1. Drink a glass of water.

Simplest of to-do’s, but most overlooked. Drinking a glass or two of water in the mornings (after you’ve brushed your teeth) helps kick start metabolism, flush out toxins, and hydrate the body. Treat it as an investment in your health.

2. Stretch your body.

Your body acts like it wants more sleep, just the way you do. Stretching can wake those muscles up, get the blood flowing to all parts, and send a signal to your body to wake up and get ready for the day. You can couple stretching with exercise or yoga if you have such a routine in place or plan to start one. If you don’t, stretching should be enough.

3. Soak up the sun.

You’ve spent the entire night (including perhaps late evening) inside the house, and under artificial lights. Head outdoors in the morning to experience the warmth of the sun on your body. Your eyes will light up, your skin will glow, and you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.

4. Turn on your morning playlist.

A morning playlist or just a selection of your favourite songs can lift your spirits in no time and leave you calm and relaxed for the day. If you don’t have a playlist, create one. And if that’s a hassle, pick out your favourites and play them every morning.

5. Write a short note in your journal.

Make an entry in your journal every morning. (Get a journal right now if you don’t have one.) It can be a simple “I hate waking up in the mornings…” or a pretentious “We’re a byproduct of stars.” Whatever floats your boat. This exercise is only meant to expel persisting thoughts and open our minds up for new and exciting possibilities.

6. Eat something.

Eating a morning meal will help you shake that sluggishness off, and leave you feeling fresh and energetic.

A note of advice: don’t reach for that packet of wafers in the morning. Eating healthy will set the tone for your eating habits for the rest of the day.

7. Spend 10 minutes relaxing or meditating.

Mornings can be a period of manic rush. Refuse to get sucked into it. Sit someplace cozy for 10 minutes and either just relax or meditate. It will help stabilise your mind, and equip you to fight any stress that may be coming your way that day.

8. Read.

What you read in the morning can influence your day drastically. If you want to be inspired, read inspirational essays or books. If you want to feel happy, read essays or books on happiness. Read whatever you like — it’s a great way to get your mind thinking and the heart feeling.

9. Write down your tasks for the day.

Whether you do this at home or at work doesn’t matter; but writing down the tasks for the day is crucial. It helps you be more productive, more efficient, and more conscious about what you’re going to achieve in the day.

10. Keep your conversations positive.

Have positive conversations in the morning to start the day on a positive note. A heated argument or fight early in the day can cause your day to crash land and never recover for the day.

Bonus: Look your best.

You don’t have to wear what the Parisian models are wearing to look your best each morning. Just wear appropriate, well-fitting clothes and maybe style it up a little with an accessory or interesting colour choices. Make do with what you have, and make small additions from time to time. You’ll automatically feel confident, and that will show throughout the day.

Sleeping Tips For Good Health

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Healthy sleep habits can make a big difference in your quality of life. Having healthy sleep habits is often referred to as having good sleep hygiene. Try to keep the following sleep practices on a consistent basis:

Stick to a sleep schedule of the same bedtime and wake up time, even on the weekends. This helps to regulate your body's clock and could help you fall asleep and stay asleep for the night.
Practice a relaxing bedtime ritual. A relaxing, routine activity right before bedtime conducted away from bright lights helps separate your sleep time from activities that can cause excitement, stress or anxiety which can make it more difficult to fall asleep, get sound and deep sleep or remain asleep.
If you have trouble sleeping, avoid naps, especially in the afternoon. Power napping may help you get through the day, but if you find that you can't fall asleep at bedtime, eliminating even short catnaps may help.
Exercise daily. Vigorous exercise is best, but even light exercise is better than no activity. Exercise at any time of day, but not at the expense of your sleep.
Evaluate your room. Design your sleep environment to establish the conditions you need for sleep. Your bedroom should be cool – between 60 and 67 degrees. Your bedroom should also be free from any noise that can disturb your sleep. Finally, your bedroom should be free from any light. Check your room for noises or other distractions. This includes a bed partner's sleep disruptions such as snoring. Consider using blackout curtains, eye shades, ear plugs, "white noise" machines, humidifiers, fans and other devices.
Sleep on a comfortable mattress and pillows. Make sure your mattress is comfortable and supportive. The one you have been using for years may have exceeded its life expectancy – about 9 or 10 years for most good quality mattresses. Have comfortable pillows and make the room attractive and inviting for sleep but also free of allergens that might affect you and objects that might cause you to slip or fall if you have to get up during the night.
Use bright light to help manage your circadian rhythms. Avoid bright light in the evening and expose yourself to sunlight in the morning. This will keep your circadian rhythms in check.
Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and heavy meals in the evening. Alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine can disrupt sleep. Eating big or spicy meals can cause discomfort from indigestion that can make it hard to sleep. If you can, avoid eating large meals for two to three hours before bedtime. Try a light snack 45 minutes before bed if you’re still hungry.
Wind down. Your body needs time to shift into sleep mode, so spend the last hour before bed doing a calming activity such as reading. For some people, using an electronic device such as a laptop can make it hard to fall asleep, because the particular type of light emanating from the screens of these devices is activating to the brain. If you have trouble sleeping, avoid electronics before bed or in the middle of the night.
If you can't sleep, go into another room and do something relaxing until you feel tired. It is best to take work materials, computers and televisions out of the sleeping environment. Use your bed only for sleep and sex to strengthen the association between bed and sleep. If you associate a particular activity or item with anxiety about sleeping, omit it from your bedtime routine.
If you’re still having trouble sleeping, don’t hesitate to speak with your doctor or to find a sleep professional. You may also benefit from recording your sleep in a Sleep Diary to help you better evaluate common patterns or issues you may see with your sleep or sleeping habits.