What's your morning routine?
What is the first thing you do when you get out of bed?
If your answer is light up a cigarette and pour a red wine, then we need to talk!
For most people, its "just getting up", and the hardest part is peeling back the duvet and
climbing out of a warm bed. But, its much, much more than that.
Again, like all my blogs, I'm not selling you anything, I'm just telling you what works for me,
and why it does.
I might go into the science every now and then, and this post will be no different.
In this post, I'm going to cover the following:
- Waking Time
- Deep Breathing Exercise
- Stretching
- Cold Showers
- Your first drink (and its not red wine)
- Your first meal
- Light (what you should be exposing yourself to when you first wake)
This typifies my morning routine, and I will now share this with you in much more detail.
When I've finished, and it doesn't take me long, I honestly feel invigorated, fully awake,
recharged and ready for the day ahead.
Lets break them down into individual components and go into more detail:
WAKING TIME:
Throughout the day, we go through what is know as our circadian rhythm.
This is very personal and is different for everyone.
Its basically our sleep/wake 24 hr cycle, and obviously kicks in as soon as we wake. However,
you could argue it actually begins 2 hrs before you wake.
This is when your body temperature is at its lowest. It then starts to rise, and that is why you
wake up. Your circadian rhythm has just kicked in.
Now the science sorry.
Once awake, there are two hormones vital to ensure the circadian rhythm is correctly put into
motion. This is important, because depending when this starts, will significantly affect how you
sleep later. Let me explain.
Cortisol:
- This is the stress, fight or flight hormone
- It is not a bad hormone, and we need it to function correctly
- This is triggered as soon as you wake
- You need this to PEAK as early as you can
- The body produces Melatonin (the sleep hormone) approx 14 to 16 hours AFTER the Cortisol PEAK
- It is released by the adrenal glands which sit just on top of the kidneys
- So, the later the Cortisol PEAK, the later the body produces Melatonin, the later you get to sleep!
Dopamine:
- Well known as "the pleasure hormone"
- There is truth to this, however, I would add something to the description
- Its main aim is to drive motivational craving and pursuit to seek rewards
- Dopamine also manufactures Adrenaline
- Also released by the adrenal glands
The very first thing our bodies need on waking is SUNLIGHT!!
This goes back to Adam and Eve and is part of our makeup as humans, its in our physiology.
The very WORST thing you can do after waking is stay in bed, and lay in the dark.
Your awake, your body is now craving sunlight and begging your adrenal glands to kick in
and start producing Cortisol & Dopamine.
Whether physical or mental, forward movement at this point is key.
But you must get up and get that sunlight hit. You need to open your curtains, or even better,
get outside, even if its just for ten minutes, that's all you need.
Light is what triggers Cortisol & Dopamine, so get it into your eyes as early as you can.
Myth Buster:
It really doesn't matter if its cloudy, or even raining for that matter.
Even when cloudy, the suns light photons are still there, and all you have to do is stay
outside a little longer in order to achieve adequate exposure.
Just get the light into your eyes.............period.
Oh, another thing. Get the sunglasses off.
The light needs to hit the retina to get what you need.
This is the trigger for Cortisol & Dopamine production. Get the light into your eyes.
You might think laying in bed and just playing on your phone is ok, after all, your getting
light from your phone?!
You might also think your getting a Dopamine hit from the enjoyment through the
interaction with your phone?
The truth is, you are and you are, but they are both false hits.
Firstly, the light you get from your phone is the wrong type of light.
Its in the blue light spectrum and not mimicking the suns rays at all, unlike what you would get
from a SAD lamp.
These lamps (and yes, I have one) replicate the UV light you would get from the sun and trigger
the production of Cortisol/Dopamine and Vitamin D.
Secondly, the Dopamine hits from your phone are not really genuine at all.
Your honestly not getting a great deal from it, and its very artificial at best.
Think about it like this: how many times have you played on your phone, or just sat there and
scrolled away on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, lets say for an hour, then stopped and realised
you have just achieved diddly squat and wasted an hour of your life?
Its an addiction, plain and simple, and its a pointless one to boot. I like to think of addiction as such:
Its a narrowing of the things that bring you pleasure! That's all it is.
So, playing on your phone instead of getting up out of bed is an unhealthy addiction,
and a false Dopamine hit.
You finish up feeling like you haven't achieved anything, then subconsciously experience what
feels like a sugar crash following a binge on chocolate fudge cake.
Its plain and its simple, when you wake, get up out of bed and give your body what it craves...LIGHT!!
Bingo, your up and out of bed. You have been into the garden or yard, opened your curtains and
given your body a sunlight hit.
Remember, it still works, even if its raining and cloudy, its just takes a little longer.
DEEP BREATHING:
My next action is a short deep breathing exercise.
I picked this up years ago from a video I watched by a guy called Wim Hoff (The Ice Man).
He holds several world records for ice swims and being submerged in cold waters.
Sounds daft I know, and he is a tad eccentric, however, with regards to deep breathing
exercises, he is bang on the money.
There are actually many breathing exercises he teaches, but the one which works for me is
actually one ofthe simplest.
I told you I would keep it simple!
Firstly, get yourself comfortable and lay down on your back, put a pillow under your head and fully relax.
- Take 30, full, deep breaths, exhaling fully after each one
- Although the breaths should have meaning and be full, do not force anything
- Nice, calm, full deep breaths
- Following breath number 30, fully exhale, then hold
- Hold the breath as long as you can following the exhale
- I usually count and can get to between 40 and 70 before I need to take a breath
- Take the breath in fully and hold for 12 seconds, then release
- Deep breathing complete.
The key is to focus on your breath. Concentrate on breathing in fully, and exhaling fully.
Keep the breathing balanced and calm.
Do not force anything.
Full breath in: Full breath out. Fully relaxed.
At first, I did find this strange and at times I became a little lightheaded and dizzy,
hence the laying down.
This is perfectly normal, and when you think about it, your only doing what your body should
be doing naturally anyway.
As humans, we don't breath correctly, with far too much emphasis on our sympathetic
nervous system.
This means we tend to get stressed easily and because we are in the fight or flight mode,
this leads us to focus on our breathing IN and we lose track of breathing OUT.
When we breath in, our heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol all go up and we focus outwards.
Life today is a 100 miles an hour, we struggle to be able to stop and literally "catch a breath",
then without even realizing it, your in stress mode whether you like it or not.
Your breathing IN becomes emphasised, your in ALARM and you forget how important
breathing OUT actually is.
This deep breathing exercise corrects this and results in the following:
- Lowers blood pressure
- Leaves you feeling relaxed
- Regulates your bodies PH
- Creates balance
- Focuses you INWARDS
- Leaves you feeling calm, clear headed and energised.
Try it for yourself and see how it makes you feel. I can almost guarantee you wont regret it.
STRETCHING:
As this is very straightforward, I deliberately wont spend much time on this section.
Personally, you might choose to opt out of this part of the routine, and up until a few years ago,
it was something I didn't practice myself either.
However, my flexibility is truly shocking: you would publicly shame me if you seen my woeful
attempt to touch my toes with straight legs.
Its acutely embarrassing.
Couple this with the amount of creaks and groans coming from my body,
especially in the morning, and stretching became an unescapable necessity to my
morning routine.
Basically, all I did was pick 6 to 10 different stretches which suited me and went for it.
As we are all different, I would suggest just doing the same and cracking on.
But I certainly would incorporate some stretching to your morning routine.
Whatever stretches you select, the aim is always the same.
To loosen out all the creases, get a little flexibility going and encourage blood flow
to the muscles ready for the rest of the day.
COLD SHOWERS:
So what's the big deal with taking a daily cold shower?
You've seen me bang on about it in previous posts right?
I started taking a cold shower first thing in the morning around 4 years ago.
I fully admit to researching the subject, then procrastinating for months,
always promising to start them "next week".
Since then, I think I have missed about 5 or 6 days, only because I wasn't feeling at my best.
The benefits to mind and body when taking cold showers are insane.
Its no exaggeration to say, the world would be a nicer, friendlier, happier place
if everyone took a cold shower after getting out of bed.
Firstly, lets take a look at why we DONT do it!
If I managed to convince you through this blog post that a daily cold shower has amazing
effects on your health, the chances are, you still wont do it.
In todays world, we are far too pampered and incredibly risk averse.
We are brainwashed into thinking life should always be gentle, with no or very few
challenges or discomfort.
When something out of the morn comes along, we go into panic mode, get frightened or even
depressed and anxious.
This is not good for you.
Risks and challenges, to a point of course, are good for your soul.
They give you confidence, promote personality growth and, when you emerge victorious, leave
you feeling invigorated and more than ready for the next hurdle.
A daily cold shower challenge is the perfect way to test out this theory.
You don't want to do it because your scared you will feel pain, discomfort and think feeling very
cold is just plain wrong.
Initially, I looked upon the act as a challenge, and I started very cautiously.
Getting into a hot shower, then gradually turning down the temperature until I freaked
and jumped out into a big fluffy towel.
However, as I stood there drying myself with my masculinity and dignity heading off
down the shower drain and onto the water treatment plant, I had an epiphany.
What a plonker I was being.
If I was scared of cold water, how the hell was I going to experience all
those health benefits I had been researching?
If I couldn't do this, what else would I not be able to do?
I was very confident how I was going to feel afterwards, and was looking forward to the elation
and sense of pride once I emerged from the ice flow.
So, I just got back in, turned the water to fully cold and jumped under the shower head.
It was Baltic, and I hated it.
I had this sequence in my head, which I would repeat three times, and I was determined
to force myself to complete it.
I started with my head, face, then my front, under my arms, my groin, after which I
surrendered my back and shoulders to the agony.
I completed this dance three times and then I was done.
This took 3 minutes, that's all.
I then took stock of how I was feeling, and with an open mind, evaluated my mind and
body response compared to what my research told me would happen.
In all honesty, I was amazed at how I was feeling. These are some of the reactions I noted:
- A strong feeling of elation
- Very alert, equivalent to a 3 or 4 immediate espresso hit
- Totally focused
- Confidence
- Proud I had accomplished it
I was hooked, right away, and I just knew I was going to keep this going.
It really did feel that good.
The feelings I had continued throughout the day, positively affecting the way I worked,
interacted with people, exercised and rested.
If that doesn't convince you, this is where I bring in the science to back up my own experience.
I reviewed approximately 6 studies for this blog post, all of which were peer reviewed.
What you are basically doing by taking a cold shower is shocking your body into an acute response.
However, its a very positive action, your shocking your body in a good way.
All the responses are good for you and benefits your mind and body immensely.
Firstly, lets talk about our old friends, Cortisol & Dopamine.
As we know, these are produced by the adrenal glands, situated at the top of each kidney.
These are our action and feel good hormones, and a cold shower activates the adrenal glands
to produce these in bucket loads.
Other reasons to start the cold water therapy:
- Enhances your immune system
- Spikes your adrenaline, hence improvements to the mood, focus and alertness
- Activates the production of monocytes and lymphocytes (they fight infections)
- Neuron growth is activated (trust me, its a good thing)
- Autophagy is sent into overdrive. (the bodies hoover getting rid of the waste and dead cells)
- Reduces stress through hormone production
- Anti Inflammatory effects (good for arthritis, bursitis, gout and tendinitis)
During my research I discovered something I had never heard of before, but which has huge
implications to metabolism, weight loss and our bodies ability to generate its own heat.
What I'm talking about is brown fat! Yes, brown fat.
We have both brown and white fat stored in our bodies.
The white variety is mainly situated around our midriffs, bums and legs. It stores our excesses
as potential energy supplies.
This type of fat is made from lipids and fatty acids and leads to obesity, diabetes and other
associated health problems.
Brown fats on the other hand are made from Mitochondria which are our energy cells,
apparently rich in Iron, hence the fats brown colour.
This is stored predominately in our shoulders, neck and the top of our backs.
This fat stimulates our metabolism and generates heat to keep us warm.
This is why babies have lots of brown fats as their muscles aren't developed enough to enable
them to shiver.
As we get older, our muscles develop and we can shiver effectively in order to
generate heat when we are cold.
Brown fat is what keeps bears warm through hibernation.
Although the science relating to brown fat is fairly new, it is widely thought that both exercise
and cold temperatures (cold showers) trigger the stimulation and production of the fat.
We lose brown fat as we age, and lucky for us, the best way to regenerate and stimulate it
back to life, is by jumping in an ice cold shower.
Have I sold it to you yet? Have you bought it?
I wont lie to you, its not an easy thing to get into, it takes courage, and there are still many
mornings getting into a cold shower is the very last thing I want to do.
However, trust me when I tell you, its health benefits and feel good factors afterwards are amazing.
Go for it.
MORNING HYDRATION:
So, what should we be drinking first thing in the morning?
We should be looking to rehydrate, boost our metabolism, raise our energy levels and especially,
and probably most importantly, replace lost electrolytes.
I covered electrolytes in my previous blog post "Hydration, Electrolytes and Water Filtration".
The big hitters we are trying to replace here are Potassium, Sodium, Magnesium and Calcium.
Through research and experimenting I eventually concocted a drink which provides the following:
- Antioxidants
- Anti inflammatory
- Blood pressure stabiliser
- Boosts metabolism
- Aids digestion
- Antibacterial
- Maintains blood sugar levels
- All essential electrolytes
The makeup of this drink ensures al the above are catered for and all the essential electrolytes
are provided.
The perfect gift to give your body first thing in the morning!
So what's in it?
Approximately once a week I blend up the following ingredients:
- Cup full of Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
- 4 to 5 large Ginger Root Bulbs (I peel them first then cut into cubes for the blender)
- 6 to 8 lemons (cut in half then squeezed into the blender)
Due to the fibrous ginger, this doesn't come out as a smooth paste, but it tastes delicious.
You always have very small chunks left in the mix but you soon get used to it.
I pour this into a mason jar and it just sits in the fridge to be used as and when.
To make up the drink, I add the following to a large mug:
- Two tablespoons of my AVC, Ginger and Lemon mix (see above)
- One Organic Green Tea Bag
- One teaspoon of organic honey
I drink this twice a day, first thing in the morning, and again early evening.
This gives me a fantastic start to the day, and also sets me up for a good nights sleep to boot.
This drink also provides copious amounts of Vitamin C, while the Apple Cider Vinegar
stabilises your blood sugars throughout the day and increases the amount of bile released
by your liver in order to properly digest any food intake.
It might seem a bit of a clart getting this together and making up twice a day, however, it
very soon becomes a normal part of your daily routine, and your body will thank you for it
I assure you.
If in doubt, just get the ingredients in and try it for a couple of weeks. Its a no brainer when
you have absolutely nothing to lose, but significant potential benefits to gain.
YOUR FIRST MEAL:
I know people who skip breakfast and have nothing until lunch.
I also know people who have only one meal a day.
Everyone is different, and at the risk of repeating myself, I am here
telling you what works for me, hoping you might try it and it works for you too.
I have tried skipping breakfast, joined the OMAD club for a short while, and fasting,
but I didn't take too kindly to any of them.
I strongly believe, once past 50, your fasting time is adequate if you eat around,
or no later than, 6pm and take in breakfast around 8am ish.
This gives you more than 12 hours of fasting, and is more than adequate as you go past
50 and beyond.
If I'm exercising that day, ill try to take in some carbs for breakfast that same morning.
This usually consists of toast (to put under my eggs), muesli or porridge.
I do try and keep breakfast to protein and "good fats", and I mix and match these
depending on how I feel when I get up.
Here are the main items on my breakfast list and why:
EGGS:
- Good source of unsaturated fats
- Rich in Vitamin A, B & D, Selenium and Iodine
- High grade protein
- Keeps you full for longer (stops snacking later)
YOGHURT:
- Good source of probiotics
- Excellent for gut and digestive health
- Protein
PORRIDGE:
- Rich in Vitamin E, folates, zinc, iron, selenium, copper, magnesium
- Stabilises blood sugars for longer
- Keeps you feeling fuller for longer
COTTAGE CHEESE:
- Good source of Vitamin A, B and Calcium
- Also rich in iron and folates
- Protein
BLUEBERRIES:
- Good source of Vitamin C, K1, E & B6
- High in Copper and Magnesium
- Literally packed with antioxidants
SUNFLOWER & PUMKIN SEEDS:
- Two of the most densely nutrient rich foods you can buy
- Packed with Vitamins B, D, E & A
- High in Omega 3 fatty acids
- Excellent sources of Magnesium, Iron, Copper & Potassium
I strongly believe, if you throw these foods together for your breakfast, your giving yourself
the best possible start to the day.
Your not only packing your meal out with good fats, antioxidants, tons of vitamins and
minerals, probiotics for gut health, but excellent sources of protein for muscle
building and repair.
SUMMARY:
There you have it, my morning routine. Hopefully you can take something from it and start
making some positive changes to the way you start your day.
Ill take an educated guess that cold showers will be the last on your "must try" list, but
challenge yourself and at least try it out.
Hope this helps.
