Contents
1 Why is a morning routine important?
2 What does the perfect morning consist of?
Liquid: But first, water! Breakfast: The most important meal of the day Daily planning: Order is half the battle Exercise: Active morning, active day Mindset: Positive thoughts for breakfast Meditation: strength lies in tranquillity
3 Our favorite morning rituals at a glance
4 Develop your personal morning routine: dos & don'ts
Do: Listen to your inner clock Don't: Snooze Do: Prepare for your morning routine in the evening Don't: Reach for your smartphone first thing Do: Take one step at a time Don't: Create more stress with your morning routine
5 Morning routine summarized - the most important things at a glance

The key to health, happiness and success lies buried in purposeful morning rituals. Celebrity advocates of morning motivation such as Barack Obama, Arianna Huffington and Steve Jobs are human proof of this.[1,2]So it seems that the early bird really does catch the worm. But why is that?

Why is a morning routine important?

Basically, it's quite simple: how you spend your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you start your day with stress and reluctance, these feelings will continue to accompany you. But if you start your day relaxed, productive and optimistic, you lay the foundation for a positive day. After a good start to the day, nothing can upset you so quickly. You will be more stress-resistant, more focused and happier.

Hal Elrod, author of "Miracle Morning - The Hour That Changes Everything", puts it very succinctly: "Focused, productive, successful morning routines lead to focused, productive, successful days - which inevitably leads to a successful life. In the same way, unfocused, unproductive, mediocre morning routines lead to unfocused, unproductive, mediocre days and therefore a mediocre life."3

In addition, you are hardly exposed to any external influences in the morning. Before you're confronted with emails, phone calls and the day's events in general, you're a bit like in your own world. And in this somewhat isolated world, suffused with morning calm, you rule. Here you have full control over your time. Early in the morning, something rarely gets in the way and you can do what you set out to do unhindered - even before your inner bastard wakes up and bombards you with lazy excuses. True to the motto "first things first", the time after getting up is best suited for good habits. You can't put off what you do first thing in the morning. That's why the morning hours are the ideal time to dedicate yourself to your physical and mental health.

What does the perfect morning consist of?

Keyword physical and mental health: everything that is good for your body and mind contributes to a good start to the day. What exactly this looks like for you depends on your individual preferences and goals. However, here are a few morning ritual ideas that have been tested and proven successful many times over:

Liquid: But first, water!

Drinking at least one glass of water on an empty stomach is probably the easiest way to do something for your health early in the morning. Our body regenerates and detoxifies during the night. It loses fluids in the process. It is therefore important to restore the water balance immediately after getting up. Starting the day with fluids helps to cleanse the body, stimulates digestion and helps to wake you up.4 The water should be at least room temperature and can also be spiced up with a dash of fresh lemon juice or vinegar for an extra metabolism boost. A pinch of sea salt also helps to balance the electrolyte levels.

Breakfast: the most important meal of the day

Not for nothing is it known as the "most important meal of the day": a healthy, balanced breakfast works wonders. It ensures stable energy levels and physical and mental performance. And if you're short on time in the morning, you can help yourself with SATURO help yourself out. Our products provide you with a quick breakfast with all the nutrients you need. A vegan breakfast is also possible with SATURO quickly conjured up: in our drinks and bars are made exclusively from plant-based ingredients. Also from SATURO powder there is also a vegan variant for a quick plant-based breakfast.

Daily planning: order is half the battle

Keep an overview and set priorities: With a plan for the day, you can focus on the essentials, are less easily distracted and can use your time more effectively. In the morning, write down 1-3 key things that you absolutely want to do that day. You can then use these tasks to guide your daily routine and work schedule. If you define your goal in the morning, you can get there in the evening and be satisfied.

Exercise: Active morning, active day

Whether you establish a morning yoga routine, go for a morning jog in the park or go to the gym for a workout, exercise in the morning chases away worry and stress. Exercise in the morning also stimulates the metabolism, promotes blood circulation, strengthens the immune system and increases the ability to concentrate. So get out of bed and into your sports gear! Your body will thank you for it.

Mindset: Positive thoughts for breakfast

What you eat for breakfast determines your physical energy levels. But your thoughts also need to be fed, as they largely influence your mood and emotions. Immediately after waking up (and just before falling asleep), our brain is most receptive to new "programs" and thought patterns. Positive affirmations in the early morning are therefore particularly effective in changing our self-image and behavior in the desired direction. A gratitude diary, in which you write down every morning what you are particularly grateful for today, also helps you to steer your thoughts in a positive direction.

Meditation: strength lies in calm

Meditation is to your mind what morning exercise is to your body. Those who meditate daily are more emotionally balanced and mentally more efficient. Just a few minutes of meditation can reduce stress and alleviate mental illness. You can do guided meditation (e.g. with Headspace or Calm) or freely, for example by concentrating on your breathing, your heartbeat or any sound in your surroundings. The main aim of meditation is to be present and take on the role of a silent observer. Both external stimuli and internal processes such as body perceptions, feelings or thoughts are perceived consciously and without judgment. This sharpens our senses, our ability to concentrate, our empathy and our ability to assess situations from an objective distance.

Our favorite morning rituals at a glance

Morning ritual tip Benefit
Drink a glass of water right after getting up Cleanses the body, stimulates digestion, helps to wake you up
Take time for a balanced breakfast Ensures stable energy levels, improves mental and physical performance
Get moving Creates a positive mood, stimulates the metabolism, promotes blood circulation, strengthens the immune system, increases the ability to concentrate
Start your day with positive thoughts and gratitude Improves self-image, positively influences mood, feelings and behavior, focuses on the positive
Come to rest and observe Promotes emotional balance, promotes mental performance

Develop your personal morning routine: dos & don'ts

Want to improve your morning routine but don't know how? No problem! With our tips, you too can become an early riser.

Do: Listen to your inner clock

Don't let anyone tell you when you "have" to go to bed or get up. There is no "one size fits all" solution for ideal sleep. Age, gender, physical activity, genetic predisposition, lifestyle and environment are just some of the factors that influence our sleep patterns. Find out what works for you and how you can optimize the quality and quantity of your sleep. With this short test you can get an initial assessment of what type of sleeper you are. Then try to sleep as regularly as possible and always get up at roughly the same time.

Don't: Snooze

The more often you push your alarm clock away, the harder it will be for you to get up. With every "snooze" you send a message to your subconscious that the alarm clock has no meaning. If, on the other hand, you get up at the first ring, you strengthen the association between the alarm clock and the start of the day. Over time, you will then automate this process and getting up will be much easier for you.

Do: Prepare for your morning routine in the evening

The fewer decisions you have to make in the morning, the better. If there's a glass of water next to your bed when you wake up, you're more likely to drink it. If you want to integrate morning exercise into your daily routine, get your sports gear ready the evening before. Then there will be no more internal discussions when you get up. Breakfast is also easy to prepare. Make your morning rituals as simple as possible by getting everything you need ready the evening before.

Don't: Reach for your smartphone first thing

The advantage of the morning hours is a certain seclusion from the 'rest of the world'. However, looking at your smartphone blurs this boundary and exposes you to a multitude of external stimuli in a matter of seconds. Everything seems urgent when it pops up as a notification on the screen and requires an immediate reaction. And you've already given up control of your time again. Therefore, try to spend the first 1-2 hours of your day offline. If you use your phone as an alarm clock, switch it to airplane mode before going to bed. This way, you can celebrate your morning rituals undisturbed before the notifications arrive and tell you what you have to do.

Do: Take one step at a time

The perfect morning routine doesn't happen overnight. Take your time and find out what works for you. Start with 5-10 minutes a day, experiment with different morning rituals and gradually integrate them into your daily routine. Small, regular steps will slowly but surely lead you to your goal.

Don't: Create more stress through your morning routine

If your morning routine is stressing you out, you're overshooting the mark. The idea is to have a positive start to the day, so make sure you find your morning rituals enjoyable. Think about what you want to achieve with your morning routine and align your morning activities accordingly.

Morning routine summarized - the most important things at a glance

Benefits of a morning routine Positive start to the day, first things first, maximum control over your time, stress reduction, increased productivity & concentration, improved physical & mental health
The best morning rituals Drink water, eat a balanced breakfast, plan/prioritize your day, exercise, positive thoughts, meditation
Develop a morning routine: Dos Listen to your inner clock, prepare for a morning routine in the evening, develop your morning routine step by step
Develop a morning routine: Don'ts Snooze, reach for your smartphone first thing, create more stress with your morning routine

FAQs: Your questions - our answers

Why a morning routine?

A good start to the day puts you in a positive mood and gives you energy. Free from external influences, you can devote yourself undisturbed in the morning to what is important to you and what is good for you. A stable morning routine gives you a sense of control, reduces stress and increases your productivity and ability to concentrate. Your physical and mental health are also strengthened by appropriate morning rituals.

  • A positive start to the day
  • First things first
  • Maximum control over your time
  • Stress reduction
  • Increased productivity & ability to concentrate
  • Improved physical & mental health

What are the best morning rituals?

Basically, anything that is good for you makes sense. Your morning routine is there to prepare your body and mind ideally for the day. Here is a summary of our favorite morning ritual ideas:

  • Drink water
  • Eat a balanced breakfast
  • Plan your day/set priorities
  • Exercise
  • Positive thoughts
  • Meditation

How much time do I need for an ideal morning routine?

Logically, this depends on what you want to do and how long you want to devote to each activity. As a guideline, we recommend an additional 30-60 minutes. If you want to keep your morning routine short, you can also focus on 1-2 morning rituals or alternate each day. For example, you can make your morning glass of water and a balanced breakfast a fixed part of your routine and then dedicate 10-15 minutes to another morning ritual every morning.

  • 30-60 minutes extra
  • Make your morning routine shorter, but stick to it regularly
  • Morning rituals can also be alternated (1-2 per day)

How can I get up earlier?

Generally speaking, the morning starts the night before. Sufficient and restful sleep is the basic prerequisite for a good start to the day. Organize your sleep rhythm as regularly as possible and according to your sleep type. A sleep phase alarm clock also makes it easier to get up. And snoozing is generally not advisable as it weakens the association between the alarm clock ringing and getting up.

  • Regular sleep rhythm
  • Consider your natural sleep type
  • Use a sleep phase alarm clock
  • Set only one alarm clock (no snoozing)

How can I Saturo help me with my morning routine?

We offer affordable, ready-to-eat and balanced meals. With our products, you can have a balanced and tasty breakfast at the table in no time at all. This means you can start the day full of energy and gain valuable time that you can invest in additional morning rituals.

  • Quick, healthy breakfast
  • A balanced meal in no time at all
  • Optimal nutrient ratio = lasting energy for the day
  • More time for other morning rituals

What should you do first in the morning?

As a first plot in the morning, it is advisable to drink 1-2 glasses of water to hydrate the body after the nightly fasting period and gently stimulate metabolism. After that, you should take a few deep breaths in the fresh air in peace, maybe combined with a few stretching exercises to wake up and get the circulation going. If you still have some time, a short meditation unit of 5-10 minutes is good to collect your thoughts and start the day with a positive mood.

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Sources

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  2.  Van Edwards, V., n.d. Perfect Your Morning Routine With 10 Research Backed Steps. [online] Science of People. Retrieved October 12, 2020 from
  3. Elrod, H. (2016). Miracle Morning - The Hourthat changes everything.
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