By Elissa Cirignotta
Whether you’re a night owl or a morning person the way you begin each day can have huge impacts on your brain. Creating healthier morning habits can change your thoughts, your relationships, and the quality of your life. By introducing even the simplest shifts to your morning routine you can condition yourself to feel grateful and loving which creates positive ripple effects throughout your entire day and lifetime. Help give your brain a new pattern and feel good by trying these 3 minute additions to your morning flow.
Drink a large glass of water.
Change your breath.
Albert Einstein is widely credited for saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” If you want different results, you have to try different approaches. Changing the way you breathe changes your brain. If you want to change how you feel at any given moment, change your breath. For example, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, scared, or nervous, try elongating the exhale just slightly beyond the length of the inhalation. When the exhale is longer than the inhale the vagus nerve that runs from the neck to the diaphragm sends a signal to the brain to turn down the sympathic nervous system and turn up the parasympathetic system leaving you feeling calmer and more relaxed. If you are feeling lethargic, depressed, or low energy try shifting your breath to quick and powerful exhales and passive inhales. This type of breathing exercise is called Kapalabhati and is my preferred morning practice. This exercise is a traditional internal purification practice that tones and cleanses the respiratory system. It encourages the release of toxins and waste matter and can also be quite refreshing and rejuvenating for the body and mind. After 3 minutes of Kapalabhati breathing you will increase your body’s oxygen supply, strengthen the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, and energize your brain. Find a comfortable place to sit, ideally with the spine elongated, set a timer for 3 minutes and breathe differently.
MOVE YO BODY!
What are your favorite morning routines? Let us know in the comments.
~Elissa Cirignotta
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