A healthy lifestyle is about a lot more than just eating your veggies and squeezing in some cardio, but learning how to be healthy in a society that prioritizes a rush-rush-rush attitude and exercising only for the sake of trying to meet external and subjective beauty standards can be a challenge.
Truly healthy people — those who seem to naturally glow from within — know that staying healthy means sticking to a routine, even when times get tough.
RELATED: How To Be Healthy And Live Your Best Life Possible (Minimal Effort Required!) Following these health tips every day before 10 AM can help more than you may realize! So, here are 10 tips on healthy habits to make part of your morning routine so you can live your happiest, healthiest, very best life.
1. Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up.
Drinking water as soon as you wake up rehydrates your body after sleeping, starts up your digestive system, and just generally gets things flowing. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar if you really want to get up the effects. According to health expert Ingrid DeHart, taking apple cider vinegar regularly can help with everything from cholesterol to balancing blood sugar. She suggests one 1 tablespoon of unpasteurized apple cider in a glass of water before lunch and dinner, in addition to your morning glass.
2. Wait to check your phone instead of looking as soon as your eyes open.
Reading all of your emails, AND checking the news and all of your social media will clutter your mind first thing in the morning. If you really want to stay healthy, wait at least one hour before you get in some screen time to optimize your brain. This will make you more clear and focused, and help reduce stress.
3. Be grateful.
Focusing on gratitude sets the stage for positivity throughout the day. Spend 10 breaths thinking about all of the good stuff in your life, and it’ll be much harder for the negative thoughts to enter and take over.
4. Move your body or exercise.
Whether it’s stretching, dancing, or doing a vigorous workout getting your body moving early in the morning, one major key to living a healthy life is movement — in whatever form makes you happy and works for your body and abilities. Engaging in regular physical activity can help ease depression, help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your risk of chronic disease, and much more. Doing it first thing in the morning also helps you feel like you really accomplished something — setting a healthy, happy precedent for your day.
5. Choose one important thing to accomplish that day.
Tim Ferriss, author of The New York Times best-selling book, The 4-Hour Workweek, says to decide on the one most important thing you want to accomplish during the day, and, preferably, make sure you tackle it first. RELATED: How To Lose Weight, Get Fit & Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle With 3 Simple Life Hacks
6. Eat a healthy breakfast.
A healthy breakfast will jumpstart your metabolism and give you the right energy to dominate the day.
7. Scrape your tongue.
Yes, you read that right. Scraping your tongue upon waking helps get rid of morning breath and is in line with the rejuvenation process your body needs to make the transition from sleep to wakefulness. According to the Tenika Patterson, a dental hygienist, your tongue can harbor bacteria that are detrimental to your oral health. Yuck! So, in addition to brushing and flossing, scrape that tongue. In my own experience, it also removes the film that’s on your tongue, which allows you to taste your healthy breakfast better.
8. Listen to your favorite music or an audiobook.
Listening to your favorite music or an uplifting, inspirational audiobook is another great way to set your day up for success. Adjust the type and tempo of your songs or audiobook based on the kind of day you want to have.
9. Dry-brush your body.
As the Chopra Center explains, “The Garshana is a traditional Ayurvedic dry massage that refreshes and stimulates the skin and lymphatic system, enhancing blood circulation and the release of accumulated toxins.” If true for you, this makes for a great addition to a healthy lifestyle. And at the very least, the invigorating massage leaves your skin feeling amazing afterward.
10. Smile at yourself in the mirror for 30 seconds.
This exercise inspires a positive mental attitude and is an excellent self-esteem booster. Watch as a happy you is reflected in the mirror with a look of determination that you’ll get through your day and accomplish all of your goals. The key is in the wonderful chemical boost your brain experiences when you smile. According to some experts, faking a smile or smiling at yourself in the mirror can trick your brain into feeling authentically happy. And happiness is a large part of feeling and being healthy!
RELATED: Why Is Eating Healthy Important? 50 Quotes About Health, Diets & Good Food Breanne Randall is a freelance writer who covers family, parenting, and health. Her work has been featured in Babble, Modern Mom, SheKnows, XO Jane, and more.
