Do you look forward to weekday mornings, or do they hit you like a freight train? In midlife, insomnia can strike and mornings can be rough. But here are some ways to create better mornings.
Create better nights. It’s hard to have a good morning if we don’t have a good sleep. Go to bed early. Stay away from booze. Don’t have sugary snacks. Make sure your room is cool and dark and you have some sort of natural fiber on your body (silk, cotton flannel, pima cotton.) If you wake in the night, don’t toss and turn. Read a boring book using a low-light e-reader, meditate or just rest. And if sleeplessness continues, please talk to your doctor.
Do not look at your phone. We all do it. As soon as our eyes open, we roll over and grab the phone and start scrolling. This is the worst way to wake up. Whether you are doomscrolling bad news, looking at what fires you need to put out at work or seeing spammy texts, you are setting yourself up to have a bad day. Even if you are looking at puppies and motivational quotes, the blue light is not a good way to get you up and at ‘em.
Stretch. If you have a dog or cat, you know that the first thing they do upon waking is have a good stretch. Stretch out in bed. Touch your toes. Do a couple of downward dogs at your bedside. People with good flexibility are much less likely to get injured during the day so make sure you take care of those joints and tendons. Plus, it feels great!
Drink water. Yes, we understand that the first thing you tend to crave upon waking is coffee but it’s a great opportunity to drink water. (Gen Z has a strong hydration game but as Gen X women, we did not grow up with a water-drinking habit so this may take some practice.)
Set an intention for the day. What do you want to get done today beyond the To Do list. Do you want to practice enforcing a boundary? Do you want to focus on your health? Do you want to connect with other people? Set an intention so your brain starts to look for those opportunities throughout the day.
Spend a little time in silence. Whether you meditate, go for a walk or just sit with a cup of coffee, spend some time in the morning peace before the energy of the world starts to speed up.
Create a morning self-care routine you love. Do you like to look through your clothes and make choices in the morning or set something out the night before? Do you like to sit and do your makeup or swipe on a lip gloss and go? Find a routine you like and then make it easy. Have the shampoos and soaps you love in the shower in easy to use pumps. Have a coffee bar set up in your kitchen. It’s easier to get out of bed when you get to do something you enjoy.
Eat breakfast. Breakfast is important as it signals to the brain that we are ready to take on the day and are not in deprivation mode. Find an easy breakfast you love, focusing on protein (plain greek yogurt and cacao nibs is a go-to around here.) Take the time to eat and enjoy a cup of coffee or tea instead of gulping down something in your car.
Plan your day. Take a quick look at your calendar. Set alarms for any can’t-miss meetings. Make sure you plan to tackle important tasks so that the urgent ones do not take over.
Do one easy thing from your To Do list. It’s good to spend time working on important tasks early in your day but give yourself a morning dopamine hit by doing one thing on your To Do list that takes less than 30 minutes. Make that phone call. Pay those bills. Send that email. Our brain loves the feeling of accomplishment so set your day up for success by getting one thing done.
When you tackle your morning in an intentional way, it can become your favorite time of day. Share some of the things you love to do to make your mornings better in midlife!
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