5 Morning Rituals You Haven’t Tried Yet

What is up with all the hot water with lemon? Many of wellness junkies start the day with that, and affirmations, meditation and journaling. To shake up the routine a bit, for this week’s Healthy Habits I went in search of some new ideas for morning rituals. I hope the results have you inspired, and maybe even looking forward to the alarm clock ringing tomorrow.

1. Instead of going for a walk… Jump. Some manufacturers of mini-trampolines claim that jumping can cure sinusitis, allergies and even promote lymphatic drainage. I couldn’t find data to back that up, but if it works for you, great. Still, a German study from 2018, did give mini-trampolines a thumbs up for exercise purposes. Eight weeks of jumping imparted significant benefits as a cardio and strength conditioning exercise.
2. Instead of scrolling through the news… Watch a video that motivates you. Maybe it’s Brene Brown on a TED talk. Or try pumping yourself up with passionate movie speeches that will fire you up for whatever the day is about to throw your way.
3. Instead of using an alarm… Let the sun awaken you. According to Entrepreneur, Sir Richard Branson leaves his curtains open so that that sun comes right at him, causing him to bounce out of bed in a good mood. Hey, he’s a billionaire so maybe there’s something to this.
4. Instead of standing in the shower… Wake up the body with Rajio Taisou. Introduced in Japan in the 1920s, Rajio Taisou (“radio calisthenics”) are broadcasted instructions for bending and stretching. The set of exercises, which takes about 10 minutes to do, is still used in schools and companies as a warm up and a way of bonding. You can see what it looks and sounds like here.
5. Instead of getting up and doing yoga… Luxuriate in bed. Reach over and grab a fantastic, juicy and engaging book (or your fantastic, juicy and engaging partner). Sometimes, the day can wait.