MORNING ROUTINE
Firstly, the morning routine, this is important to set the tone and intention for our day. Creating a solid and consistent morning routine will give you more structure to the day, and in turn you will become more productive. As with all things health and fitness, there is no one size fits all approach, you will need to create something that fits with you and your lifestyle. What we can do is give you our best tips!
- Get up at the same time everyday- It might seem tempting to just get up when you need to that day, but the same wake up and sleep times improve your circadian rhythm and our bodily functions and cycles operate more efficiently.
- Jump straight out of bed- Avoid snoozing the alarm. This might be a super tough one, but it will allow you to feel more energised and send signals to your body that its time to properly wake up. Top tip here, if you are struggling, put your alarm at the other side of the room, that way you HAVE to get up to turn it off.
- Use a Gradual and natural alarm- Check out Lumie alarms clocks, they will wake you up to natural light calming sounds rather than the harsh realities of the iphone alarm.
- Don't reach straight on your phone- Being on our phones as soon as we wake up means that we start our day in a reactive way… seeing those notifications, emails, calls, messages, the news… it's like inviting thousands of people into our room all at once just shouting at us first thing. Try reading a book or exercising instead.
- Cold shower- This is not for everyone, but if you can practice and really embrace it, it can be a game changer! You want to build this up, get in the shower when it is warm, then turn it to cold for the last 10-20 seconds, you can then build up the time spent in cold water from here!
- Glass of water- Hydrate before you caffeinate. We often wake up dehydrated after a night’s sleep so it's important for our bodily functions to support that straight away. If you take any vitamins first thing you can habit stack, which means you don't forget to do either!
- Movement- Depending on how much time you have, prioritising movement can be a great idea. It supports mental health through the release of the feel-good hormone, endorphins and sets the tone for your day. Some people love to get their workout or walk done first thing to feel energised for the day, or to ensure they actually get it done! Others are night owls and prefer to get their movement in on an evening, it is personal preference really.
NIGHT ROUTINE
Creating a consistent nighttime routine can really set you up for success. Take some time to think about your current routine, if you have one! What are you currently doing that is helpful and what maybe isn't so helpful? Here we are going to go through some top tips on how to improve your routine and create some positive habits:
- Sleep schedule- Aim to go to bed at the same time every night. Similar to the morning routine, you want to be teaching your body and mind the discipline of good sleep and when you should be ‘switching off’. Remember to be realistic with your bedtime and when you will actually be able to stop working or fully relax, don’t go to bed at 9pm if you are a night owl, you will just end up lying awake.
- No screen zone– You want to avoid going on your phone or having screens on for at least an hour before sleep. If you are on your phone you are going to keep the brain stimulated, which is the opposite effect you want! I find if you put your phone on charge outside the room, this eliminates the temptation to go on tik tok for a “quick 5 minutes”. Instead, opt for a book and do some reading, it is more relaxing. If reading isnt your thing, consider audiobooks or meditation apps such as “calm”.
- Create a Relaxing atmosphere- You want to create an environment that promotes relaxation and calmness to help you sleep. crack out the candles, a diffuser or some lavender pillow spray if you think it helps. Doing these little things will create a little ritual and make going to bed enjoyable!
- Cool room- This can improve the quality of your sleep by stimulating melatonin production and help you settle and maintain a relaxed state throughout the night.
Remember to be realistic and don't try to change everything to an extreme extent all at once, start with small changes and build yourself up! Aim for those Baby steps because we are aiming to create sustainable habits that LAST.
