RISE & SHINE ALL DAY

Making these easy tasks part of your morning schedule will improve your nutrition, energy and mood – today and beyond

Make your morning brighter and improve your wellbeing by following our routine.

6 am Stretch in Bed

Try this even before you open your eyes. Lift one arm and begin by stretching each finger, then your hand, then your wrist, and then your whole arm. Move on to the other arm. Then stretch your toes, feet, ankles and legs. Finally, end with a neck and back stretch that propels you out of bed. You’ve just limbered up your muscles and joints and enhanced blood flow throughout your body, providing a shot of oxygen to all of your tissues. Take up the entire length of the bed when you stretch. According to psychologist Amy Cuddy, this ‘power pose’ mimics the position of a bold person, making you feel more confident all day long.

Open the Blinds

When natural light from the sunrise creeps into your bedroom, it signals your brain to slow its melatonin production and boost cortisol, both of which tell your body to wake up. A flood of sunshine isn’t just an instant morning pick-me-up: a US university study found that people exposed to moderately bright light in the morning have a significantly lower body mass index than people who get the majority of their light exposure later in the day.

Take a Breather

Meditating has numerous benefits, including fighting insomnia, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing energy levels, boosting immune systems and providing mental clarity. Meditating in the morning helps you set a peaceful tone right off the bat so you are less likely to get sidetracked. If you’re a novice, an app such as OMG I Can Meditate! can get you started.

Look Back Through Rose-Coloured Glasses

US research shows that focusing on good memories makes us feel more content. To start the day on the right foot, take two minutes to write down something meaningful that happened the day before, suggests positive psychology expert and author of Broadcasting Happiness Michelle Gielan. “Yesterday’s high points can be today’s fuel for happiness,” she says. This can also affect your overall health: a study found that patients suffering from chronic pain who did this for six months were able to reduce their intake of pain medications.

7 am Exercise on an Empty Stomach

Working out before you eat encourages your body to burn more fat for energy rather than relying on carbohydrates from food. In a Journal of Physiology study, participants who exercised after breakfast still gained weight, but those who exercised on an empty stomach did not. In fact, research from 2010 shows that the mood- enhancing benef its of a 20-minute workout can last for 12 hours – a boost you’ll enjoy all day.

Don’t Take a Hot Shower

Take a cold one. A growing body of research shows that enduring cold temperatures in the morning can lead to lower body fat, a stronger immune system, more energy and a higher overall tolerance to pain.

Don’t Dress for Success

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is famous for his dressed-down style of jeans and a grey T-shirt. Zuckerberg explained to The Independent that he prefers to save his mental energy for important decisions than stressing about what to wear. While you may not be able to leave the house every day in jeans, you could simplify your wardrobe with mix-and-match outfits.

Wake Your Kids with a Cuddle

Anyone who has ever raised children knows that few things are more stressful than waking up a slumbering child. Yet this is one of the few times a parent can catch a child still vulnerable. According to a 2016 University of Notre Dame study, children who get lots of affectionate touch grow up to be less anxious adults – and earlier studies showed that adults who get lots of hugs are better able to fight off colds and have lower blood pressure.

Turn on the Music

Pick something energetic that you and others in the house enjoy and put it on while you get ready. If anyone plays an instrument, morning is the perfect time to practise as it primes your brain for learning. One study from Johns Hopkins University found that both playing and listening to music help improve academic performance including increasing focus and memory.

8 am Knock Back a Cold One

No, not beer – water. When you sleep, your body is deprived of water for eight or so hours, which can add to feeling drained or fatigued on waking. “Drinking ice- cold water has been shown to provide a metabolism boost, as the body needs to warm the water to body temperature during digestion,” says Dr Erin Palinski-Wade, dietitian, diabetes educator and author of the 2 Day Diabetes Diet.

And Add Lemon

Lemon in your water has a myriad of health benefits. Vitamin C, found in lemon and other citrus fruit, strengthens the immune system, protects against damaging free radicals and may improve overall digestion. Plus, the acidity in lemon juice contributes to the acidic environment in the stomach, which “serves as a chemical barrier to deter pathogens from gaining a foothold and causing illness,” says Dr Roxanne B. Sukol, a preventive-medicine specialist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute.

Find a Sweet Spot

Everyone should be on the lookout for excess sugar. But a University of Barcelona study found that healthy men and women who drank a caffeinated beverage with sugar before breakfast had a longer attention span and

better verbal memory recall than those who started their morning with either caffeine or sugar by itself.

Break Your Fast Twice

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not have two? A study published in the journal Pediatric Obesity tracked the weight and breakfast-eating patterns of 584 students over two years. They found that frequent breakfast- skippers showed increased odds of becoming overweight or obese compared with those who ate two breakfasts (one at home and one at school). The key message: if you eat more in the morning, you’ll be less likely to snack at night, when it’s harder to burn off kilojoules. Breakfast was also linked to better academic performance.

Don’t Forget Protein

Of course, what you eat also matters. Research presented at a 2013 Obesity Society meeting found that women who ate a breakfast with more than 30 grams of protein (twice as much as most people eat at breakfast) consumed 730 fewer kilojoules at lunch compared with those who ate a breakfast with just three grams of protein. Eggs, plain Greek yoghurt, and nuts are all quick, easy protein-rich ways to start your day.

Eat From the Bottom Up

It sounds st range, but if you want to lower your kilojoule intake, f l ip your but tered toast or salted potato slices upside down. “When you eat food this way, the flavour hits your tongue right away and you taste more of it,” celebrity chef Devin Alexander told Health. “Ultimately that means you can cut down on salt and butter.”

9

am Savour Some Fun

Many people dread facing a new day’s work, school or chores, says Steve Orma, clinical psychologist and author of Stop Worrying and Go to Sleep. But if the first thing you do is pleasant, you’ll find it much easier to get going. “This can be meditating, or having a cup of coffee as you read your favourite book or newspaper.”

Seek Out Good News

In a 2015 study, a group of participants were asked to watch three minutes of posit ive, solut ions-focused news. These participants were 27 per cent more likely to report that their day had been ‘happy’ than people who watched negative news in the morning.