Beginning The Day The Best Way

Picture this scenario: you wake up, and realize that you've hit the snooze button on your alarm one too many times, and you're running late. You get up, rush around in a blur trying to brush your teeth, get dressed, gather all of your necessary items, and dash out the door. You get in your car, pull out of the driveway, and find that you get stuck behind the slowest car on the road.

Frustrated, grumbling, perhaps suffering from a small bout of road rage, you arrive at your destination flustered and certainly not in a very good state of mind. Is this the ideal way to begin a day? Certainly not. But what can you do instead?

Ah, I'm glad you asked. The thing(s) you are missing, are morning rituals.

In this day and age, life is hectic. We are all busy people in our own ways, some of whom even pride ourselves on our "busy-ness." We've got places to go, people to see, things to do!

Can you relate? 

The best way to begin a day is to establish a morning routine. First of all, let's address the issue of the snooze button. Pressing it a bunch of times and then rushing is really doing us no good- we do not end up feeling more rested because of the 4 ten-minute intervals between the alarm going off again and again. The best bet is to set your alarm for the time that you actually need to get up, without giving yourself "wiggle room" for the snooze button. And when the alarm goes off, get up. Swing your legs over the edge of the bed and give yourself a moment to get your bearings, yes. But definitely get up right away so you don't have a chance to change your mind and dive back under the covers- no matter how tempting it may be!

The next step? Expose yourself to natural light. Give yourself 5 or 10 minutes to sit outside or by an open window. Our bodies are designed to respond to the cycles of darkness and light, which is why as we wind down for bed at night, it's helpful to slowly decrease the amount of light around us until our brains get the hint that it's time to sleep. In the morning, it's the opposite. The best way to wake up is naturally, with the sun, but sometimes that's just not practical because of timing. If I don't need to wake up until 8 o'clock, but the sun rises at 6:00, you better believe I'll be using the curtains to shield my eyes from the morning sun until I need to wake up. But when you do want to wake up, the exposure to natural light will be very helpful.

As a yogi, my morning routine absolutely has to include yoga. Some days it is the only time I have to practice, and it is essential for me to start the day on the right track. This is my space to check in with myself, to set an intention for the day, to gain some clarity to prepare myself for whatever the day holds, and to stretch my muscles. Some days, I find that all I want is to rest in child's pose and do some restorative supine leg stretches. Some days, I find that Sun Salutations give my body the vigor it craves. Whatever it is that I need from my practice, this is MY time. Sometimes I need hip-opening poses; sometimes heart-opening; sometimes inversions; oftentimes a jumbled up mixture of many different things. This is particularly great for the beginning of the day because it sets the stage for me to trust my inner voice. I listen to my body, I notice how I'm feeling, and I adjust my practice to suit my own needs. When I start the day like this, I find that it is easier to continue this practice of figuring out what I need- throughout whatever the day throws my way- and trusting my intuition.

Now, I'll let you in on a couple of Ayurvedic health practices that are a great addition to any morning routine. Firstly though- what is Ayurveda? Put simply, Ayurvedic medicine is a holistic health system, developed thousands of years ago in India. It is based on the theory that our overall health and well-being are based on a balance between mind, body, and spirit.

So now that that's out of the way, on to the health practices. Drinking warm water with lemon is the best bet for getting your body on the right track first thing in the morning. The lemon is excellent for balancing pH in the blood, improving digestion, giving the immune system a boost, and cleansing the liver. It is important that the water be at least room temperature, not cold, because cold water shocks our bodies and prevents or slows down all of the helpful processes that the lemon water is intended for.

Another great practice is oil-pulling. Ever heard of it? It's an Ayurvedic dental technique, also known as "kavala" or "gundusha." The practice is pretty simple- take a tablespoon or so of oil (I use coconut oil, both for the taste and for its antibacterial properties) and gently swish it around your mouth for 20 minutes. Ideally, this should be done on an empty stomach, which is why it's a great addition to a morning routine! Benefits of oil pulling are whiter, stronger teeth; better breath; and overall reduction of toxins and harmful bacteria in the mouth. It can also have a detoxing effect, which is helpful for hangovers, sinus pressure, or headaches. My advice is to aim for working up to 20 minutes (it can be really strange to get used to) and also to not treat the oil like mouthwash- to keep it in your mouth for that long and NOT get a stiff jaw, you need to just gently push the oil around your teeth and gums. Also, be sure to spit the oil out into the trash, not in the sink, because it can clog your drain.

My final health practice suggestion is dry brushing. You'll need a dry brush with stiff (but not TOO stiff!) bristles made from natural fibers. To practice, simply brush your skin, pressing down gently and moving from your feet up to your arms, back, chest, and stomach. You want to brush towards your heart. Avoid brushing your face, genitals, or any other areas where your skin is more delicate and sensitive. The benefits of this practice are incredible- it stimulates the lymphatic system, increases circulation, exfoliates skin, increases kidney function, and can even act as a stress reliever!

So there you have it, my suggestions for starting your day on the right note. Do you have any morning rituals, or anything you think I should add to my list?