The Benefits of a Good Morning Routine

We all have our own morning routine, though in reality, some are healthier than others. Are you the type of person who hits the snooze button six times before waking up? Or maybe you find yourself rising with the sun but unsure how to start your day? No matter what your routine looks like, there’s always room for improvement. Learn how to fine-tune your morning routine here, and read about the benefits a good morning routine can have on your life.

Building a Better Morning Routine

The truth is, there’s no better time to adopt new habits after retirement. The transition into our golden years comes with plenty of big changes in lifestyle, social circle, and health needs. If you’re looking for ways to boost energy, stay healthy, and live happily, try out some of these tips for a good morning routine.

• Join the 5 AM Club

  Anybody can be a morning person if they set their mind to it. While you might not want to set back your alarm several hours right away, turning it back a few minutes each week can gradually transition you to an earlier wake-up time.

  There are plenty of good reasons to do so. Waking up early gives you more time to plan your day and finish personal tasks before everyone else’s hustle and bustle starts up. Habitual early risers also claim it gives them greater focus and discipline to start their day on the right foot.

• Don’t Forget Breakfast

  It’s not called the most important meal of the day for nothing. A healthy, nutritious, and well-portioned breakfast will keep you full throughout the day, and provide you with the energy you need to stay motivated. It can even help balance blood sugar levels, letting you avoid spikes and crashes later on.

  Make sure your breakfast is focused on complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats, as these will do the legwork to keep you energized all day. Eggs, nuts, greek yogurt, and oats are some of the best options, especially when paired with fresh fruit. Avoid eating too much butter or sugar first thing in the morning, as these can quickly drain your energy.

• Get Moving

  Experts recommend older adults get a total of 150 minutes of exercise each week, which breaks down to 30 minutes Monday through Friday. Getting this out of the way first thing in the morning is a great way to stick to your workout routine. Even if it's as simple as a morning stretch routine, it can also help kickstart your body when you are feeling foggy or sluggish.

  Looking for new ways to get active in the morning? A new piece of exercise equipment might be exactly what you need.

• Take Some Me-Time

  Don’t forget that total health extends beyond our body. When planning your morning routine, make sure to set aside some time to collect your thoughts and find your center. Meditation or gentle yoga can be the perfect way to relax into your routine. Journaling or crafting can be another way to stay focused without too much stress. The key is finding what you love and giving yourself time to enjoy it.

• Stay Flexible

  Most importantly, remember that your morning routine is always a work in progress. Rather than completely changing your lifestyle all at once, make small adjustments gradually. If a new habit doesn’t stick, just try again and make sure to make a mental note of all your small successes.

Reaping the Benefits of Your Routine

There’s no end to the ways you can personalize your morning, but any healthy routine comes with the same benefits. Take a look at some of the top reasons to reclaim your morning.

• Boosts Productivity

  You’d be surprised how many hours per week can pass doing nothing but laying awake in bed or hitting the snooze button. By getting into a solid morning routine, you can take that time back and put it toward whatever you value most. Better yet, starting your day off on the right foot sets the pace for the rest of the day, motivating you through the afternoon.

  Of course, being productive doesn’t mean working around the clock. That’s the beauty of waking up early–you can get done all your daily tasks, with time left over to stop and take a breather.

• Improved Sleep Quality

  What you may not know is that the secret to better sleep is about more than the hours you spend in bed. In fact, your waking hours have just as much of an impact. By staying active throughout the day, your mind and body will find it easier to sink into sleep the moment your head hits the pillow.

  Mental health professionals know that routines are the best way to get our circadian rhythms aligned with our schedule. By waking up and going to bed at the same time each day, we get more out of our nightly rest. That means we’ll wake up the next day feeling energized, letting the cycle continue.

  If you’re still having trouble sleeping, the problem may be your sleep posture. Learn more in our in-depth article.

• Natural Stress Management

  Getting better sleep is a great way to lower stress, but actually, a good morning routine can help reduce stress in other ways too. Sticking to a reliable schedule helps you stay on track throughout your daily tasks, giving you plenty of time to fit everything in.

  If you make healthy eating and physical exercise part of your morning routine, these will help combat stress as well. Exercise is especially effective, as it helps burn off the body’s stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol. When you pair your workout with a healthy breakfast, you’ll be feeling good, thinking clearly, and have plenty of energy.

• Combats Forgetfulness

  Once you ease into your morning routine, you’ll find more enjoyment in every part of your day. This includes chores, especially those little ones that are easy to forget. By sticking to a regular routine, it’s easier to remember all the odds and ends that sometimes get left out. This can be especially helpful for seniors struggling with memory issues.

• Adds Flexibility to Your Day

  Ultimately, the best benefit of a morning routine is that it offers more time and headspace to fill with whatever you want. Whether you want to finish more work, spend more time with friends, or enjoy a little me-time, it all becomes easier when you start the day fresh. Even if you don’t know how you want to spend the extra time, maybe starting a morning routine can be the perfect way to find out.

Tips to Make Your Routine Stick

Starting a new habit is one thing, but as you may know, sticking to it is another matter entirely. Like any new habit, a good morning routine can only improve your life if you give it time to do its work. That’s why finding ways to stay motivated and focused on your goal is so important. Make sure to keep these tips in mind in the days, weeks, and months ahead.

1. Make a Plan and Stick to It

   Decide how you want to fill your morning ahead of time, rather than deciding on the fly.

2. Write it Down

   Eventually, your routine will become second nature, but for now, you’ll probably need a reminder.

3. Take it Slow

   Too much change too fast can do more harm than good.

4. Keep Consistent

   The days you don’t want to get out of bed are the hardest, but also the most important. In time, they will become easier.

5. Adjust as Needed

   After trying a new routine for a few days, stop and ask whether it’s really what you want. Don’t be afraid of adjusting your course along the way.

6. Reserve Your Bed for Sleep

   It may be tempting to enjoy a few extra minutes in the morning to lay in bed, but this can negatively impact your sleep hygiene. 

7. Choose Your Own Pace

   Physical exercise is a great way to start the day, but only if it meets your health needs. If a morning jog feels like too much, yoga might be a better option.

Transforming Your Life One Morning at a Time

Whether you’re a morning person, a night owl, or something in between, there’s no reason you can’t make each of your mornings what you want it to be. Building a better routine is all about intentionality and commitment, sticking by the choices you make to live a healthier, happier, and fuller life.