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| Self Care Tips to Start Your Morning With a Sense of Well-Being |
10 Self Care Tips to Start Your Morning
Depending upon how much time you have in the morning, here are 10 ways to improve your overall mental health throughout the day:
- Prepare the Night Before: Rather than waking up and rushing around to figure out what you're wearing and what you need for the day, prepare everything the night before. This would include: laying out your clothes, gathering any work items that you'll need to take with you, having your MetroCard ready, making sure you have enough cash, having your keys handy, etc.
- Wake Up Feeling Rested: One of the keys to having a sense of well-being is having a good night's sleep (see my article: Tips For Getting Better Sleep).
- Let the Sunshine In: Getting 5-10 minutes of sunlight in the morning can help to clear away grogginess and to wake you up feeling ready for the day. So, open your curtains and let the sunshine in. If you wake up before the sun comes up, turn on a lamp or consider getting a light therapy lamp (see my article: Coping With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
- Hydrate: Drinking water in the morning not only quenches your thirst, it can also help you to clear up cognitive confusion related to dehydration. If you don't especially like drinking water, you can add some lemon or lime to give it flavor.
- Avoid Technology: Reaching for your phone or computer as one of the first activities of the day can become compulsive. It's easy to get lost on social media or responding to texts and emails rather than taking care of yourself. So, unless it's absolutely necessary, refrain from using technology as part of your morning routine.
- Start the Day With an Intention: Starting your day with a healthy intention can help to improve your mood and overall perspective (see my article: The Power of Starting Your Day With An Intention).
- Eat a Nutritious Meal: A healthy breakfast can help you to feel more energized during the rest of the day. You'll also be less likely to eat unhealthy foods, like donuts or junk food during the day because you'll already be full.
- Get Physical: Whether you go out for a morning walk, jog or do other cardio and/or core exercises in the morning, getting physical in the morning can help to boost your endorphins, which will give a boost to your mood. In addition, it can help to tone your body and reduce weight.
- Meditate: Spending 5-10 minutes meditating in the morning can help to calm your mind and body (see my article: The Safe Place Meditation).
- Be Grateful: Being mindful of the people and things in your life to feel grateful for is a great way to start the day. Rather than focusing on all the negative things in your life and in the world in general, practice gratitude (see my article: Keeping a Gratitude Journal).
Getting Help in Therapy
There might be times in your life when you engage in self care routines and yet you wake up feeling anxious, depressed or have a sense that your life lacks meaning or purpose.
Rather than struggling on your own, you could benefit from working with an experienced psychotherapist who can help you to overcome your problems.
While therapists are out of their offices due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are practicing therapy using teletherapy, which is a convenient and effective way to provide psychotherapy services (see my article: The Advantages of Online Therapy When You Can't Meet With Your Therapist in Person).
Help is just a phone call away, so rather than struggling on your own, take the first step to getting help by calling a licensed mental health practitioner in your area.
When you work through your problems with an experienced therapist, you can improve your mood and lead a more fulfilling life.
About Me
I am a licensed NYC psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, Somatic Experiencing and Emotionally Focused therapist (see my article: The Therapeutic Benefits of Integrative Psychotherapy).
I work with individual adults and couples.
I am currently providing teletherapy services during the current pandemic.
To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.
To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.