As the saying goes, “the early bird gets the worm.” Now getting up early in the morning is not necessarily an easy task, nor is it a desirable task for most people. However, for those who can resist the urge to hit the snooze button and get out of bed at the sound of their first alarm, it leads to the opportunity to make for a more productive day. It is so crucial to start your morning on the right foot as it can set the tone for the rest of the day. Our body’s natural clock known as its circadian rhythm runs on a 24-hour cycle, and this helps to regulate sleep, energy levels, metabolism, and any other bodily functions. How you choose to start your day, can either help or hurt keep that clock running on time. Take a look at five things that you can do every morning to make for a productive day.

 

Exercise

This can be one of the hardest actions to do first thing in the morning, but getting that sweat at the start of your day can reap some incredible benefits. Regarding health, exercising in the morning when you wake up can get your heart going and burn fat while your glycogen stores are still depleted after fasting throughout the night. Exercising also releases endorphins which are chemicals that are produced in the brain to help minimize pain and discomfort while increasing wellbeing. These endorphins also help to reduce stress hormones so that you can start the day in control. Getting some movement in first thing in the morning also activates your nervous system which gets your body to stay active throughout the day.

 

Eat A Good Breakfast

Your body gets its energy from the food you eat. This is why they say that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” because starting your day with food is one of the most energizing things you can do. This will get your metabolism going, and your body will be able to use those calories as energy. With that in mind, you want to make sure that what you put in your body to start the day is good fuel the be used. So be sure to include lean protein, some whole grains, fruits or vegetables, and dairy into that first meal to keep it well balanced.

 

Meditate

Many experts have suggested meditation as a great way to start the day with a clear head. There are so many physical and mental benefits that come with it. By taking simply two minutes in the morning to find a quiet place to sit with your eyes closed while repeating a short mantra can have an incredibly calming effect and allow you to tackle whatever tasks you have coming up in the day. Even if you are a big fan of meditating per se, taking some time to do some breathing exercises can be just as effective to help your head and get you started.

 

Take A Nice Shower

Studies have actually shown that taking a shower in the morning is much better for you than taking a shower at night. You may not realize it, but you sweat in your sleep at night which is beneficial to release any toxins in the body. So by taking a good shower in the morning, you can rinse any excess sweat from your body to help you feel refreshed and ready for the day.

 

Make a To-Do List

This might seem like a stressful way to start the day, but it can prove to be extremely useful. By writing out a list of the tasks that you need to complete for the day, and prioritizing them can help you accomplish much more than you may have anticipated. Now, it doesn’t have to be an extensive minute-by-minute itinerary of what you will do throughout the day but merely mapping out all the major tasks that need to be completed for the day and when they need to be completed by. This can allow you to have much more time on your hands and make you more organized.