When you’re ready to move…

32. Try five minutes of spinal movement. Fitness instructor and psychotherapist Eloise Skinner recommends making spinal movement the first stretch you take in the morning. “For a spinal sequence, you want to cover three different variations: flexion and extension (forward-folding and gentle back-bending, which could also be done on all-fours as a cat-cow stretch), lateral flexion (a sideways bend) and rotation (a twist). Putting these into a slow, fluid sequence – either standing or on all fours – can provide you with a great way to mobilise the spine, integrate the mind and body and stretch out any overnight muscle stiffness. And it just takes a few minutes.”

33. Go for a pre-work walk. Looking for increased focus, lower stress, more movement motivation and better energy? Then it’s time to head outside for an early morning wander. Just 4,000 steps a day is enough to start reaping the health benefits of walking – and that takes about 20 minutes.

34. Try 30 minutes of more vigorous cardio, like jogging or swimming. Researchers from the University of Western Australia have found that just 30 minutes of exercise every morning could be enough to give your productivity a big boost. Findings show that half an hour of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise in the morning, like running or a dance class, improves cognitive functions associated with decision-making and therefore enables you to be more switched on and productive for the rest of your day.

35. Do 20 minutes of pilates. “Incorporating just 20 minutes of pilates a day into your daily routine can yield significant benefits for both body and mind,” says Lottie Anderson, founder of Bondi Rise Pilates. “This low-impact exercise method targets core strength, flexibility and muscular endurance, making it an efficient way to tone your body. Pilates also emphasises proper alignment and posture, which can alleviate back pain, improve posture and reduce the risk of injury in daily activities.”

36. Train your pelvic floor. Studies show that one in three women are affected by stress urinary incontinence (SUI) regardless of whether they’ve had children. Pilates will help, as can kegels and strength training. Follow this routine to help bolster your pelvic muscles.

37. Have a warm shower after exercise. Use cold water to wake you up but warm water to recover, and that’s because cold exposure reduces inflammation. When we exercise, we want muscle inflammation as that’s a byproduct of the body repairing itself. In an episode of The Huberman Lab, Dr Andy Galpin, a professor of sports and exercise said: “Getting into an ice bath immediately after a hypertrophy [strength] session negates the benefits so much, you might as well not do the session.”

45 ways to make your morning routine healthier that don’t include waking up earlier