7 Ways to Optimize Your Daily Morning Routine

Hydration

The body is extremely active metabolically at night when we sleep. We lose water through the skin (sweating), from breathing, and overall sleep metabolism. The most important thing to do in the morning after getting out of bed is to hydrate. If you are not already overly dehydrated in the morning, drinking 16 ounces of pure water first thing is sufficient for most of us. Listen to your body. With time you will intuitively know how much water you need to rehydrate first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Morning hydration is not only a great way to rehydrate after a long night’s sleep but also a great way to stay ahead of hydration for the rest of the day.

Early Morning Sunlight Exposure

Just as our body needs darkness to promote sleep, we need morning light to wake up. Exposure to direct sunlight in the early morning upon waking is important for regular circadian rhythms, healthy sleep, daily energy, cellular metabolism, and a number of long-term positive health outcomes. When possible, make it a point to go outside after you get up, and add at least 10–15 minutes of direct morning sunlight exposure outdoors to your morning routine. Often you can get this exposure while driving to work, but remember to avoid wearing sunglasses in the morning hours because the beneficial physiologic effect of morning sunlight light is processed through your photoreceptors in your eyes.

Meditation and Mindfulness

The morning is the perfect time for meditation and mindfulness. Before the day begins, this is a great time to quiet the mind, be still, and get centered for the day. This practice can be done anywhere, even simply lying in bed after waking and focusing your mind makes for a good space to meditate. The ideal spot, however, is alone in an undistracted quiet area. This is also a good time for gratitude practice: thinking about and being mindful of the people, loved ones, and circumstances in your life that are meaningful to you and those you are thankful for. Remember, the antidote to fear and anxiety is love, and gratitude is a manifestation of love. There is no better way to go into an unpredictable, stressful day than with a foundation of gratitude.

Exercise

Exercising in the morning has several benefits. First, you finish it before your busy day starts, which increases the chances of daily completion and compliance. Second, it immediately changes your internal state for the positive and improves your energy and mood for the day. For morning exercise, focus on minimal or moderate-intensity exercise versus high intensity because high-intensity exercise at the beginning of the day can deplete mental and physical energy for the rest of the day. Find the ideal exercise intensity for morning exercise that not only jump starts your energy but also gives you sustainable energy throughout the entire day, including quality sleep. Turn any of your exercise routines into “mindful exercise,” which means if you are running or cycling, for example, don’t use earbuds, shut off your phone, and let your mind focus on your breath and movement, gratitude, or naturally let your mind wander, which has a mental purging effect. This is a great way to check off both your daily exercise and meditation during the same daily morning routine.

Earthing

Earthing (a form of grounding) is a great way to reset internally and prepare for the day. Earthing means having direct skin contact with the surface of the earth, whether it’s your bare feet, your hands, or other parts of your body. The theory is that when we physically connect with the natural ground of Mother Earth, the electrical energy rebalances and grounds our own. The easiest and quickest way to do this is to take off your shoes and socks and stand or walk on natural bare ground, like in a backyard or a park. It’s both an energy and tactile experience and a mindful connection when your bare feet touch soil, grass, dirt, or sand, bringing a sense of calm and a chance to practice mindfulness. One of the best morning routine combinations is to find a quiet area outside in the direct morning sunlight, sit down, take off your shoes, and connect your feet to the natural ground while meditating for 15–20 minutes.

Breathwork

Much like meditation and mindfulness, breathwork (or mindful breathing) can be done anywhere and is a great addition to any morning routine. When we become mindful of taking long, deep breaths rather than the short, shallow breaths that cause a stress response in our body, we’re resetting our breathing patterns to improve positive health outcomes. You can focus on breathwork while running or walking, while engaging in exercises that intrinsically incorporate breathwork like yoga or Tai Chi, while earthing, meditating, or even while resting quietly in bed for a few minutes before getting up.

One of the easiest and most effective breathing exercises is the 4–7–8 breathing technique developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. While sitting down in a quiet space with your lips closed, inhale softly through your nose while mentally counting to four until your lungs are fully inflated. Hold your breath while counting to seven. Then exhale your complete breath through your mouth, counting to eight and fully exhaling your lungs. That equals one breath cycle. You can do four to eight breath cycles in one session. Beginners should start with four cycles and can increase breath cycles after a month of practice. This can be done twice a day or whenever you are feeling anxious. Watch how to do this breathing technique here. Breathwork combines well with any daily morning mediation routine.

Nature Exposure

When we incorporate exposure to nature, any daily morning routine is that much better. Immersion in nature can be as simple as watering plants outside, sitting outside for ten minutes, walking in a park or neighborhood, opening the windows in your home, or driving with windows down to get fresh air. There seems to be a dose-relationship response with nature exposure, meaning the deeper, more present, and longer your nature exposure, the more therapeutic the response or effect. For example, a long, isolated walk in areas with old growth trees promotes one of the strongest therapeutic responses. To really tap into the power of nature exposure, you must be present and this requires you to disconnect from any digital device and recharge yourself through the total sensory and spiritual elements offered by nature. When you’re outside, you will find the space and freedom to engage in other beneficial morning rituals like early morning sunlight, mindful breathing, movement and exercise, earthing, and meditation. It really is the most holistic space for the most versatile morning routine.

Wiseman Health Take-Home Advice

There are many ways to optimize a morning routine. Find what works for you. What is most important is that we begin our day by doing the things that positively influence our mind, body, and spirit and ultimately, our “internal state” so that we can manifest ourselves in the world at our healthiest.

• The foundational approach to a sustainable daily morning routine begins with healthy sleep because the body likes routine and consistency. A deficit in sleep leaves us lacking the energy, mental clarity, and motivation to do the morning rituals that can benefit us. A consistent healthy sleep schedule helps keep our internal clock in rhythm and prepares us for a consistent routine in the morning to start the day.
• Morning routines don’t have to be long. Though some people’s routines are as long as an hour, many people focus on shorter routines that are 10–30 minutes long. Morning routines can contain one ritual or multiple rituals — it is very individual.
• Time in the morning is by far the scarcest resource. To help better manage time, try to keep your daily morning routine simple, efficient, and combine multiple approaches when you can. For example, you can go outside to your backyard or balcony and meditate, do breathwork, and get direct morning sunlight. By combining these you are getting nature exposure, meditation practice, breathwork, and direct morning sunlight all at the same time. If you choose to exercise during your morning routine, then run outside without earbuds. This way you can get exercise, meditation, early morning sunlight, and nature exposure all at the same time. Sometimes the best and most sustainable morning routines, especially during busier weekdays, are those that combine many different approaches and rituals at the same time for efficiency.
• Consistency with morning-routine rituals has value, as we are creatures of habit and most of us function better with consistent patterns and habits; however, variety in any routine has its place, too. Many people have a shorter, less diverse daily morning routine during the weekdays and longer, more expansive ones on the weekend or on vacation, when they have more time.
• Try to consistently perform a morning routine, however, perfection is not the goal. Some weeks you may be more consistent than others and you might only do your routine three times a week. If you find yourself losing consistency, simply “begin again” because like many natural approaches to wellness, it’s the cumulative effect over the long term that is often the goal.
• There are plenty of distractions in modern life, so much so that many people find they can’t consistently prioritize a daily morning routine. However, when we prioritize ourselves for this small amount of time, it benefits not only ourselves but also those around us. Find a dedicated space, place, or environment where you can do your routine uninterrupted.