Alarming research shows checking your phone first thing in the morning has a detrimental impact on your brain.
We only get a short window in the morning to set our day up for success. If you check your phone, the day begins in high stress mode, skipping an important brain wave called theta.
In this theta state, the brain is flexible and malleable. It’s an important time for enhancing emotional intelligence, memory and creativity.
So what healthy routines can we do instead? According to wellbeing expert and R U OK? Ambassador Chelsea Pottenger there are five rules to follow.
- Don’t look at your phone
Limit technology for eight minutes when you first wake up. Our modern day is ruled by technology. Remove all temptations and keep your phone outside the bedroom if you want to have a calm and balanced start to the day.
2. Practice 30 seconds of gratitude
Harvard research suggests that practicing 30 seconds of gratitude a day, strengthens and grows the part of the brain that builds resilience. Cultivating an attitude of gratefulness shifts your perspective from negative to positive, therefore seeing the good things rather than the bad.
3. Look at a visual representation of your goals
You don’t even have to move out of bed. Visualisation and looking at imagery of your goals has been proven to help wire your brain for happiness, success and a positive.
4. Gentle stretching
Stretching first thing in the morning improves your brains activity and decreases inflammation. Spend 10 minutes each morning stretching. Focus on your upper and lower back, sides, and hamstrings.
- Have a glass of warm water with lemon
Squeeze half a glass of lemon into warm water and have this after your stretching and about 30 minutes prior breakfast. This will help to kick-start your digestive juices and boost your liver during the detoxifying phase.
