Morning Routines That You Should Adapt to Stay Healthy
You want to be as healthy as possible. Then you need to explore morning routines that you should adapt to stay healthy.
We all have a morning routine. The question is, is the morning routine that you practice actually making a difference in your life?
If you are like most people in the West, your morning routine probably consists of (in no particular order):
- Eating breakfast
- Taking a shower
- Putting on clothes
- Drying your hair (if necessary)
- Shaving (if needed)
- Applying makeup (optional)
- Brushing your teeth
You might also read the newspaper, drink a cup of coffee, or watch the news.
If you have a dog, you might take the dog out for a brief walk.
The question is, is there anything in that typical morning routine (besides walking the dog) that actually improves health? Other than brushing teeth?
The Challenge of Having a Healthy Morning Routine
One of the challenges of making your morning routine healthier is time constraints. This is especially true if you have a day job. It is even truer if you are a night person and don’t like to get up in the mornings.
The stark reality is this: If you want to jumpstart your day with a healthier routine, you will need to get up a little earlier.
This could be an hour or two earlier depending on what you want to accomplish.
Morning Routines That You Should Adapt to Stay Healthy
We are going to take a look at one of the cultures in the world that historically has a heavy focus on morning routine: India.
India has a number of great traditions. Two of the most well-known are yoga and Ayurveda. Ayurveda is India’s traditional medical system that has been around for thousands of years.
Yoga Sadhana
In the West, yoga has become for many people just a form of exercise. However, it is more than that. It can become a full-blown spiritual practice that includes meditation and other practices for well-being and spiritual growth.
In yoga, a daily routine that you do for health and well-being is called a “sadhana” or practice. While a sadhana does not have to be done first thing in the morning, yoga traditions often recommend a morning practice.
Some yoga traditions say that the best time to get up and start meditating is 3 am! That sounds extreme, but it is not uncommon for yogis to get up at 4 am to start their yoga practice.
You do not have to get up that early, but you can take a cue from yoga and make your morning routine something a bit more special, a “sadhana” that supports and nourishes you.
A yoga sadhana could include a brief series of yoga postures, some pranayama (breathing exercises), and meditation. You could also read something inspiring to lift your spirits.
Ayurveda’s Health Practices
Ayurveda has a number of health practices you can incorporate into your daily routine. You can start small. You don’t have to do all of them. Here are a few:
1. Tongue Scraping
This is something you can easily do after you brush your teeth. It is quick and easy. Using a metal device called a tongue scraper, you simply scrape your tongue a few times after you brush your teeth. This helps remove bacteria and will help improve your immune system and overall health.
2. Abhyanga
Abhyanga is the practice of oiling the skin through self-massage. It is often done prior to taking the shower. The type of recommended oil depends on your Ayurveda constitution or dosha (which you can discover online with many free quizzes), but it could be something like sunflower oil. Massage the oil all over (massaging towards the heart), let it sit for 10-15 minutes, and then shower.
3. Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is a way to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Using an organic oil like sesame oil (not the toasted sesame oil used in Chinese cooking), spend a few minutes each day swishing the oil around your mouth and “pulling” it through your teeth.
Morning Routines That You Should Adapt to Stay Healthy
These are just a few health and wellness suggestions from the great culture of India. They have the weight of thousands of years behind them. You can incorporate just a few of these practices, whether it is a few yoga poses or oil pulling, and help start your day off with a healthier foundation. Give it a try and see how you feel, you might be surprised at the results.
Featured image credit: CC0 Creative Commons, Free-Photos via pixabay.com
Find Mobility Guardian on Google+
