As I start to come out of my slumber early in the morning, I look at the time on my watch and say to myself, "let's go, Brian, it's time to do the boring thing that's going to pay dividends." As I sit upright in bed, I proceed to sit and focus on my breathing for 10 minutes (peeking at my watch once or twice for a time check). As thoughts run through my head, I watch them pass like moving clouds. Some mornings are more challenging than others. The thought clouds ☁️ can be stubborn 😣. Following my stillness meditation, I do a couple of rounds of a breathing exercise from Wim Hof. See the video 📺 below. My personal preference now that I have the cadence down is no direction or noise. Just my watch as a timer for my breath holds.
What's the first thing you do after getting out of bed 🛌 ? Is it consistent? Is it a habit that supports your health?
In the past, I was guilty of grabbing my phone within the first 5 minutes to check my texts, check the weather, and see if THE critical email 📨 is in the inbox. Here are my current favorite 'out of bed' healthy habits that I've been doing consistently over the last few months.
I do NOT open my phone 🙅🏼♂️ 📱 until I’ve been exposed to sunlight or I’ve let at least 30 minutes pass to do my routine below. Take back your morning and your brain health1!
I drink water 💦. During the night, you can typically lose around a pound of water through sweat. Even mild dehydration can result in headaches, anxiety, and irritability, which isn't a great way to begin your day. I like to add sea salt 🧂 and lemon 🍋. This combination will rehydrate you and provide essential nutrients and minerals such as potassium, calcium, and zinc, making it the perfect way to start your day.
Speaking of drinks in the AM. I do NOT drink coffee ☕️ right away. I wait to drink my bulletproof coffee until around 10 or 11 am. When you drink coffee on an empty stomach, your bloodstream gets hit incredibly fast by caffeine. As a result, your body releases stress hormones that propel you into your fight or flight mode.
And, of course, be still and meditate2, followed by some breathwork3. If I can do it with some exposure to natural sunlight, even better!
Enjoy the day by starting it off with some intentionality and self-care!
https://www.domino.com/content/smartphones-and-anxiety/
https://www.headspace.com/meditation/morning-meditation
https://chopra.com/articles/how-breathwork-benefits-the-mind-body-and-spirit