Key Takeaways<\/p>\n
Morning routines play a major role in shaping your mood, energy, and even long-term health, but it\u2019s easy to fall into habits that do more harm than good, like checking your phone first thing<\/a> or skipping breakfast to save time<\/a>. If you\u2019ve been struggling to start your day feeling energized and focused, these eight common morning habits might be to blame. Plus, our experts share what to do instead to help set yourself up for success.\n<\/p>\n Drinking Coffee Before Water <\/p>\n After a night of sleep, you\u2019re likely waking up dehydrated, and reaching for coffee first thing can make it worse. \u201cIf you consume coffee first thing after waking, you risk adding to that dehydration since the caffeine in coffee is a diuretic<\/a>, meaning it pulls fluids out of your body and causes you to pee more,\u201d says Maxine Yeung, dietitian and owner of The Wellness Whisk, LLC<\/a>. Coffee can also suppress appetite, which might lead to skipping breakfast without realizing. \u201cSince dehydration can leave you feeling tired and low energy, drinking water first thing<\/a> in the morning can help you wake up, not to mention kick-start digestion and metabolism too,\u201d says Yeung. Aim for at least two cups of water before pouring your first cup of coffee.\n<\/p>\n Skipping Breakfast <\/p>\n Skipping breakfast<\/a> after fasting all night can leave you feeling sluggish, make it harder to concentrate, and even mess with your mood. \u201cWhile skipping breakfast isn\u2019t necessarily harmful, it often leads to excessive snacking later in the day and into the evening, which can contribute to weight gain and impaired blood sugar levels,\u201d says Yeung. \u201cIdeally, you want to eat within two hours after waking. If that’s too challenging, I recommend honoring your hunger and eating as soon as you can in the morning, making sure to prioritize protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbohydrates.\u201d Nourishing go-tos include whole wheat toast with scrambled eggs and veggies or oatmeal topped with berries and sliced almonds.\n<\/p>\n Checking Your Phone Immediately <\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re checking the headlines, jumping straight into emails, or catching up on social media first thing in the morning, checking your phone immediately after waking can jolt your brain into a reactive state before it\u2019s even had a chance to settle. \u201cAside from stress and distraction, doomscrolling<\/a> first thing in the morning can condition your brain to associate wakefulness with stress or anxiety,\u201d says Annie Miller, LCSW-C, behavioral sleep medicine therapist and founder of DC Metro Therapy<\/a>. \u201cOver time, this can increase baseline anxiety, affect focus and mood, and even interfere with your circadian rhythm, especially if it becomes your default wake-up cue.\u201d Instead, give your brain a few screen-free minutes<\/a> to come online naturally. Even just five to 10 minutes to step outside, stretch, or do a few grounding breaths before reaching for your phone can make a difference.\n<\/p>\n Skipping Mindfulness Exercises <\/p>\n Skipping mindfulness exercises in the morning, like journaling<\/a>, breathing exercises<\/a>, or meditation, means passing up a valuable chance to check in with yourself before the demands of the day begin. \u201cChronic stress builds when we don\u2019t pause to process or regulate it,\u201d says Miller. \u201cWithout a moment of reflection or presence, stress tends to accumulate, impacting sleep, digestion, focus, and even chronic pain.\u201d The good news is that just one minute of deep breathing, a quick check-in, or scribbling a few thoughts can help calm your nervous system. \u201cWhat matters most is giving yourself permission to pause and tune in,\u201d says Miller.\n<\/p>\n Not Setting an Intention <\/p>\n Without an anchor for your day, you risk being pulled in different directions and being less focused on what really matters. Over time, that lack of intention can lead to chronic stress, lack of fulfillment, and decision fatigue. \u201cWhen every day feels scattered, it\u2019s hard to feel accomplished\u2014even when you\u2019ve been busy all day,\u201d says Miller. Taking just a few minutes in the morning, and throughout the day, to review your calendar, check in with your energy levels, and focus on what truly matters can make a big difference. \u201cThis helps your brain shift from reactive mode into a more intentional mindset<\/a>, reducing overwhelm and increasing clarity throughout the day,\u201d says Miller.\n<\/p>\n Starting Your Day in a Rush <\/p>\n Starting your day in a rush and skipping your morning routine<\/a> can instantly send your body into stress mode. And when that becomes the norm, your nervous system doesn\u2019t get the chance to shift into a more grounded, calm state. \u201cIt can actually impair your decision-making and problem-solving skills throughout the day,\u201d says Miller. \u201cYour brain stays in survival mode longer, making it harder to think clearly or respond flexibly to challenges.\u201d Build in a buffer, even if it\u2019s only five minutes. \u201cA short, calming ritual, sipping your coffee mindfully, doing light stretching, or stepping outside, can set the tone for your nervous system and help you meet the day with more clarity and ease.\u201d\n<\/p>\n Hitting the Snooze Button <\/p>\n Hitting the snooze button<\/a> might feel like you’re sneaking in extra rest, but it\u2019s not necessarily good sleep. \u201cMost of us need at least seven hours of sleep per night, but the quality matters as much as the quantity,\u201d says Stacey A. Pawlak<\/a>, PhD, clinical psychologist at the University of Iowa Health Care, adding that snoozing usually cuts into restorative sleep<\/a>, the kind that helps reset systems and consolidate memory. \u201cA sleep-deprived brain doesn\u2019t function optimally. We tend to make poor choices, take more behavioral risks, and have trouble staying focused and making decisions.\u201d If you truly have time to sleep a bit longer, Pawlak suggests setting your alarm for that later time to get uninterrupted rest. Otherwise, when the first alarm goes off, ease into the day with low-intensity tasks like opening the curtains, feeding your pets, or starting the coffee.\n<\/p>\n Not Getting Morning Sunlight <\/p>\n Getting sunlight in the morning can help brighten your mood and improve focus. So, if you\u2019re keeping the shades drawn and skipping time outside after waking up, you might be missing out on a natural mental boost. \u201cKeep the room dark at night, including by covering smoke detector lights and phone screens, but let the sun in as soon as you wake up in the morning,\u201d says Pawlak. If you wake up before sunrise, work night shifts, or are facing darker days during fall and winter, she suggests bright light therapy, usually with a light box, as a helpful alternative or supplement to natural sunlight.\n<\/p>\n If your morning routine leaves you dreading the day before it\u2019s even begun, that\u2019s a sign that something needs to shift. \u201cThe time between waking and starting the actual \u2018business\u2019 of your day should leave you feeling energized and should set a positive tone for the rest of your day,\u201d says Pawlak. But there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all morning formula. \u201cSome of us prefer to have our time organized or planned in advance while others take a more relaxed, laid-back stance,\u201d says Pawlak. \u201cA personalized routine should be one that fits your life and your needs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Key Takeaways Your morning habits matter. Small choices, like what you eat, drink, or do when you get…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":146007,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4322],"tags":[1630,105,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-146006","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114600821742064284","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=146006"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/146006\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/146007"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=146006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=146006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=146006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}