Many researchers like Arlinghaus and Johnston (2019) emphasize the importance of a structured day for a healthy life. Such a structure is all about routine. Indeed, repeated healthy actions every day keep the doctor away. Choosing and adopting some morning routine ideas that suit you best can help start your day healthily. You can stay more energetic till the evening.

1. How to Turn Healthy Behavior into Routine

Determine a Cue

To develop healthy habits that can become part of your routine, the first thing you need is a cue. 

For example, you can develop a habit of drinking coffee after breakfast where breakfast serves as a cue. 

The same concerns your morning routine – meditating with the use of aromatherapy. Turning on the diffuser with essential oils can serve as a CUE.

Repeat Regularly

Repetition is what makes your morning routine. However, start with something that you can easily repeat. For example it can be drinking a glass of warm water after morning rituals in the bathroom.

Be Patient

Developing healthy habits for your morning routine can take much time, around 2 months or even from 1 months to half a year.

Introduce Changes Gradually

Developing habits can be difficult, especially when your morning routine is turned upside down. Setting the structure requires gradual steps, from minor changes to more complex.

“Minor changes or habits can be building blocks for morning routine structure. Build something that will be long-standing.”

2. What Morning Routine Ideas You Can Adopt

Aromatherapy

Essential oils can boost your energy at the start of the day. Wang et al. (2022) have found out that lavender oil positively effects the nervous system. It reduces fatigue and stress through impacts of inhaling it on such neurotransmitters as endorphins and serotonin.

Try aromatherapy for at least 2 or 4 weeks to feel the effect. The researchers have found that lavender oil or a mix of oils is more effective than citrus scents.

Consider using such essential oils with energizing effect and choose the best for you:

• Lavender
• Rosemary 
• Peppermint 
• Basil 
• Eucalyptus 
• Bergamot 
• Pine 
• Grapefruit, lime, and lemon 
• Ginger 
• A blend of oils 

All these oils help to increase concentration while reducing stress and fatigue.

Breathing Technique

Breathing deeply while inhaling the scents of essential oils can be one of the healthiest mornings routine ideas. It can bring such benefits as:

• Improved gut health through abdominal breathing
• Reduced stress 
• Better respiratory function 
• Lower anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure by inhaling through each nostril in turn (Uniformed Services University, 2021).

One of the ways to practice breathing slowly in the morning:

• Inhale deeply for 4 seconds
• Hold your breath for 4 seconds
• Exhale through the mouth for 4 seconds

You can also choose 5 seconds or less than 4. Just observe and find out what works best for you.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Meditation

The mindfulness-based reduction technique involves focusing on the present moment. It involves practicing acceptance through yoga, breathing, and meditation.

As part of this technique, meditation can be in different forms like:

• Affirmations through saying ‘I am…’
• Focusing on body parts and breathing
• Scanning feelings in different parts of the body
• Walking and paying attention to colors around, feelings, and sounds
• Staying in the present moment through focusing on sounds around

“Mindfulness helps to perceive the body and the environment better.”

Staying in the present can reduce anxiety and make you feel more energetic and positive about the day to come.

Drinking Warm Water and Having Nutritious Breakfast

Drinking warm water with an interval before breakfast can wake up the body and its systems. It can improve digestion, adding energy.

Always having your breakfast is as important as drinking water. It serves as a source of essential nutrients. The study by Gibney et al. (2018) indicate that people who do not skip breakfast eat less added sugar during the day. Instead, they consume more fiber and vitamins.

Exercising

It can be in any form like dancing, yoga, running, etc. It can fill the body with energy and improve concentration. Besides, such activity is important to make your lymphatic system work properly and improves your mood and overall psychological well-being.

Planning Your Day as Part of Morning Routine Ideas

You can use various time management techniques to plan your day or can start with a simple to-do list:

• Create time blocks
• Use the Eisenhower’s matrix
• Maybe Kanban can work for you
• Or simply create a list of things you should do first

Reading

Having a habit to read several pages in the morning can be a good way to get new ideas for life and work. You have time just to think about during the day or talk about with people.

It is especially effective for bloggers or creative people working on content pieces or writing other types of works. Reading can give new ideas for this.

3. What Are the Benefits

Overall, all these morning routine ideas can serve the purpose to live a more conscious and fulfilling life. Appreciate every moment of it. Tuning your body, feelings, and mind in the morning can help you:

• Prepare for the day
• Stay in the present
• Reduce anxiety.

Since stress takes a lot of energy, coping with it can help overcome fatigue.

Simply smiling and tuning your mind for something positive can change your morning routine and the whole day.

References

Arlinghaus, K., & Johnston, C. A. (2019). The importance of creating habits and routine. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 13(2), 142-144. 10.1177/1559827618818044

Gibney, M. J., Barr, S. I., Bellisle, F., Drewnowski, A., Fagt, S., Livingstone, B., Masset, G., Moreiras, G. V., Moreno, L. A., Smith, J., Vieux, F., Thielecke, F., & Hopkins, S. (2018). Breakfast in human nutrition: The International Breakfast Research Initiative. Nutrients, 10(5), 559. doi: 10.3390/nu10050559

Wang, Q., Wei, L., Luo, Y., Lin, L., Deng, C., Hu, P., Zhu, L., Liu, Y., & Lin, M. (2022). Effectiveness of aromatherapy on ameliorating fatigue in adults: A meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2022, 11414111. doi: 10.1155/2022/1141411

Uniformed Services University (2021, October 28). Optimize your breath: Tactical breathing to optimize performance, stress management, and military wellness. Human Performance Resources by CHAMP. https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/sleep-stress/optimize-your-breath-tactical-breathing-optimize-performance-stress