A few years ago, I shared our family’s morning routines and how to laugh at toddlers, preschoolers and crazy days. Now, with teenagers in the house, my mornings slowed down a little. Yes, my kids are still practicing gymnastics in the house Some Quiet time.
Morning is the busiest time of the day for me – Kid feeding, school, chores and quick workouts (if I can get used to it). I prioritize getting up 30 minutes early and get some self-care and hygiene before the kids get up. Since then, I have switched my mindset in my morning routine. Now, I think it’s not a to-do list, but a sacred space. Have a chance to get into my body.
The regular rhythm of the morning
I want to take you behind the scenes of my actual morning routine. Not because I think this is perfect or you should copy it as a step. Everyone is at a different stage, but even in the morning only a few healthy habits can give you a positive day. This morning’s routine helped me reconnect with my body, feel more energetic and reset my nervous system. Think of it as inspiration, not guidance. Some of these may be things you have done. Others may have slight adjustments that can cause big changes.
So let’s read my work carefully before checking the screen, coffee, and before my non-negotiator.
Light + Minerals: My Morning MVP
Before I did something else (yes, that means coffee!) I walked out within 30 minutes of waking up. Ideally, I’m barefoot, usually holding a can of mineral-rich water in my hand.
This simple transformation is the most transformative. It’s free and easy to try, and it’s sync your body with something you already know how to do: wake up to the sun.
Why is the sun shining first?
Getting natural light for the first 30-60 minutes of waking up helps reset your circadian rhythm. This is the internal clock, from the sleep cycle to the hormone balance. Early sunlight helps your body know “Hey, it’s morning,” which supports the inhibition of cortisol inhibition and health rises of melatonin. I track my own health metrics and noticed the biggest shift just by adding healthy light.
There has been a lot of discussion about cortisol recently, but this is not bad yet. The purpose is not to reduce it across the board, but to adjust it. Cortisol means that the morning soars and gradually becomes thinner, and the morning sunlight is triggered.
Studies have shown that early exposure can improve sleep, support mood and regulate blood sugar and metabolism. With our modern life that is saturated with screens, indoor-centric, these simple original tips are often missing. I think this is more of a practice of biological harassment than a biohacker. We are not upgrading our bodies, but helping them support themselves.
Hydration (with minerals)
Someone once said that we are basically emotional houseplants. Just as our hormones need light to work, our cells crave water. When I absorb the sun, I like to hydrate. I will put a quart of water on the bedside table. Sometimes it has salt, sometimes I use a fuvi/humu mineral or a mixture of magnesium, potassium and sodium.
Here’s why: We lose water and minerals during sleep, mainly through breathing. This is why you often weigh slightly less in the morning. You didn’t burn fat overnight (unfortunately), you just lost it. Supplement our mineral support:
- Cell hydration
- Energy production
- Nervous system balance
- Healthy muscle and nerve function
Magnesium is very big for me. Statistically, most of us lack magnesium and sodium. These happen to be the two most important minerals that our cells run.
I made a breakthrough in magnesium in the morning (I’m a thing called a reverse regulator, so I did better with magnesium in AM and many people prefer it at night). I also put salt water and minerals on my bedside table so I can hydrate before leaving the bedroom.
Detox before your inbox
Next, I focused on oral care. Since our oral health is generally closely related to health, this is one thing I really have to prioritize. What I want to say is that I detox before detox in my inbox. I will start with pulling oil, rinse with salt water, scrape the tongue, and brush and floss.
Our oral microbiome is the frontline of our gut health. We talk a lot about the gut microbiome, but rarely about the mouth, but they are closely connected. Imbalance of oral bacteria is associated with declining cognitive ability from bad breath to cardiovascular problems.
Pulling oil is an ancient Ayurvedic exercise. Despite the limitations of clinical research, I noticed that my teeth feel cleaner and consistently look whiter when done. A tongue scratch helps remove bacteria and dead cells overnight and may even support downstream gut health.
Gentle reminder: If you are spitting oil in garbage or outdoors, not in sewers. Your pipeline will thank you!
Gentle exercise and lymphatic support
Although I will give priority to practice, this is not my workout for the day. It’s about gently waking my body and supporting my lymphatic system. Unlike the heart, the lymphatic system has no pump and is dependent on movement. Morning is the perfect time to get our drain and detox networks to flow after they stop.
Here is something I’ve rotated with some lymph support. I don’t do this every morning, I just focus on the feeling I need for my current body.
- Bounce on Mini Monster)
- On all drainage points
- Dry brush (I usually do this before showering)
- Fascia release or flow (such as a car)
- An easy 10-minute walk (also a great way to get morning lights!)
I also found that gentle fascial work in the morning helps release storage tension. If you have read about body keeping scores, you will know that emotions may be “stuck” inside the body. Gentle stretching, rolling or sound therapy can help get rid of emotional remnants before the day begins.
Fasting supplement
Once I move and hydrate, I take out some of the best fasting supplements. These include magnesium, large enzymes (or other enzymes) and pectin (modified citrus pectin).
Why these?
- magnesium Supports hundreds of biochemical processes in the body – stress response, detoxification, muscle recovery, and more. Most people lack it, and I think it’s a beneficial one.
- Proteolytic enzymestaken without food, may help break down inflammatory proteins, support immune regulation and help recover. I used these a lot when curing from autoimmune problems, but still found them helpful.
- Pectin Combined with excess Galectin-3, a marker of inflammation. It also binds to heavy metals and environmental toxins. I learned it from Dr. Isaac Elias and found it helps with inflammation and supports the detox pathway.
Protein and fiber can be used for blood sugar
Before coffee, I tried to have a solid breakfast with at least 40 grams of protein and healthy doses of fiber. This is one of the updated changes I made that has changed the rules of the game. Not only did I notice better energy levels and hormone balance, but I also helped regulate mood, focus and blood sugar.
Given that typical American breakfast is basically a dessert (caffeine dose healthy), this can be a major positive change that affects the whole day.
My breakfast to-do list includes:
- pasture
- Grass-eating or seafood
- Vegetables rich in fiber, such as artichokes, sauerkraut, cucumber
- Smoothies with isolated beef or whey protein, collagen and chia seeds
Collagen adds glycine and proline, which support skin, joints and intestinal health. Research even shows that combining collagen with protein can improve muscle synthesis after exercise.
I also have to wait a little before I have coffee, which is most of my time (but not all). Fasting caffeine can stimulate cortisol and later cause a crash. Waiting to wake up, eat and moisturize 60-90 minutes after hydrating will help coffee because you work, not against you. This also resets your adenosine levels (regulating lethargy).
When I drink coffee, I often mix it with other things that nourish the body. These can include collagen powder, functional mushrooms, healthy fats and adapters such as Ashwagandha or Cacao.
Breakfast supplements
Some supplements I will take first thing on an empty stomach, while others take food. During breakfast I will get B vitamins (methylated for better absorption), Omega-3 and choline. After genetic testing, I found that I personally could take extra choline the best. Experiment and adjust your supplements to get your body’s needs!
Fat-soluble vitamins (such as D, K2, A and E) are best absorbed by fat-containing meals, so breakfast is also my delivery window.
The power of not doing
Honestly, one of the most influential parts of the morning is not what I want to do, but what I don’t do. No screen. No work. No response mode. Until I sign in first.
This boundary alone improves my attention, clarity and creativity. Research shows that screening exposure increases anxiety and reduces productivity in the first 30 minutes of waking up. So for me, it’s worth the delay.
Reward tool: ice water dunk
For me, it’s not a daily habit, but a creative and effective reset: dip your face in a bowl of iced water for 10–30 seconds. It activates the mammal’s submersible reflex, which slows the heart rate and helps activate our parasympathetic nervous system to calm it.
Some other benefits include:
- Face off
- Improve alertness
- Supports the tone of the vagus nerve
- Imitate some benefits of cold exposure without overall body stress
If you are reluctant to do cold water, this may be a more approachable option. When I sometimes get cold therapy down, I do skip them at some point in the cycle.
A bigger picture of the morning routine
This is not about doing everything every day, and I don’t recommend that you need it. It’s not about building a “perfect” morning routine, it’s about creating profits in your morning. Create space to stay with your body before the world signs in with you.
Some days look like 90 minutes of morning rituals. On other days, it’s just water, sunshine and breathing before entering the day. Start where you are and try adding something simple to see how it feels. It doesn’t need to be overwhelming!
Even if your little one is running under your feet, it takes 2 minutes to breathe and make up your mind for the day. And run around while taking the kids to drink mineral water with you! Usually the simplest shifts may have the greatest impact.
What is your morning routine like? What do you want to add (or stop doing this!)? Leave a comment and let us know!
