How to Build a Morning Routine for Improved Mental Health
Creating routines is a great way to keep ourselves on track in our daily lives. Routines can help increase productivity and are especially helpful for maintaining our mental health. In particular, morning routines set up our days and can set the framework for how we will feel that day. Having a consistent morning routine helps to support positive mental and physical health.
The first step to any morning routine is waking up. Waking up at the same time each day helps regulate our bodies' circadian clocks. These internal clocks signal to our bodies when it’s time for sleep. Having a regular sleep schedule will help to support our bodies' natural circadian rhythms.
The second step in a helpful morning routine could be eating breakfast and hydrating. Doing this first thing in the morning helps to nourish our bodies for the rest of our day. Another way to support our bodies in the morning is to engage in exercise. Exercise can help wake our bodies up for the day and release endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that help decrease pain and increase happiness.
After taking care of our bodies, we can focus on ways to support our mental health and mood. One way to help our mental health in the morning is to engage in meditation. Meditation is a practice that teaches us to focus on the present moment. Another way to support our mental health within a morning routine is to journal. Journaling is a powerful tool to work through difficult thoughts or let go of difficult emotions.
The most important part of any routine is that it is personalized for you. In order for a routine to be sustainable, it should be tailored to the specific person. Creating a personalized morning routine will set each person up for success in achieving longevity with their routines. For some people, it may be helpful to start with one or two steps to start. This can help people to feel less overwhelmed and more likely to stick to the routines they have set. If a morning routine is too stressful or is difficult to keep up with, it might be helpful to adjust it to something more realistic. The point of these routines is to improve our mental health, not make it more challenging to deal with.
Sometimes it might be difficult developing a morning routine alone, so you can try asking a loved one or therapist for support. There’s nothing wrong with needing a little bit of help when incorporating new routines into our lives. There are also free resources online that provide examples of morning routines that other people have tried. Having a framework might be helpful if people have a difficult time starting the process of creating a routine.
If you are interested in working with one of our counselors on your mental health journey, please let us know. We are here and happy to help whenever you are ready.
References
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6378489/
https://www.apa.org/monitor/sep01/keepdiary
https://www.nami.org/complimentary-health-approaches/the-power-of-a-morning-routine/
Keywords: morning routine, productivity, mental health tips, emotional wellbeing