help cortisol levels, lead to better sleep, and help your body to reach a parasympathetic (non-stressed) state. Isn’t it so incredible how creation and nature are literally a form of natural medicine for our bodies? If you like the idea of grounding, but aren’t super crazy about going barefoot, Earther Runners are my favorite and most trusted pair of grounding shoes.
Reading/Meditation: Each morning I try to take time to sit and read my Bible and take some time for prayer. This might look different for you, but this helps me to get centered for the day, and I notice my outlook on the day is so much better when I set aside the time for this.
Here are some other great ideas for a morning routine:
Putting your phone away for the first hour of your day (something I’m working on, but baby steps). This helps to eliminate distractions, increases productivity, and also saves your eyes from blue light first thing in the morning
Get in a workout. This can be as simple as a walk, but if you have an office job, and know that you’ll be sitting all day, this is a great way to ensure that you get in your movement. There have been a lot of studies done that sitting for long periods of time can be detrimental to your health, which you can read about more in my blog post here. I’ve also noticed the tendency to be more active in my day if I’m active first thing in the morning. If I put it off, I tend to continue putting it off throughout the day.
Drink a warm beverage. This doesn’t have to be coffee (and if it is, make sure you drink it after breakfast, and include some grass-fed collagen). I love having my mug of coffee, tea, or cacao in the morning. It’s warm, comforting, and makes my morning feel complete.
But those aren’t the only things you can be doing! Get creative and come up with the morning routing that fits you and your lifestyle best!
