College is a period of rapid change that can predict future habits during adulthood, so it’s crucial to establish healthy habits during college. If you’re looking to make healthy decisions throughout the day, what better time to start than in the morning? Try to follow this scientifically-proven morning routine for students—one that promotes adequate energy, focus, and metabolism.
Step 1 – Wake up with the sun
Instead of forcing yourself out of bed in the pitch-blackness of four-in-the-morning, or instead of lazing out of bed at noon on the days your first class doesn’t start until the afternoon, try to wake up around the same time everyday, close to sunrise. (This would typically be anywhere from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. depending on the season). The night before, set your alarm to go off at sunrise and keep your blinds open so that sunlight will slowly fill your room at the proper time.
A systematic review investigating the influence of sleep behaviors on health outcomes (including diabetes, weight gain, and cognitive function) in adults concludes that “earlier sleep timing and regularity in sleep patterns with consistent bedtimes and wake-up times are favourably associated with health”.
Sunlight exposure in the morning affects hormones that influence our mood, weight and energy. Importantly, sunlight suppresses melatonin (the sleepy hormone) and promotes cortisol (the stress hormone). Cortisol helps you wake up by increasing your heart rate and by releasing glucose from your liver into your bloodstream to be used by your muscles and brain for energy. Cortisol also suppresses insulin, making it difficult for your adipocytes (fat cells) to store fat at this time because insulin levels are so low. The morning is the ideal time to have your highest cortisol levels, as it will dissipate as the day progresses.
Step 2 – Sip on Water
With the morning sunlight flowing in, take some time to enjoy a glass or two of water. (I like to take this time to sip slowly while studying the Bible and praying. I am very big on spending time with Jesus Christ in the first fifteen minutes of my day).
Drinking water in the morning after waking up is a good idea for two main reasons: 1) to replenish any lost water during your overnight fast and 2) to help keep your bowel movements regular.
At this early hour, you have low melatonin and rising cortisol levels. This combination helps you get ready to poop in the morning after you’ve extracted the nutrients from yesterday’s meals. This is mostly because melatonin suppresses muscle contraction in the colon, while a certain amount of cortisol helps to stimulate colonic movements.
There is this phenomenon called the “gastrocolic reflex” which happens when water (or food, as will be discussed in Step 4) flushes into your stomach, causing muscle contractions in your colon, which eventually helps you to poop. You may not need to go to the bathroom immediately after drinking water, but after following the rest of the steps in this routine, you should be able to reliably poop in the morning.
Step 3 – Move Your Body
Take just fifteen minutes to move your body. Not only does morning moderate-to-high intensity cardio further increase your body’s cortisol level helping you wake up and with get your bowels going.
In general, cardio exercise helps to improve insulin sensitivity of muscle cells—which means that insulin is successful at helping muscle cells to uptake blood glucose. This reduction in glucose levels in the blood effectively reduces insulin levels. Having low fasting insulin is preferred because insulin tells the fat cells to store fat, making us fatter.
All in all, one study summarizes that “high-intensity aerobic exercise training in the morning in comparison to training in the afternoon is somewhat more efficient at reducing cardiometabolic risk factors (i.e. systolic blood pressure and insulin sensitivity)”.
This early in the morning, do not do any resistance training (no lifting!). Early in the morning, your muscles are cold and thus more likely to get injured when lifting weights. Furthermore, muscle strength is highest for lifting in the afternoon and evening. As the results of one study puts it, “…combined strength and endurance training in the evening may lead to larger gains in muscle mass”.
Step 4 – Eat a Protein+Fat-Based Breakfast
Finally, we’re at the best part of this scientifically proven best morning routine for students. I hope I’ve made it clear that what we want to avoid is a spike in insulin levels. We’d rather keep insulin levels on the lower end, or at least have insulin rise slowly and in a controlled manner. With this in mind, stay away from refined carbs at breakfast. No bagels, no granola and milk. Eat a hearty breakfast: think eggs, bacon, sausage, tofu, peanut butter and a little bit of fruit for fiber. Also don’t be afraid to feast at breakfast time. People who eat their largest meal at breakfast weigh less than people who eat their largest meal later in the day.
Step 5 – Coffee
Okay maybe, if you’re anything like me, now is the best part of the morning—coffee. Do not, I repeat, do not drink coffee within the first two hours of waking up. The best time to drink coffee is between 9:30 AM and 11 AM, when cortisol levels start to drop. You don’t want to drink coffee any early, when cortisol levels are rising, because this can overwhelm your adrenal glands. Adrenal fatigue can contribute to lack of energy and weight gain.
Between Steps 4 and 5, you might have already taken your morning poop, but after step 5, I can be almost sure you’ve done so. Additionally, that time is a good time to get ready for the day: shower, brush teeth, get dressed, etc. If you have an early class, you can take your coffee on the road.