How to Win the Morning Battle

By Donna Kostiew

Ever have one of those days when you really struggled to get out of bed? You know what I mean … the kind of morning that feels like life is just holding you down and you barely have two eyes open already? It is definitely a battle that no one has time for, but the worst part is that it often sets the tone for how the rest of your day is going to play out. It often helps us to fall asleep if we establish some bedtime, and the same is true for when we wake up in the morning. So let’s start our mornings with a jump in our step and some excitement for the day, and leave the weight of the night where it belongs … under the covers.

Easy Habits for Easy Mornings

Here are some tips on how to turn those stubborn mornings into mornings we love.

Don’t push that snooze button – Are you the type of person that sets a couple of alarms to alert you that the “real” alarm is soon coming? I admit it … I can be a snooze fan every now and then too, but hitting the snooze button over and over again actually does more harm than good. We think we are getting some extra sleep, but that time is full of interrupted sleep and can actually make you more tired. So try to cut back on the number of alarms until you can get to the point of getting up with just one.

Use words of affirmation/positive thinking – My mother used to always wake me up when I was young by telling me how beautiful the day was. She did this every day, no matter what the weather was like or what was going on in our lives at the moment. Looking back now, I can see how it impacted those critical first thoughts I had of how the day was going to be. It’s important to create an optimistic mindset like this for you and the entire family, so use encouraging words at the start of your day; hang words of affirmation or inspirational quotes on bathroom mirrors, and inspire the rest of the family to do the same.

Make your bed – Making your bed each morning instantly brings a sense of accomplishment to your day, and although it may seem like it’s not a big deal, it can get the ball rolling for everything else you have to conquer. It’s also a great stress reliever too!

Eat breakfast – Eating a healthy breakfast is critical to get your day going in the right direction. It sets the tone for everything else that you eat that day and helps to ward off hunger pains in the middle of the morning. It’s your fuel and you can’t start your day without it.

Mornings can feel like you are heading into battle completely unprepared, but they don’t have to start that way anymore. By making a few simple changes, this battle can definitely be won by everyone in your family.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Austin, Tex.