At any age and during any stage of life, you can enhance your brain health (it’s never too late!). This transformation won’t happen overnight, but you can certainly get there with daily, intentional practices.

Neuroscientist and author of The Source Tara Swart, M.D., Ph.D., certainly agrees: As she explains on the mindbodygreen podcast, small habits can alter your brain chemistry, and it starts first thing in the morning. To come, three ways to feed your brain every morning for a happier, healthier you—in 2023 and beyond. 

Complete a quick gratitude practice.

“When I wake up, the first thing I do, in my mind with my eyes still closed, is think, ‘I love my silk pillowcase. I love my side-sleeping pillow. I love my mattress. I love my silk duvet. I love all my pets,” Swart explains. Essentially, she says, start the day with gratitude: Remind yourself how much you love little or even larger aspects of your life. You could also write down a list of what you’re grateful for (depending on how much energy you have in the early hours of the day). 

Connect to your body and breath. 

After the gratitude practice, Swart moves on to intentional breathing. “I always breathe into any areas of tension in my body,” she explains. She does this practice while in bed, but you can certainly do it sitting up as well. This method can help trigger full-body mindfulness. Think of it like a morning check-in with your entire physical being—where are you sore? Breathe into those areas. Where do you feel tight or stiff? Breathe again. 

Look at your vision board. 

Finally, to increase your happiness, take a look at your vision board. If you already have one, great! If not, here’s our full guide to making vision boards and how to use them. Essentially, “By repeatedly exposing your brain to these images, you’re priming it to not just notice but also grasp the opportunities that will take you closer to what you want,” Swart says.