These are some of the things that we do every morning to set the tone for our day. .
Start gradually and know you don’t have to do all of them. Choose 2-3 things that you think might work for you and your morning. We’ll explain why they’re so effective in the following pages
7 Simple, Powerful Morning Rituals
• Enjoy the Morning Sunlight (10 mins)• Drink 16-20 ounces of Water First Thing in the Morning (1 mins)
• Practice Daily Gratitude (3 mins)
• Practice Joyful Movement in the Morning (10 mins)
• Practice Intermittent Fasting (0 mins)
• Sip Adaptogenic Coffee, Green Tea, or Red Tea (2 mins)
• Practice Breathwork and Meditation (10 mins)
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PART 1
Enjoy the Morning Sunlight (5-10 mins)“
Keep your face to the sun and you will never see the shadows.”-Helen Keller Exposure to morning sunlight signals to your body that it’s time to wake up and start your day and is key to setting your body’s natural circadian rhythm for optimal sleep!
Benefits of Sunlight and Simple Tips:
• Studies now show that fat cells can sense sunlight and not getting enough increases metabolic syndrome risk. Sunlight is required for normal metabolism.
• Getting sunlight exposure also helps reset your sleep/wake cycle so that you get a deeper and better quality sleep which will also increase metabolism. Try to get sunlight upon rising, midday, and evening. Bonus points for watching the sunrise and sunset!
• Sunlight provides you with your daily dose of Vitamin D. A recent study showed that “low serum vitamin D has been found to be associated with various types of metabolic illness such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, cardiovascular diseases including hypertension.”
• A wonderful way to expose yourself to morning sunlight is to go outside for a walk in nature every morning if you are able to. If you aren’t able to do this, try to sit outside and do some deep breathing exercises in the morning while you look up to the sky. If it’s not possible for you to get outside at all, you can sit by a window in the morning and enjoy some tea while planning for your day. On dark, cloudy days consider using a HappyLight, which mimics sunlight to enhance mood, energy, sleep, & focus
• Avoid artificial light from all sources and screens after the sun goes down. Not easy but your body and brain will thank you!
• If you must be on a screen after sunset, we recommend investing in apair of blue blocker glasses. We recommend this brand: www.raoptics.com. Use code livingproof at checkout for 10% off.
• Try to keep overhead lighting at a minimum once the sun sets. Be sure to turn off overhead lights after dinner time and enjoy the natural beauty of salt rock lamps or the soft glow of beeswax candles. This will help stimulate melatonin production.
