November 05, 2019
5 ways to use daylight savings time to your body’s advantage!
While you may be heading home from work in the dark, the extra time in the morning that you get from daylight savings time means that you can get more out of your day.
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It’s that time of year again—when our clocks turn back an hour as if by magic and you get a little extra time in the morning. While you may be heading home from work in the dark, the early AM daylight offers and opportunity to get more out of your day. Instead of hitting snooze again, why not challenge yourself to you use that time to create some new, positive habits that will help your mind and body feel its best?
Below are five ways you can use daylight savings time to your advantage:
GET IN THE HABIT OF GETTING UP EARLIER
If you find that you struggle getting out of bed in the morning, you are not alone. Many people feel sluggish in the morning, but much of this is due to the fact that it seems easier to snuggle under the covers instead of simply getting up when you intend to. Daylight savings time gives you the chance to get in the habit of getting up a bit earlier, helping to jumpstart your day and avoid feeling rushed and stressed. Try setting your alarm back an hour this week to make the transition of daylight savings time feel effortless. Essentially, you will still be getting up at the same time you normally would, but with the added bonus of an extra hour in the morning to get things done.
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LEARN TO MEDITATE OR STRETCH
During that hour that you spend transitioning from sleep into your day, take just a couple of minutes to be present in your body. Stream a ten minute meditation (here is a popular one) and take a few minutes to focus on your breathing before you get ready for work. Once you’ve finished a quick meditation, stretch the muscles in your body to fully wake up for the day. This will help prevent aches and pains that develop from sitting at a desk, and help you feel that you’ve accomplished one small feat before you even begin your work day.
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SET GOALS
One way to help feel more present in your life is to take time to set goals for the day/week ahead. New year’s resolutions are often joked about because people aim too big. Aim for small accomplishments that are palatable in your everyday life, whether that be to take the dog out more, cut back on screen time, or simply stick to your current skin care routine. Begin with the goal of waking up earlier this week and practice it consistently, then think about another small change that can be made to incrementally improve your day.
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BE PRESENT
The extra hour you get from daylight savings time will make you feel like you have all the time in the world to get started with your day, but falling into old habits (ahem—checking Instagram for 30 minutes each morning) will end up being just as much of a waste of your time as it was before the clocks turned back. Take your time getting up and getting started with your day, but focus on being present while you do so. Read a chapter in your book, journal, or simply take the time to sip a hot cup of coffee, and ease yourself into your day feeling like you had an enjoyable and relaxed morning.
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AMP UP YOUR SKIN CARE ROUTINE
Everyone has a skin care routine they would like to adhere to, but sometimes hectic schedules keep you from being able to stick to a regime of more than a couple of products. During the extra hour in the morning that you get from daylight savings time, try to get in the habit of caring for the skin all over your body, not just on your face.
This includes even in your most intimate area, as it can be some of your body’s most sensitive and delicate skin. You wouldn’t overlook using a gentle moisturizer on your eye area, which is why it’s important to use the right product around your vagina to avoid irritation.
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Regardless of how you spend your extra hour in the morning, there is never a better time to start working on better, healthier habits. A year from now you may look back on this time in your life and wish you had started working on some aspect of yourself today—whether that be on inner or outer work that can help you grow and prosper.
by Julia S.
