Your perfect morning routine

Morning routines are a helpful companion to start the day with more motivation. But what can the fixed rituals consist of to find the optimal start to the day after a restful sleep? You can find ideas and tips so that you can develop your own individualized morning routine here.

 Table of contents

1. Start the day successfully
2. Ideas & tips for an ideal morning routine
3. In 3 steps to the perfect morning routine
4. Conclusion

1. Start the day successfully

A good night's sleep is half the battle for a good day. Without enough energy, it is difficult to have a successful day. If you sleep well and act wisely in the morning, you are guaranteed to have an optimal day. But what things stop us from having a successful start to the day? If hectic morning rush is one of your daily companions, then prick up your ears now. We explain everything you need to know about a perfect morning routine. There are various reasons why we feel restless in the morning. First, you should make sure that you always go to sleep at a similar time in the evening. This promotes your rhythm and makes it easier to get out of bed the next day. Basically, the sleep duration recommended by experts is 7 – 8 hours per night. You should also stop eating heavy food shortly before going to bed, as your body is already busy regenerating your cells during the night. Below we have tips for you on how you can make it easier for yourself to have a structured start to the day.

2. Ideas & tips for an ideal morning routine

#1 Get up with the first alarm

If you get up right at the first alarm, you start the day without feeling sluggish. That determination you have when you get up straight away can carry over into the rest of the day and leave you feeling full of energy. A gentle alarm sound could also help you get out of bed more easily. However, there is also a scientific reason why you should get up right at the first alarm clock. Because you wake up and go back to sleep in between, the brain doesn't know whether it should be awake or whether it should stay tired, but at the same time it releases hormones for deep sleep. However, you will no longer get proper sleep in the short time between the next alarm clock ringing and you will not be able to recover. This can lead to fatigue that persists throughout the day. It's normal to feel lethargic immediately after waking up. However, snoozing can turn these moments into hours and the entire day is spent in a tired state.

#2 Make your bed, do the housework, plan your day

Keeping things organized gives you a good structure to start your day well. By making your bed and having the household under control in the morning, you can come home from work in the evening with a clear conscience and put your feet up more quickly. Planning your day and writing a to-do list will help you successfully complete all of your upcoming tasks.

#3 Avoid looking at your cell phone early in the morning 

Constantly checking our smartphone can have an impact on our brain and trigger anxiety. Checking emails early in the morning or late at night is linked to higher levels of stress. So if you want to start the day without stress, you should avoid using your cell phone in the morning. In addition, the display light inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin and leads to poorer sleep. So avoid looking at your smartphone right before you fall asleep.

#4 Let the light in and drink lots of water

A lot of light and a glass of water in the morning help you wake up. The body gets new stimuli that it has to process and you wake up faster. Bright light also inhibits your melatonin production. This leads to a feeling of alertness.

#5 Take a shower, brush your teeth, personal hygiene

By taking care of our bodies in the morning, we feel fresh and start the day feeling better and more awake. Cold water, for example, increases your heart rate and activates the release of adrenaline.

#6 Listening to music, meditation, hearty breakfast

If you take time for yourself, you are more likely to start the day without hectic and stress. Thoughts that could stress you are less likely to surface and with this time buffer for yourself you ensure a positive start to the day.

#7 Stretch in the morning, integrate movement

The body is activated through daily exercise. When you stretch after getting up, your circulation slowly increases and blood circulation gets going. This is important for your muscles and the entire circulation.

#8 Morning walks to get some fresh air

This method also gets the circulation going and boosts the metabolism. A walk into the fresh air provides us with the necessary amount of oxygen, which helps us start the day fitter. At night our circulation slows down. With morning exercise you support the effect of the hormones that are responsible for making us feel fit. The hormones accelerate the heartbeat and the heart pumps more blood through the body. This is how your body prepares itself for the day's activities.

3. Three steps to the perfect morning routine

Step 1: Are you an early or late riser?

Early riser: Whether we are more of a early riser or a night owl is already in our genes and is controlled by our natural biorhythm. In order to respond optimally to the body's own processes, it can be helpful to know your own chronotype. The morning or Early type ("lark") is usually awake early and has hardly any problems with tiredness in the morning. Performance in the morning is therefore not unusual. By having a fixed evening routine and going to bed early, you can follow your body's own rhythm and support a positive start to the day.

Late riser: The evening or Late type ("owl") usually only reaches its peak performance in the late evening hours and therefore only produces the melatonin required for sleep at the beginning of the night. However, in the morning it takes them longer to wake up and get going. In addition, it is usually much more difficult for them to get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off (too) early in the morning. Maybe you could position the alarm far enough from the bed so that you have to get up to turn it off. This will help you get out of bed easier by forcing you to move and preparing your body for further activity, whether you want it or not.

Step 2: Do you prefer a long or quick breakfast?

Extensive: Integrate a fixed schedule into your morning routine so that you know when and how much time you really have for breakfast. This way you avoid time pressure later and can eat your first meal of the day in peace. You should also be careful not to overload your body with heavy food in the morning, as it is busy with the digestive processes after a hearty breakfast. This can have a negative impact on your performance.

Quick: Even if you're on the go in the morning or just not hungry yet, you shouldn't skip breakfast entirely. If you don't have enough time, you could establish a fixed to-do list so that you can do important things before breakfast and have time for a quick meal. If you have a quick breakfast, you should also make sure you get enough vitamins and nutrients. One option here is a protein-rich diet that will provide you with quick, long-term energy for the day.

You can find out more about nutrition and sleep in this article.

Step 3: Are you a morning person or are you already full of energy in the morning?

Morning grouch: Why are you actually a morning grouch? In addition to various personal reasons, the early or late types can also be included here again. Maybe as an owl type you don't pay enough attention to your body and go against your natural rhythm. Incorporate positive activities and impressions into your morning routine. Listen to your favorite music or get a little exercise, for example with a morning walk in the fresh air. All of this boosts your metabolism and you can consciously take action against your uncomfortable morning habits. Also, try to start challenging tasks later in the day as you will be able to complete them with more energy.

Full of energy: In this case, you are most likely a lark type. Do you find it easy to be productive early in the morning? Use this energy and performance to complete important tasks and relax more quickly in the evening.

4. Conclusion

• Exercise and fresh air in the morning stimulate circulation

• Take time for yourself and pay attention to your natural rhythm

• Sufficient fluids and a nutritious breakfast in the morning wake you up and provide energy for the day

• Structure and fixed routines help you make optimal use of your own performance and get a good start in the morning

Greetings and see you soon!