The end of January is finally in sight, for many of us that means the end of dry January and time to have a little more fun. In order to continue to practise the habit of self-care this year I’ve created a simple but effective morning routine that’s helped me start each day feeling alert and refreshed by the time I leave the house.
Waking up during these cold and grey winter mornings can be difficult. So once you’ve pulled yourself out of bed my first top tip is to have a glass of warm water with fresh lemon and a teaspoon of turmeric. Turmeric does have quite a strong taste so that can be an optional addition, but it is an incredibly powerful nutritional supplement.
The Indian spice has chemical compounds called curcuminoids, of which curcumin is the most beneficial. Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory agent (helpful for arthritis among many other conditions) and is an antioxidant. It also helps the body to absorb other antioxidants and works wonders for the skin.
Once you’ve finished this daily detox drink, your mind and body should be feeling much more awake. The next step is to practise a little yoga. If you can fit ten or fifteen minutes of yoga stretches into your morning, you’ll feel the benefits all day. One of the easiest poses with great benefits is the downward dog. The downward dog is a fantastic way to lengthen and strength your back after a night’s sleep.
Once you’ve finished stretching, it’s probably time to get into the shower. I personally love using a grapefruit shower gel as the fresh aroma really wakes me up. The next step is to cleanse and cleanse again. I couldn’t stop reading about the benefits of the double-cleanse last year so I decided to give it a try. I immediately saw the benefits and my skin felt softer and smoother in days.
A double-cleanse essentially involves using a cleansing oil, balm or even micellar water to remove and break down the first layer of makeup on your skin. You should then follow with a much deeper cleansing product.
The second round of cleansing provides a much deeper cleanse into your pores, ensuring that all makeup and dead skins cells are removed. It is advised to do this in both the mornings and evenings. I personally love to use ESPA’s Nourishing Cleansing Balm followed by ESPA’s Balancing Foam Cleanser.
The final part of my favourite morning routine is, of course, breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and there are lots of healthy options to choose from. If you have more of an appetite in the morning, I would recommend poached eggs. Paired with smoked salmon, spinach or an avocado, eggs contain a powerhouse of disease-fighting nutrients like lutein and zeaxanthin.
For those of you who might prefer something lighter or with a little more zest or fruit flavour, then smoothie bowls are ideal for you. You can choose from your favourite fruits and mix with oats, yoghurt or pretty much anything of your choice.
This ultimate morning routine takes me about thirty minutes and I always leave the house feeling more awake and prepared for the day ahead. I hope you try and incorporate some of these simple steps into your morning routines!
Love
Rebecca X
About the Spa
The elegant and stylish Suffolk Spa at the Bedford Lodge Hotel provides a natural, relaxing and aromatic environment, with plenty of beauty and wellbeing benefits, The Spa provides a wealth of indoor and outdoor spa facilities including a Hydrotherapy pool, roof top hot tub, a Rasul, Experiential showers, and a state of the art thermal area comprising a steam room and sauna .
The Spa also has 10 beautifully styled treatment rooms, a luxurious relaxation room, a therapy room for visiting cosmetic doctors offering non-invasive procedures and a Spa Lounge where guests can enjoy a selection of light bites. The treatment menu has been created in cooperation with leading British spa brand, ESPA and offers a compact range of natural, holistic and results driven treatments for the face, body and mind. A beauty room offers manicures and pedicures.