Here are some things you should not do in the morning! Everyone has their morning routine. Maybe yours involves reading the news, drinking coffee, or dancing in your underwear. However, there are certain morning habits that can ruin your mood, zap your energy, and set the stage for an unproductive rest of the day. Perhaps it’s time to try something different and eliminate some bad habits that are detrimental to your health, your state of mind, or the productivity of your day.
Wake-up mistakes you’ll want to avoid
It turns out, leaving your bed unmade is one of the things you should not do in the morning! In fact, making your bed is a keystone habit that can spark chain reactions that help other good habits take hold. On that note, whether you check your e-mails, text messages, or even your social media accounts, you should make it a habit not to grasp your cell phone right after you open your eyes. And once you’re out of bed, don’t forget to grab a glass or two of water to hydrate. After all, you’ve gone seven to eight hours without water, and your body is likely in need of hydration.
But skip that coffee!
Say what?? Well, scientists have found that our bodies produce higher amounts of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps us stay alert and energized, between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. By drinking coffee before or during that magic hour, the caffeine will force your body to produce less cortisol in the early morning. Having your first cup at 9.30AM, it seems, will give you that jolt you need for a productive morning. Just make sure not to brush your teeth within 30 minutes of drinking coffee or eating any food with a sugar, or acid content, because it will be pushed into your teeth and weaken your enamel.
What about getting ready?
Hot showers are what we all want in the morning, but they’re often too relaxing and will lower your heart rate – meaning you won’t feel as fresh and energetic as you want to. Instead, a short, cold shower will jump you into action and make for a more productive morning. Also, if you’re up before the sun, get dressed in a room where you can turn all the lights on. That’s because getting ready for work without any lights on makes you feel groggy, even depressed!
If you ever feel like you don’t get enough done throughout the day, perhaps that’s because you do some of the things you should not do in the morning! The good news is, you can quit bad habits for good. If you can keep your mornings more calm and restful, experts say you’ll feel better throughout the day. Of course, not every morning is going to be perfect… But if you make some effort to avoid these morning mistakes, you might find that the remainder of the day turns out a lot better than you expected.