10 Mistakes You're Probably Making In The Morning

Breakfast not only sets you up mentally for the day but physically as well, says Sarah Campus , a wellbeing coach and founder of LDN Mums Fitness. “It kickstarts your metabolism, and it regulates your blood sugars,” she says.

“By avoiding breakfast, you’re more likely to snack and – in particular – reach for sugary snacks which will give you a spike in energy but an even quicker slump creating a viscous cycle.”

Sorry, but this will probably make you feel foggy – and actually more tired, says Campus. “It throws you off your circadian rhythm, interfering with your body’s natural sleep-wake rhythms,” she explains. “Regularly relying on it to sneak in more sleep will mess with your body’s internal clock, which can actually deprive you of sleep and lack of energy.”

We’ve all heard of those crazy long morning routines that start at 4.30am – that’s not the end goal, here. We have to be kind to ourselves and create our own morning routines that work for us.

“Everyone’s different: if you’re a morning person, maybe 7am sun salutations are a good thing. If you love a lie in, maybe an 8am alarm followed by Good Morning Britain is good for you. There’s no silver bullet or right or wrong, it’s about what works for you.”

For those who suffer with anxiety, it’s often much worse in the mornings. The stress hormone cortisol is released as a response to stress, and science shows cortisol is highest in the first hour of waking for those experiencing stress.

Often when stressed, people make the mistake of reaching for caffeine and sugar as quick fixes. These can increase your anxiety. Instead, try to incorporate nutrients like zinc, magnesium, vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids – linked to calming down anxiety. Avocado and eggs is a good solution.

Some say writing a to-do list, either literally or mentally, is a good way to start the day. But it doesn’t work for everyone. Dannielle Haig, a psychologist, says: “The most effective time to plan your day is the night before, because it enables you to park your work for the day enhancing a positive work-life balance.

“If you write your list whilst everything is fresh in your mind at the end of the day and then you can rest knowing you have tomorrow set to handle whatever you need to get done. It gives you a sense of control and contentment making your recovery time effective.”

“You’ve not drunk anything for six to nine hours straight, you are dehydrated,” says Laura Connor , a life coach. “Do not reach for the coffee first, it’s a diuretic and will dehydrate you further.

“Drink a large glass of water, at room temperature on an empty stomach, before you do anything else! This will hydrate you, make you more regular and help with detoxing. Most people aren’t aware that dehydration causes a release of stress hormone, cortisol, so get hydrating before you face the day.”

Tee Twyford , a coach and founder of hustle + hush, says: “One of the biggest mistakes we make in the morning is to allow external sources to influence our day before we’ve had a chance to listen to our own inner voice. I’m not even talking about our partner, family or flatmates – as most of us will reach for our phones and check our WhatsApp messages, inboxes, social media newsfeeds and news alerts before we acknowledge the person next to us.

“All of which means, before we’ve even checked in with ourselves and what we might need, we’ve opened up the floodgates of a very noisy world.”

Many people identify with the experience of waking up already worrying about all the tasks and stressful things that are upcoming. All the things we worry about fall into one of three categories: unimportant, unlikely or uncontrollable.

When you start the day in a negative thought loop, the thoughts are more likely to spiral into a vortex of negative emotions that affect your mood and your day. That’s why exposing yourself to the news first thing is a rubbish way to start the day. As humans, we’re programmed with a negative bias and our systems naturally respond by pumping out stress hormones.