6 Morning Habits to Help Prevent Inflammation All Day

Starting your day on the right foot sets the tone for the rest of your day. So, why not begin by helping your body fight off inflammation? 

We hear a lot about the negative effects of inflammation, but it can be helpful to know that not all inflammation is bad. Acute inflammation is a short-lived natural response our body has to injury or illness. That’s a good thing. Chronic inflammation, however, is prolonged and can reduce our body’s ability to repair and heal, leading to increased risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. So, anything you can do to prevent it may keep you healthier in the long run. 

These six inflammation-fighting morning habits can get you going.

1. Drink Water

Your body loses fluids while you sleep, so in the morning, you naturally wake up a touch dehydrated. Starting your day with some water is a good choice for many reasons. Hydration is linked with longevity, reduced risk of chronic illness and general health and well-being. 

If those reasons aren’t enough to start your day with a cup of water, dehydration is tied to higher levels of inflammation in the body. Chronic dehydration may even lead to “inflammageing,” or chronic inflammation that happens as we age. Plus, starting your day with a glass of water is free. So, this is one anti-inflammatory habit that should be easy to start if you’re not doing it already.

2. Move Your Body Gently 

Your dog and cat are onto something when they take a big stretch as they roll out of bed in the morning. But getting some gentle morning movement shouldn’t be reserved just for our furry friends. Regular exercise helps reduce your risk for chronic inflammation.

As good for you as physical activity is, intense exercise can increase inflammatory markers in the short term. While exercise’s overall benefits outweigh any downsides, starting your day with some gentle movement may be especially beneficial if your goal is reducing inflammation. Research has found that moderate and lighter movement is not tied to the same increases in inflammatory markers in the body as intense exercise. That’s where stretching comes in. Its benefits go beyond just feeling good. Studies show that limbering up can help reduce inflammatory markers throughout your body, as well as locally in the tissues you are stretching. However, that’s not the only way to gently move your body. A stroll around the block or an easy yoga session works, too.

3. Get Some Morning Light 

You may have heard that getting outside in the morning light can help you sleep better at night. That’s because a.m. sunshine helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm, which strongly influences your sleep-and-wake cycle. This, in turn, helps you wake up more easily in the morning and fall asleep at night. But your circadian rhythm isn’t just about sleep. It is also closely tied to your immune system and to inflammation. Conversely, lack of daylight may send your circadian rhythm into an inflammatory tailspin. One study found that shift workers with misaligned circadian rhythms had higher levels of C-reactive protein, or CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation.

Plus, getting some rays helps your body make vitamin D, which is known for its anti-inflammatory effects. Research has found that vitamin D’s ability to help reduce inflammation may be particularly impactful in reducing the risk of metabolic, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases.

4. Eat Some Berries

The deep purples, vibrant reds and rich blues that color our favorite berries are indicators of just how loaded these tiny fruits are with antioxidants. In particular, berries are rich in phenolic compounds, like anthocyanins and flavonols, which work to reduce inflammation in the body. 

Berries are also delicious. When they’re in season, load up on colorful, fresh berries. When you can’t find fresh berries, frozen berries are just as good for you and often more affordable and convenient. Try them paired with protein-rich strained (Greek-style) yogurt or whir them into a smoothie for a tasty breakfast.

5. Make Time for Mindfulness

Stress is a sneaky trigger for inflammation. Why? When you’re stressed, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, stimulating the release of stress hormones like cortisol. That may have been helpful back in the days when we had to be ready to outrun a saber-tooth tiger at a moment’s notice. Today, it’s still humming behind the scenes when that surprise 9 a.m. meeting suddenly drops on your calendar. Once in a while, that’s no big deal. Yet, being constantly stressed can also lead to inflammation in your brain and body. To help keep stress and stress-related inflammation at bay, carve out a little time for mindfulness exercises like deep breathing or body scans, or try a morning meditation. 

6. Drink Coffee or Tea 

Your morning cup of joe or tea is more than just a nice, calming ritual that kicks off your day with a caffeine boost. Coffee and tea are jammed with inflammation-busting antioxidants. Take green tea, for example. It’s packed with antioxidants, like EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), which research has found helps lower inflammation. Black tea is also full of antioxidants shown to calm inflammation.

But don’t turn your nose up at coffee, especially if that’s your morning drink of choice. Coffee contains more polyphenols than green tea, plus other antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in your body.

Other Strategies to Reduce Inflammation

Morning is an ideal opportunity to get a jump start on fighting inflammation. But why stop there? These strategies can help you combat inflammation throughout the day and even at night.

• Get Enough Sleep: While this isn’t necessarily a morning habit, a good night’s sleep is crucial for reducing inflammation. Research has found that inconsistent sleep is tied with raised inflammatory markers, particularly for women. Taking the time to wind down at night with a relaxing evening routine may help you get the zzz’s you need to fend off chronic inflammation.
• Stay Active Throughout the Day: Exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body, including fighting off chronic inflammation. So, try to move your body regularly throughout the day. Stay moving by taking frequent walk breaks, having a kitchen dance party or getting more structured exercise at any time of day. A good goal is 150 minutes of moderate activity per week, plus two weekly strength-training sessions.
• Limit Added Sugars: While there are plenty of anti-inflammatory foods to include in your diet, there are also some foods to limit. Like added sugars, which have been linked to increased inflammatory markers. No need to stress if you have some sweets occasionally (remember, stress and inflammation go hand in hand). Just do your best to intentionally choose where you are getting sweetness in your diet. That means checking the ingredient list when buying foods like breads, crackers, yogurts and sauces to make sure they don’t contain too much added sugar. And when you do eat sweet foods, choose smaller portions of those that satisfy your sweet tooth.

Our Expert Take 

Your daily habits can have a surprising impact on reducing your risk of chronic inflammation. So, why not get started in the morning? Starting your day with a glass of water, a relaxing cup of coffee or tea, a bowl of fresh berries, and some gentle stretching, deep breathing, yoga or an outdoor walk in the sun are all easy—and enjoyable—healthy habits you can add to your morning to keep inflammation at bay. In addition to fighting inflammation, they’ll benefit your overall health in other ways, too. That means they do double duty in keeping your body in tip-top shape. Try adding all, or most, of these to your morning. Then, keep the momentum going throughout the day with plenty of colorful foods, hydrating beverages and regular movement.