Over the years, I have been observing people and I always ask my students- What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Most of them say snooze the alarm, while some say they check their phones for messages on social media. If this is true and you are one of them doing so, you may want to take a break from this habit and introduce some good health into your lifestyle!
The world is changing rapidly and so are your lives. At this juncture, take a moment to breathe and make some minor adjustments so that the rest of it is smooth! To start it off, let’s shed some light on the start of our day and how it ideally should be, so as to keep us geared up till night. This 6 step guide would probably change things for you, the way it did for me:
1. Take your time: Wake up as slowly as you can. Once you open your eyes, take it slow, don’t rush. Your body needs time to awaken and ensure you give into it, without panic. Rub your palms together and let your face feel that heat. Turn your body to the side and sit up for a few minutes.
2. Meditate: We are all aware that morning is the best time to practice mindfulness. Once you’ve sat up, practice any form of meditation that you are comfortable with. If you are a novice, simply concentrate on your breath for 5 minutes.
3. Hydrate: For good health, it is essential to clean the body from within. Drink 2-3 glasses of lukewarm water in the morning before you head for your morning ablutions. This not only helps clean the bacteria within but also keeps the body refreshed through the day.
4. Stretch: Once you are fully awake and alert, stretch and warm up the body for a few minutes. Include joint movements, basic stretches, and yoga to increase awareness and energy levels. This will help you through the day and ensure you don’t feel lethargic or sleepy.
5. Focus: Each morning spend some time, writing down what your vision or goal in life is. Even 5- 10 minutes should work. Writing always helps you deal with your subconscious mind, and as you write you tend to remember more, find better solutions etc.
6: Eat: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and ensure you don’t cheat on it. Most of us tend to skip it, run through it or ignore it completely. This is probably the prime ground for ill health. Ensure your breakfast is like a king- nutritious, varied and hearty. That is good to keep the energy flowing through the day and keep your metabolism levels high!
Sumit Manav
Founder Lifestyle Yoga