14 Habits That Will Turn You Into a Morning Person

1. Stretch

Stretch every extremity for 15 seconds. Try this before you open your eyes. Lift your arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, then your arm. Repeat with the other arm. Then your toes, feet, ankles and legs. End with a neck and back stretch that propels you out of bed. You’ve just limbered up your muscles and joints, and enhanced the flow of blood through your body, providing an extra shot of oxygen to all your tissues.

2. Cuddle your kids

Few things are more stressful than waking up a tired baby. Yet morning cuddles are one of the best parts of the day. These moments will send a surge of joy through your morning.

3. Skip the decisions

For truly relaxing mornings, reduce the number of choices and decisions you make to zero. Either make your decisions the night before: what clothes to wear, what breakfast to eat, what route to take to work.. build routine into your morning as much as possible. Really, there’s no need to vary your breakfast, timetable or bathroom ritual every morning.

4. Drink a glass of water

Remember, you’ve been fasting all night long, so you wake each morning dehydrated.

5. Spend five to 10 minutes listening to music

Or just sitting and thinking. This allows the creative thinking that takes place during the night to gel and form into a plan of action, grounding you for the day.

6. Prepare an emergency outfit

Get it ready in your closet, right down to socks and accessories. On mornings when you sleep through the alarm or simply need an extra 10 minutes, you can just pluck it off the hanger and go.

7. Show affection

Kiss all the people you love in your house (including the cat and dog) before you leave. Connecting with the ones you love soothes stress and gives a positive start to your day.

8. Organize

Keep a basket for yourself and one for each child by the front or back door. Into it go keys, wallet, school bags, letters to be posted, etc. This will prevent a frantic last-minute search for lost items.

9. Brush your tongue for one minute

There’s no better way to rid yourself of morning breath and begin the day minty fresh. Hundreds of bacteria take up residence in your mouth every night, so just a quick brush isn’t going to vanquish them all.

10. Split up in the morning

That means you use one bathroom and your partner uses another. (If you have only one, take turns.) Even if you’re still madly in love, bathroom time should be private time. It makes for a calmer, less stressful start to the day.

11. Check your morning calendar

This is a large calendar or whiteboard you’ve hung in a prominent position in the kitchen. On it, write everything you need to know for that day. Check it each morning as you sip your coffee or tea-it will help you avoid the stress of forgetting something important.

photo credit: shutterstock

12. Wash more efficiently

Try using two-in-one products such as a cleanser that also moisturizes or a shampoo/conditioner combination.

13. Don’t rush

Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier so you don’t have to jump out of bed and rush through your morning. You can begin your day by lying in bed, slowly waking up. Stretching. Listening to the news headlines. Mentally ticking off the decisions you made beforehand about what you’re going to wear, what you’re going to do, what you’re going to have for breakfast. These precious few minutes are all yours.

14. Boost your heart rate

Hop on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Studies have found that people who work out in the morning are more likely to stick with their exercise routine. That’s because they get their workout out of the way and don’t have all day to come up with diversions and excuses to avoid the gym. And, as an added bonus, this early burst of activity means you’ll produce feel-good endorphins that will last most of the day.

A great morning starts with a good night’s sleep:

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• 20 Sleep Accessories to Help You Get a Better Night’s Rest

• How To Get The Deepest Sleep Tonight