28. Early Mornings
A while back I wrote about my new morning routine—how I was proud to not be checking my phone upon waking up and how I might even get an alarm clock for my bedside table.
One month later, here we are. It’s 7:00 am on a Wednesday, and I woke up an hour ago. I actually hopped out of bed with an enthusiasm that I’ve rarely experienced before. And there’s nothing particularly special going on today. In fact, I have a busier than usual workday. But I so look forward to these sunrise hours that I’ve set aside for myself.
Of course, early is all relative. On a typical day, the Dalai Lama wakes up at 3:00 am. I’m no Dalai Lama. That’s so early it’s practically still the previous day. In contrast, my average quarantine wake up time has been between 8:30–9:30 am. It’s honestly a wonder that I’m awake enough to type out these words right now. Even when I used to start school at 7:20 am, I never felt energized or motivated this early in the morning.
The three game changers for my earlier mornings have been:
1. Using a sunrise alarm clock
Soon after I wrote my last mornings post, I remembered that sunrise alarm clocks exist. These are lights that mimic the sunrise—gradually increasing in brightness over a set period of time. This sunrise alarm clock has been a budget-friendly and effective option. (There are some that run up to $220!) Especially when it’s still dark outside, it’s been easier and less shocking to rise to a warm glow and gently chirping birds. So lovely. Plus I can keep my phone far out of reach.
2. Immediately practicing oral hygiene
After I turn off the alarm, I choose not to dilly-dally. If I dilly-dally, I might lose my edge. So I head straight to scrape my tongue, brush my teeth, and oil pull (I swish sesame oil in my mouth for 15 minutes).*
Historically, I’ve been a post-meal teeth brusher (until my dentist recommended pre-meal brushing). But it’s never been the very first activity of my day. Now I look forward to it, especially after adding the tongue scraping and oil swishing. I love a good three-step process!
3. Splashing my eyes with cold water
After taking care of my oral hygiene, I’ll splash my face and eyes with cold water.* Yes, my eyes—as in opening my eyes in a palmfuls of cold water. This really wakes me up.
*These steps are part of an Ayurvedic daily routine. I’ll likely dive into Ayurveda another time. For now I’ll just say it’s a whole thing—a deep, wonderful thing that I’ve only scratched the surface of. But so far, following the structure of an Ayurvedic daily routine has significantly improved my mood and energy levels for the rest of the day.