Morning and Nighttime Routines

The Best Habits for Early Morning Hours

While there is no such thing as a “perfect” morning routine, there are some habits that can benefit you if you do them early in the morning before getting started with your day.

Waking Up Slowly and Naturally

Waking up slowly and naturally isn’t about not using an alarm clock and hoping your boy wakes up at the right time. Instead, it is more about allowing your mind and body a little time to start waking up, instead of jolting out of bed and stumbling directly to the coffee pot.

Take a few minutes to sit on your bed in the quiet and stretch, allow yourself some time to drink water in the morning before your coffee, and write in your journal or do something relaxing before you get dressed.

Focus on Yourself First

Choose a habit in the early morning that is for you, and only you. Put aside responsibilities for your spouse or kids and think of something you don’t usually have time for. This might be writing a journal, listening to music, or reading a chapter in your book.

Another important habit for the early morning hours is to stay off your phone and social media. This can instantly put you into a state of stress, anxiety, or over-thinking. Even if you think it is innocent enough to check your email or see what notifications you have on Instagram, before you know it, you are stressing about something you read, and cannot really focus on anything else.

Treat Your Body Right

Do not forget about your physical health! A good early morning routine includes habits that are good for your physical body, like drinking water before caffeine, eating a healthy breakfast, and fitting in a little movement.

You do not need a long morning routine with a difficult workout, just something to get your body moving. This not only is good for your physical health, but it tells your mind that your health is important right from the moment you wake up in the morning.

Set Your Intentions for the Day

Make sure you are setting your intentions for the day in the morning, whether that means looking at your to-do list, or writing down the tasks you want to complete. It is a simple habit to sit down and write down what your intentions are for the day, both in the tasks you need to get done and your schedule, and what mindset you want to have that day.

Add These Habits to Your Nighttime Routine

How much attention do you spend to your nighttime routine? Even if you think you do not have a routine, you probably do. There might be certain things you do before going to bed, whether it is brushing your teeth or taking vitamins and turning on the TV to watch late night television.

Now is a great time to work on improving your nighttime routine and have the best sleep ever.

The Slow Wind-Down Stage

Start your night by winding down at least an hour before you intend to get into bed. This allows your body and mind to begin relaxing and associating the routine with bedtime. It makes a really big difference in how relaxed you are when you get into bed.

The wind down is quite easy, and simply involves shutting things off and starting to prepare for bed. It might include turning off the television and lights in rooms you are not using, drawing a bath if you like to take a hot bath before bed, or turning down your covers before you sit at your desk to journal for a few minutes.

Take Care of Your Hygiene and Health

As part of your nighttime routine, have enough time for your personal care and personal hygiene tasks. Not only does this include habits you already have, like brushing and flossing your teeth at night, but paying attention to your skin and any other health habits you need. Do you take certain vitamins and medications at night? Are you trying to get better at your skincare routine? Do you want to incorporate a nightly yoga stretch?

Take Care of Your Mental Health

You may also want some habits at night related to your emotional or mental health, such as meditating or writing in a journal. Maybe you want to do a quiet creative activity or read a few chapters from a book. Remember your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and these relaxing activities will help a lot when it comes to having a good nights’ sleep. One excellent habit to get rid of for your mental health and better sleep is to turn off the TV and put your phone away when it’s time for bed.

Get Ready for the Next Day

Finally, before you get into bed, do what you need to get ready for the next day. Put out your clothes for the morning, set your alarm, make sure your robe and slippers are within reach, and anything else that will improve your morning. 

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