Can You Sit Calmly in the Morning? Understanding Your Hormones

Can you sit calmly in the morning? This is where your hormones start to reveal themselves.

Waking up to phone notifications, rushing, and a crowd of thoughts leads to an unstable mood, poor focus, and increased cravings throughout the day.

This is not just a habit; it is a neuro-hormonal pattern involving your brain and hormones.

Understand this:

1. The morning Cortisol peak (a stress hormone) naturally rises after waking up, known as the Cortisol Awakening Response. If you rush immediately after waking, this peak stays in "stress mode" longer.

2. Using your mobile or any stimulation in the first minutes causes artificial spikes in Dopamine (the pleasure chemical), which later reduces interest and focus in simple tasks.

3. Finding it hard to sit calmly means your nervous system is constantly in "alert mode," preventing the balance of Serotonin (the mood stabilizing chemical), making your mind unstable and restless.

4. Drinking tea or consuming sugar immediately after waking causes a sudden rise in Insulin (the hormone controlling sugar), leading to energy crashes and increased cravings later.

5. Lack of morning sunlight and movement prevents your body clock (circadian rhythm) from resetting, increasing stiffness, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.

6. Regardless of age, the effects are similar: - Students: poor focus - Working adults: increased anxiety - Elderly: fatigue and irritability

7. Just 2–5 minutes of calm breathing awareness in the morning helps: - Stabilize mood and reduce cravings - Make the day more controlled

These are not separate issues but a chain starting from the first few minutes of your morning.

If your nervous system is put into "rush" mode in the morning, your body spends the whole day correcting it.

Pause for 2 minutes in the morning; your body receives the first signal to "stay calm," and from there, your day's tone, energy, and decisions begin to change.

If you found this post useful, please like and share.

Dr Ravindra L Kulkarni, MD, DNB, FSCAI (Cardiology) Just For Hearts