Good Morning!
Mornings can be tough–so why not give yourself some loving biochemical help?
Your brain is actually trying to help you out. Upon waking, your brain is still emitting theta waves, a type of brainwave that is typically associated with light sleep, deep relaxation, and even meditation. In this theta wave state, you’re more impressionable and your mind is quite open.
If you immediately jump onto your phone first thing, you’re bombarding your brain with external stimuli—news, emails, social media, and so on. That can cause a spike in cortisol, which is your stress hormone, and it can disrupt that calm, receptive state that you have in the morning. Over time, this can lead to feeling more rushed, less focused, and even more anxious.
So, the first important thing is to stay away from your phone. First–try to go an hour without checking your phone, and work your way up to two hours. Giving yourself a little time before engaging with screens helps maintain that calm, clear mental state and sets a positive tone for the day.
Give this morning routine a try:
Upon waking, take 10 deep breaths, with the exhale being longer than the inhale.
Spend five minutes setting a positive intention for the day, and visualizing what actions you can take to align with that intention. It can be as simple as an intention to give yourself, and those you meet, unconditional love.
Get out of bed and drink a big glass of water to rehydrate and kickstart your metabolism. We like to add a sugar-free dissolvable electrolyte tablet. We also highly recommend mixing 30 grams of creatine into your water. The latest research shows that 30 grams of creatine significantly improves brain function.
Do five minutes of exercise–it could be light stretching or yoga–or our favorite: 25 squats to your bed. This gives you a nice chemical boost of endorphins and increases your blood flow.
Now it’s coffee time!
If you are lucky to have the sun shining in the morning, open a window or get outside and let the sun hit your face while drinking your coffee or tea.
When you do pick up your smartphone, try setting an intention for your activity on social media. Research shows that setting positive intentions before diving into social media can really help your mental state. When you use social media with the intention of supporting and connecting positively, it can boost your well-being. On the other hand, doomscrolling—just consuming negative content—has been linked to higher anxiety and depression. So, focusing on positivity definitely makes a difference.
Our greatest strength (and weakness) is that we are extremely programmable. This state is heightened in the hours after awakening. We can’t always control what the day will give us–but we can control the initial programming of the day–and give ourselves the best start possible. So, give this morning routine a try, and see how it changes your life.
Until next time
Scott and Lennart