On an early Friday in December, I decided to wake up at 8am to go to the Fish Garden in Zamalek with my friend, Omniya Baghdadi. It’s a crazy thought, indeed, but I took it as a challenge to come up with a healthy morning routine. We sat and enjoyed the sun’s warm embrace as we talked about how we can add a habit or two to our mornings.
I haven’t been feeling the best. Perhaps it’s because I’m always overwhelmed with tasks, or maybe there’s no reason at all and that’s also ok. My mornings are becoming lazier and more tiring, which made me decide to seek some guidance, more of motivation, from a friend.
Omniya is a yoga instructor whom I take classes with, and someone I generally believe emits positivity. I’ve been following her on Instagram where she sometimes shares her morning routine.
Body Stretches
Some of us wake up feeling drained and lazy, and that’s because we don’t move/workout our muscles enough. It could also be because we’re exhausted. There are multiple stretches you can do first thing when you wake up in the morning. You don’t need to get out of bed to be able to do these. It seriously could be as easy as this…
Breathing Exercises
We sometimes end yoga classes with a breathing exercise (Pranayama). I asked Omniya if these could be done in the morning. Yep! And won’t take long.
The first exercise is called 1:1 Breathing. Take a deep inhalation through the nose, hold it for a moment and then a long exhalation through the nose. The duration for the inhalation and exhalation is the same. If this is your first time doing this exercise, then one way to help you focus on your breathing is by counting. For example, inhale in two counts and exhale in two counts. If it’s too easy, then inhale in three counts and exhale in three, and so on.
Taking control of your breathing not just focuses the mind and relaxes the body, it also helps if you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
The second exercise is called the Alternate Nostril Breathing; which basically means breathing from one nostril at a time. If you’re using your right hand, then place your index and middle finger on your third eye (the center of your forehead between your eyebrows). Then use your thumb to close your right nostril, and take a long inhalation through the left nostril, then close the left with your ring finger. Then exhale through the right nostril, and then inhale through the right. Close the right then exhale through the left. This is a full cycle.
Repeat this cycle three to four times minimum. This exercise provides both sides of you brain with the same amount of oxygen, enabling you to concentrate more.
Lemon Water
Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning is kind of a body hack. It’s good for your immune system and your brain, clears your skin, freshens your breath and balances your body’s pH level. Make sure the water is not hot though, cold or warm water is fine.
Breakfast Time
I’ve been missing breakfast for about two months now and I can tell that my body isn’t liking it. I don’t force myself to eat in the morning if I don’t feel hungry, but I need to eat anything, so I don’t feel dizzy. So, I often drink a fruit smoothie or eat some fruits and yoghurt. This article on Insider talks about typical breakfast foods and their healthier alternatives (please make sure the foods don’t contradict with any health issues you have).
Soothing Sunlight
Whether you sit in the sun while having breakfast, walk to work in the sun or just stand in the sun without doing anything, being exposed to sunlight improves your mood and helps the body produce vitamin D. try doing that anytime between dawn and 9am or before sunset.
Generally, we just need to give our bodies enough time to wake up properly, and our minds to process that it’s a new day. Here’s an ode to not rush my mornings and put more effort into making them healthy.
