YOUR DAILY BREAD

Build any or all of these hacks into your everyday routine

WAKE UP AT THE SAME TIME EVERY MORNING

More sleep doesn’t mean better sleep. Synchronise your circadian rhythm and sleep cycles by waking up at the same time every morning. Your body will adapt to this regular schedule and learn to wake you up naturally when you’re in the light phase of your sleep cycle – which will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the day.

Max Lowery

START YOUR DAY WITH A DEEP BREATH

The first few minutes every morning set the tone for the entire day ahead. As soon as I wake I sit up in bed and take 20 slow, steady breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth, while bringing to mind something positive I’m looking forward to that day. Big or small, it doesn’t matter – the positivity is what counts.

Linda Blair

MEASURE YOUR HEART RATE

I don’t use a Fitbit but I take my heart rate every morning when I wake up. Just two fingers on my neck and then I write it down. Tracking it tells you a lot about your body. Say you wake up one day and your heart rate is 60, and then the next day it’s 64. That’s an indicator that your body is fighting something. Go easier with exercise and try to eat more fruit and veg that day.

Gail Emms

DO A FIVE-MINUTE WAKE-UP STRETCH

In January, lots of people vow to get fit, buy a gym membership, and jump headlong into high intensity exercises. It’s going from 0 to 60 – and it can easily lead to injury. Before you sign up for that HIIT class, work on your flexibility by waking up and stretching for five minutes. It doesn’t have to look pretty – just do some of those warm-up stretches they taught you back in school (or search

YouTube for new ideas). You’ll prepare your body for heavier exercise – and start the day on the right foot. ML

ONE FOOT AT A TIME

Build non-threatening exercise into each day… by walking! Get off the Tube or bus two stops earlier and walk the rest of the way. Squeeze your glutes as you go and stride out. Bring tissues for wiping your damp top lip when you arrive at work.

Annie Deadman

DO 10 SQUATS AND 10 PRESS-UPS EVERY DAY

Well, to start with at least. Then add another two each week. These two simple exercises use big muscle groups, which need energy, which means fat is burnt. Which means smaller trousers, tighter buttocks and leaner arms. Result.

AD

PLAN YOUR FOOD INTAKE

There’s a disconnect between the way we approach our working lives and the way we approach our health. With the former, we plan our days to the nth degree. With the latter, we rarely look beyond the next meal, if that. So, plan out your meals for the week ahead. It will help you keep control of what you’re eating, and get a spread of all the nutrients your body needs.

James Collins

NATURAL SWEETENERS

Replace your evening nibble of chocolate with 100g of blueberries. It’ll give enough of a sweet fix plus a good dose of antioxidants to boot. Top with yogurt for added protein. AD

CHOP CHOP!

Chop up carrot, pepper and celery batons on Sunday night ahead of the working week. These are your healthy snacks, at hand whenever hunger strikes. With food, it’s all about preparation. If you don’t have a healthy snack available, you’ll make bad decisions: chocolate, crisps, you know the story.

GE

SCRAPE YOUR TONGUE

Buy a tongue scraper (or use a spoon) and gently remove the white, gunky residue that’s coating your tongue. This is undigested food (called ama in ayurvedic teaching) which creates blockages in your system, leading to lethargy, bad breath and disease. For me, not scraping my tongue would be like not washing my hands all day! Jillian Lavender

WRITE A DAY PLAN

Research shows that if you write down what you plan to do tomorrow rather than noting your accomplishments that day, you’ll fall asleep more quickly. Even though stating what we’ve accomplished puts us at ease, organising tomorrow allows for a greater sense of relaxation.

I hedge my bets and do both. Spending no more than five minutes, last thing at night, I list three things I managed to do well that day, followed by three things I aim to achieve tomorrow.

LB