New Year, New You, New Mornings: 4 Tips on How To Live A Better Mentally Healthy Day

Imagine this: You wake up at your usual time to get ready for class and to start your day, but something isn’t right. You brush your teeth and look in the mirror and you feel like you’re in a funk. Maybe it’s early morning mood swings, maybe it’s gas from last night’s late-night food run, but either way you are not feeling great. With this thought looming over you, you grab a pair of comfy clothes, i.e. a big sweater and a pair of sweatpants. You look at the clock on your microwave and notice that you are 15 minutes late to your first class. You roll your eyes and grunt because that means no breakfast and you have to run this early in the morning. 

In a hurry, you run to class knowing that you have started your day off on the wrong foot. This is a catalyst for your entire day, all due to the thirty to forty-five minutes it took you from the moment your eyes opened. In hindsight, your day could have been very different. You might be asking how, but I’ve got a few tips to implement into your morning routine that will help you feel better and be more mentally prepared for the day. 

Wake Up Times

Even though you could have woken up in an icky mood, that should not single handedly reconstruct your entire day. Start your morning off by waking up about an hour or two before you need to be somewhere. Whether it be class, work, a job interview, lab, or anywhere in between, getting a one-to-two-hour head start gives your brain enough time to properly function in complete consciousness. This is done so that by the time you are supposed to be at your peak mental capacity, you are able to be the highly functioning adult that select individuals around you expect you to be. For example, knowing that I have class at 9:30am, I wake up on weekdays at 7:00am. This is to give myself enough time to get out that slightly agitated and confused state that I wake up in and shower, get dressed, and put on my smile before I leave my room. Now I realize that not everyone is a morning person, but giving yourself a little more time in the morning is helpful to get out of the sleep morning funk. 

Morning Mindset

A great way to wake up and start your day off in the right mood, is to make it happen on your own. As soon as you wake up, get a good playlist going to get you up out of bed and moving. Who doesn’t love to dance? Use that same brain trick to force you out of bed easier than slamming your alarm clock. 

A great intermission between personal hygiene and personal fashion choices is meditation. Before you get dressed for the day, take a seat or stand somewhere in your space and do a ten-minute meditation session. Even with a sad or angry mood, a little self-discipline and isolated thought can only help you. Why stop there? Go on ahead and let your essential oil diffuser run some decadent new scents through your room and into your lungs. It is arguably one of the most common ways to get rid of inner negativity in your life. On days that I’m feeling upset, angry, stressed, or overwhelmed, I like to turn on my essential oil diffuser and fill it with lavender, peppermint, and/or orange.

Diet Adjustment

Although tempting, it generally isn’t recommended to eat unhealthy foods late at night prior to falling asleep. Its best to abstain from greasy foods, especially late at night, and wait until the morning. That way, you can use that extra time that you have to be awake to have a big, hearty breakfast to get your body going. 

I recently learned about the benefits of cranberry juice. As of late, I try to drink some kind of cranberry juice mixture at least once a day every single day. I have even convinced most, if not all, of my friends at the Honors College to drink cranberry juice at least once every three days. I’m also very invested in what foods I eat when I go out. When I am feeling excited for a nice meal to go for dinner, I actually do care about the quality of their Caesar salad. I am actively attempting to redirect my thoughts about food to focus more on the quality of what goes into my body. These small changes can be very impactful to your overall health.

Look Good, Feel Good

Don’t get me wrong, we all love our big, comfy clothes. Regardless, it is proven that when you dress better, you tend to feel better overall. Maybe try to dress your look up a bit even though you might not be the happiest camper on the trail. Ever since I’ve been at the Honors College, on days that I’m feeling in a funk or not my best, I dress myself up and walk around campus with my head held high. As the day progresses, the compliments I get from strangers genuinely do excite me and make my day better. Wearing my favorite outfit not only makes me feel good on the outside but also boosts my confidence. My recommendation to you is to dress up in your favorite outfit on days when all you want to do is stay in bed and hide. 

To Wrap This All Up,

There are a few simple tips and tricks to have a good sense of mental health and a great way to have a great day. You don’t have to implement all of these things to take care of you. You can just use one or two or come up with some of your own. I promise you that the slightest adjustments will have major impacts on your day, your mindset, and your life. With the new year and new semester starting, implementing some mental health boosting habits to your daily routine.