If you woke up on the wrong side of the bed, you might just have one or more of these bad morning habits.
Here are four ways you SHOULDN'T start your day according to experts.
1. Don't wake up to an alarm. It causes immediate anxiety, so try something more soothing. Studies have found waking up to the RADIO is much better.
2. Don't immediately try to problem solve. That groggy feeling is called sleep inertia and typically lasts 15 minutes to an hour. So let yourself ease into your day before you start trying to solve anything.
3. Don't dive straight into emails. Reaching for your phone to read the news is one thing. But you shouldn't be checking your inbox as soon as you wake up. Again, it's immediate stress and you're not ready to problem solve yet.
4. Don't focus on what went wrong yesterday. Try your best to start fresh. It's okay to look back and reflect at some point, just not first thing.
Now here are four good morning habits you might want to add . . .
1. Focus on what you want to achieve, and make a list. It's a good way to organize your day, and your thoughts.
2. Start with some deep breathing. Meditation is great. But even just stopping to take a few deep breaths can calm your mind and set you up for a good day.
3. Look at something that makes you smile. Think about hanging something in your bedroom that sparks joy. Like a picture from a fun vacation, or just a piece of art you really love. Visual reminders like that can put you in a good mood.
4. Get moving. It doesn't have to be a full workout. Just some light stretching can help get your day started on the right foot.
(NY Post)