Live Your Best Life: Wellness Experts Share Their Morning & Evening Routines for Healthy, Stress-free Days
I know where you probably start and end most days: at home. But how do you begin and end each day? Your morning routine can set you up for a peaceful, successful work day. And a calming evening routine can help you unwind, de-stress and sleep better. Ever wonder what health pros do first thing in the morning? Or before they go to bed? These three wellness experts share their morning and evening routines…and you might find their daily habits inspiring for yours!
The wellness experts:
Lee Tilghman is a recipe developer and wellness blogger based in Los Angeles who reaches thousands through her Instagram account and blog, Lee From America.
“My home is clean, bright, and wide-open, making me feel energetically willing to receive and be creative.”
Natalie Dettmer founded Hill Country Art Therapy and Counseling, and offers person-centered, attachment-based art therapy and counseling in the Texas Hill Country. She also uses the healing power of plants through her boutique nursery and botanical design studio Ceremony.
“My home is my sanctuary. After a long day, my home invites me in and expects only what I am willing and able to give. It is a reflection of the best parts of me, my favorite objects, people and experiences. It is a place of inspiration and is a holding place that I can fill with the things I love.”
Danielle Levy is a Registered Holistic Nutrition Practitioner and Nutrition Consultant, and she started her Montreal-based practice in 2013. She offers nutrition consultations and personalized plans, in-person and on Skype, and focuses on whole food, plant-based diets, specializing in digestive issues, food allergies, sports nutrition, and women’s health.
“The natural bright light I get at home makes me happy! As soon as I walk in the front door, I’m greeted by a burst of light, even on grey days — it’s never dark in my apartment.”
Their morning routines:
Lee Tilghman: In the morning, I like to wake up at 6 a.m. and make hot water with lemon. I sit with myself for 10 minutes, then I leave to work out. When I get back home, I shower, make a smoothie and a matcha tea. Then set my intentions for the day and get to work.
Natalie Dettmer: Lately I have really been into examining my routines and trying to turn the often mundane day-to-day habits or chores into small rituals. And I am learning that anything I can set up as part of my routine that MAKES me slow down the better. For me, a good day always starts with a really good cup of coffee. I have switched from the quick grab and go yucky stuff to a nice slow pour over. While it brews, I focus on my breath and try to invite my thoughts back to the drip drip of the delicious coffee. This ritual only adds a few minutes to my morning routine but really centers me. I then drink it in my bed where I read a short poem, a meditation, or think of a mantra for the day. I then take five minutes to meditate. Then I go go go go until I am ready to come back to that place where it began!
Danielle Levy: I have always been a morning person, naturally waking up around 5:30 a.m. or 6 a.m. I eat breakfast right away, and work for a few hours — as this is my peak mental focus time. By 8 a.m. or 9 a.m., I get outside for a walk or run, at the mountain near my home in Montreal. Then, I’ll take a shower and go grocery shopping after, as I enjoy buying fresh food daily! After my “second breakfast,” I see clients between 11 a.m. -6 p.m. — stopping for lunch and mid-afternoon snack breaks. While there are pros and cons to working for myself, having the freedom and flexibility to design my schedule in a way that works best for me is something I always appreciate!
Their evening routines:
Lee Tilghman: I stop working around 5 p.m. I like to journal, meditate, or walk before making dinner around 6:30 p.m. After dinner, I chill for about an hour; I’ll call a friend, scroll Instagram, or take a bath. I usually go to sleep about 9:30 p.m. or 10 p.m.
Natalie Dettmer: I like to end the day with lavender oil on the bottom of my feet, a cup of tea OR whiskey (if it has been an extra long day and I didn’t already overdo it with wine at dinner), and a chapter of my favorite (mellow) book….right now that is Braiding Sweetgrass(for the third time). I do like to watch a good show, but I try to take the last 30 minutes before I want to go to sleep to quiet my mind — lavender, tea and a mellow book do this well.
Danielle Levy: My evenings are usually chill, spent at home. During the colder months, I love taking baths in the evening — one of my favorite “winter activities!” In the warmer seasons, I spend a lot of time hanging out on my balcony, sometimes with a friend and some tea. It’s only a narrow old platform, but I have a beautiful view of the mountain, and catch some epic city sunsets!
See their homes:
Lee Tilghman lives in a small studio in Los Angeles’ Koreatown neighborhood.
Natalie Dettmer shares her Hill Country house with her husband Bobby, her son Arlo and Lucy the dog.
Danielle Levy lives in a 700 square foot Montreal apartment that gets lots of sunshine.