Waking up in your own bed is one of the simple and familiar pleasures in life. Having to get up and go to work or get your children off to school can snap you out of that cozy feeling quickly. Spending a few extra minutes of “me” time before starting your day can have a tremendous effect on the way the rest of your day will go. Here are a few ideas for cashing in on those quality moments.
Mindfulness Meditation
This is a great way to start your day while still in bed. As soon as you wake up or turn your alarm off simply lie flat or sit upright in bed and take a few minutes to be still and listen to your environment. You may hear birds, or the coffee brewing, or a few cars, or even silence. While in stillness just be mindful of your surroundings, nothing else. This can clear your head of dreams and clutter making space for the new day.
Sun Salutation
Go through this short series of yoga poses that flow from one pose into the next as a morning stretching routine. As soon as you get out of bed you can do a series of 3 sun salutations or any gentle stretching and breathing exercises that take only minutes. This gets your blood flowing and gives space to your organs so they can function well throughout the day.
Drink a Cleansing Beverage
A Cleansing Beverage of hot water and lemon is a great morning ritual to help your body detoxify from the previous day’s meals and pollutants. You can do your stretching while the tea kettle is coming to a boil. In your favorite mug, pour the hot water over one quarter of a freshly squeezed lemon. You can crawl back into bed with your mug and sip while you plan your day or catch up on the news. This tea helps to stimulate your liver to function optimally.
Get Outside
Fresh Air is a quick way to wake up and greet the day. Open a window or door and let the cool morning air and sunlight, or the smell of rain, inside to perk you up.
Showers
Hot/Cold Showers are good for stimulating your lymphatic system. Start your shower with hot or warm water. At the very end rinse off with cool water. You will be amazed at how your body responds energetically to this simple routine.
Eat Breakfast
A Good Breakfast is really essential to starting off your day with the nutrients you need to sustain yourself and to perform at your best. In any size blender you have add berries, avocado, cucumber, hemp seeds, almond milk, and a little nut butter. Vary the ingredients to your liking and blend until smooth. This smoothie has protective antioxidants, good fats, fiber, and protein that will fill you up and give you energy. The nice thing is that you can take this on the go.
Having a healthy and happy home environment will make mornings even more productive and enjoyable. Your bedroom needs to be a comfortable place to get the sleep you need. If you are looking for creative ideas for your home please take a look at some of the design from Alair Homes Regina.