Creating a morning routine for hormonal stress management

My morning ritual is the favorite part of the day and quite possibly the only thing that got me through COVID and all the losses that came with it--for that I'm truly grateful.  I wake up each morning, crack my windows to allow for fresh air to come in, make my bed, make my coffee, feed my animals, journal about my dreams, journal what I'm grateful for, and write anything else on my mind that needs to get out, then meditate and administer reiki on myself, and do some movement based on how much time and energy I have that morning.  I work at 7 AM and get up around 5:30 AM naturally without an alarm clock, so I go to sleep normally by 9 PM.  I've been doing this for years and have absolutely fallen in love with my morning ritual.  It helps me stabilize my mood, balance my hormones, and get grounded and embodied for the day ahead.  

Healthy habits stick over time if they're small and stacked on top of one another.  If something feels too overwhelming perhaps it's too big of a change or not the right change.  It's important to feel rewarded by your habits.  It's important to find joy in your habits.  Like anything, habits get easier over time and require less thought and organization.  Science shows it takes about 6 months for a habit to really stick. 

Meditation can re-program your mind.  It creates new neural pathways helping you to create and stick to healthy new habits.  Meditation can help you overcome past trauma and PTSD, and let's be honest with ourselves, the last 2 years have been traumatic for most.  Meditation activates the para-sympathetic system which is rest and digest.  Most people these days are stuck in flight and flight, so it's important to take time to slow down, relax, and meditate.  This in turn helps improve digestion by calming the nervous system.  Relaxing, resting, and digesting also help to lower cortisol levels (the stress hormone), which in turn impacts the entire system.  I prefer yoga and meditation for my relaxation routine, but there are many other ways like sitting in prayer or practicing mindfulness in nature.  I also love getting outdoors and walking, hiking, biking, and camping to detach from stress and technology.  Practicing gratefulness can help heal the heart as well.  

Namaste (The highest and best in me honors and sees the highest and best in you),

Jaclyn Rebekah Roberts, E-RYT 500, Integrative Health Coach, Medical Reiki Master

P.S. According to Dr. Mark Hyman: “Rhythm is key because your hormones are balanced in rhythms.  So, waking at the same time every day, going to bed at the same time every day, eating at the same time every day – these are the rhythms in life that help to reset your natural balance.”