Getting Up Earlier Gives You Time for Self-Care and Makes You Healthier

When you get up earlier in the morning, it gives you time for self-care first thing in the morning. You can take time to do something good for yourself while the world is still sleeping, and your responsibilities are still far away.

Every morning, I start the day with yoga, affirmations, gratitude and journaling. It helps me to get ready to face the day with a positive mindset. I look forward to this time in the morning when everything is quiet and I can do something for myself.

You can take longer to enjoy your coffee or a hot shower or bath. You can meditate or pray. You can listen to an inspirational podcast or YouTube video. You can read an uplifting book.

There are all kinds of things that you can do for self-care first thing in the morning that will make you prepared to take on the day.

According to Pharm Easy, waking up early can:

Balance your mental health- Research has proven that those who wake up early have shown better mental health symptoms. They are optimistic, satisfied and feel positive about situations. It also lowers the chance of mental illnesses which is usually found in those who go to sleep late and wake up late. This is also an excellent way of reducing stress because you have already started the day earlier.

Having quiet time in the morning is good for your mental health, because it lets you start the day without being in a hurry, or being stressed about running late.

In order to start getting up earlier, you will probably want to go to bed earlier too, so that you aren't feeling tired when you begin this new routine. You can start by shifting your routine by just 15 minutes, so that it is easier to get used to. Trying to shift your routine more than that can lead to a lot of tiredness, and that will make the routine harder to maintain.

Once you get used to getting up 15 minutes earlier, then you can get up another 15 minutes earlier, until you have shifted your schedule by an hour or more. It may take some time, but the more self-care that you can incorporate first thing in the morning, the better you will feel throughout the day.

This is especially true if you take some time to work out, which can be as little as 15 minutes. Exercise creates feel-good chemicals in the brain, and can also help you have more energy throughout the day.

According to the CDC,

Regular physical activity is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities.

This makes exercise a great form of self-care. Personally, I like to do yoga first thing in the morning. You can also do cardio like going for a walk or biking, do bodyweight exercises, lift weights or do Pilates, to name a few.

Whatever you decide on, taking care of your health through exercise can benefit both your physical and mental health. You will also feel a sense of accomplishment throughout the day because you will know you have done something good for yourself.

The more you can incorporate self-care into your morning, the more happy and healthy you will become. I hope you learn to love your time early in the morning before the sun as much as I do!

You don't have to naturally be a morning person either, it is a skill that you can learn over time like I have. I used to work overnight shifts and sleep in on my days off. Now, I even get up early on the weekends, and I love it.

The more nourishing your time is for you in mind, body and spirit, the more likely you are to be able to maintain an early morning routine.