Latest / The Dohnal Health Minute / How to Build a Healthier Morning Routine

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How to Build a Healthier Morning Routine · The Dohnal Health Minute

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  Hey there and welcome back. I'm Dr. Chris Donnell
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  and you're listening to the Donnell Chiropractic
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  Podcast coming to you from right here in Nashville.
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  Today we're talking about something that can
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  honestly change the way your whole day feels,
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  your morning routine, specifically how to build
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  one that actually supports your body. your spine
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  and your overall health. And I promise this isn't
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  about waking up at four in the morning or doing
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  an hour of yoga before sunrise. This is practical
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  stuff you can start using right away. So here's
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  the thing. The way you start your morning sets
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  the tone for everything else. The way you move
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  when you first wake up, the way you sit, the
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  way you rush out the door, all of it adds up.
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  And over time, those small habits either build
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  your body up or they slowly wear it down. So
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  let's talk about how to make them work for you.
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  The very first thing I want you to think about
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  is how you get out of bed. You know what I hear
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  a lot in my office? People telling me their back
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  is stiffest first thing in the morning. And that
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  makes total sense. When you sleep, the discs
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  in your spine actually absorb fluid and expand
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  a little. So your back needs a gentle transition
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  into movement, not a sudden jolt. Instead of
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  sitting straight up from flat on your back, try
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  rolling onto your side first, then using your
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  arms to push yourself up. It sounds simple, and
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  it is, but it makes a real difference. Give your
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  body that kindness right from the start. Now
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  here's the next thing. Movement in the morning
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  matters enormously. I'm not saying you need to
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  hit the gym before work. I'm talking about just
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  a few minutes of gentle stretching or walking.
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  Your muscles and joints have been still for hours.
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  Getting some light movement going helps with
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  circulation, loosens things up, and honestly
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  just wakes up your nervous system in a really
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  healthy way. A few gentle neck rolls, some shoulder
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  circles, maybe a slow forward fold, nothing intense,
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  just enough to tell your body, hey, it's time
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  to move. Even a short walk around the does wonders.
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  Here's what's interesting and this one surprises
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  a lot of people. Hydration is a spine health
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  issue. Most of us wake up mildly dehydrated after
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  a full night of sleep. And those spinal discs
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  I mentioned earlier, they depend on water to
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  stay healthy and to absorb shock properly. So
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  drinking a full glass of water first thing in
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  the morning before your coffee, before anything
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  else, is genuinely good for your back. Keep a
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  glass right on your nightstand if that helps
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  you remember. Now let's talk posture because
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  this is a big one. So many people grab their
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  phone the second they wake up and before they
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  even get out of bed, they're already hunched
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  over a screen. That forward head position puts
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  a lot of extra stress on your neck and upper
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  back. If you can hold off on the phone for even
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  just the first 15 or 20 minutes of your morning,
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  your body will thank you. And when you do sit
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  down, whether it's for breakfast or to check
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  your messages, Try to sit up tall, feet flat
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  on the floor, shoulders relaxed, and your head
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  sitting right over your shoulders, not jutting
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  forward. So let's pull this all together. Roll
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  out of bed gently, do a few minutes of easy movement,
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  drink some water before you reach for the coffee,
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  and be mindful of how you're sitting and holding
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  your phone. None of this is complicated. It's
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  just a matter of being a little more intentional
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  about how you start your day. And here's my encouragement
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  to you. If you're waking up stiff and sore on
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  a regular basis, or if you've got pain that doesn't
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  seem to ease up as the day goes on, that's a
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  sign your body is asking for some support. Come
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  see us. We can take a look at what's going on,
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  figure out what's contributing to that discomfort,
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  and put together a plan to help you feel better,
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  not just in the morning, but all day long. Thank
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  you so much for spending a few minutes with me
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  today. If you're here in the Nashville area and
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  you've been thinking about getting checked out,
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  we'd love to have you come in to Donahoe Chiropractic.
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  You can find us online or just give us a call.
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  We're here for you. Take care of yourselves,
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  move well, and I'll talk to you next time.