The World's Healthiest Daily Schedule

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**7:30: Get up.** Researchers at the University of Westminster in the UK found that people who get up between 5:22 and 7:21 in the morning have higher levels of a substance in their blood that can cause heart disease, so getting up after 7:21 is better for your health.

Turn on the lamp. “As soon as you wake up, turn on the light. This resets your body clock and adjusts your sleep and wake patterns,” says Jim Horne, a professor at Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre.

Drink a glass of water. Water is essential for the thousands upon thousands of chemical reactions in your body. A glass of plain water in the morning makes up for the dehydration of the night.

7:30–8:00: Brush your teeth before breakfast. “Brushing before breakfast helps prevent tooth erosion, because brushing coats your teeth in a protective layer of fluoride. Otherwise, wait until half an hour after breakfast to brush,” says Gordon Watkins, a health and safety researcher at the British Dental Association.

8:00–8:30: Eat breakfast. “You have to eat breakfast, because it helps keep your blood sugar stable,” says Kevin Whelan, a dietitian at King’s College London. For breakfast you can have things like oatmeal, which have a low glycemic index.

8:30–9:00: Avoid exercise. Researchers at Brunel University found that athletes who train in the morning are more likely to catch illnesses, because the immune system is at its weakest at this time. Walk to work. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School found that people who walk every day are 25% less likely to catch a cold than people who sit all day and don’t exercise.

9:30: Start the hardest work of the day. Researchers at a New York sleep center found that most people’s minds are sharpest in the first hour or two after waking.

10:30: Give your eyes a break from the screen. If you work at a computer, rest your eyes for 3 minutes for every hour of work.

11:00: Eat some fruit. This is a good way to deal with a dip in blood sugar. Eat an orange or some red fruit; this boosts both your iron and your vitamin C.

13:00: Add some beans to your bread. You need a tasty lunch that releases energy slowly. “Baked beans are rich in fiber, and the tomato sauce can count as part of your vegetables,” says Dr. Whelan.

14:30–15:30: Take a short nap. A study by a university in Athens found that people who nap for 30 minutes or more at midday, at least 3 times a week, have a 37% lower chance of dying from heart disease.

16:00: Have a yogurt. This helps stabilize your blood sugar. Having some yogurt between your three daily meals is good for your heart.

17:00–19:00: Exercise. According to your body clock, this is the best time to exercise, says Reeve Nick, a sports science doctor at the University of Sheffield.

19:30: Eat a light dinner. Eating too much at dinner raises your blood sugar, puts extra strain on your digestive system, and disturbs your sleep. Eat more vegetables at dinner and fewer high-calorie, high-protein foods. Eat slowly and chew well.

21:45: Watch some TV. Watching a bit of TV to relax at this time helps you sleep, but try not to watch TV lying in bed, since that hurts your sleep quality.

23:00: Take a hot bath. “A slight drop in body temperature helps you relax and fall asleep,” says Professor Jim Horne of Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre.

23:30: Go to bed. If you get up at 7:30 in the morning, going to sleep now gets you a full 8 hours of sleep.

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Any attempt to change your body clock will leave your body with mysterious illnesses, and if you regret it 20 or 30 years later, it’ll be too late.

1. 9–11 p.m. is detox time for the immune system (lymph). Stay calm or listen to music during this time.

2. 11 p.m.–1 a.m. is detox time for the liver, which has to happen during deep sleep.

3. 1–3 a.m. is detox time for the gallbladder, same as above.

4. 3–5 a.m. is detox time for the lungs. That’s why people with a cough cough hardest during these hours: the detox has reached the lungs. Don’t take cough medicine, so you don’t stop the waste from being cleared out.

5. 5–7 a.m. is detox time for the large intestine. Go to the bathroom and have a bowel movement.

6. 7–9 a.m. is when the small intestine absorbs the most nutrients, so eat breakfast. People recovering from illness should eat early, before 6:30; people looking after their health, before 7:30. People who skip breakfast should change the habit; even eating at 9 or 10 is better than not eating at all.

7. Midnight to 4 a.m. is when the spine makes blood. You must be sound asleep; don’t stay up late.

Remember this healthy daily schedule, plan your life well, and make your life rich and colorful!