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The healthiest morning routine is to get outside and get some bright sunlight, get into some cold water, and get some movement (like a walk). Additionally, try to maximize sunlight viewing, exercise in the morning, drink caffeine (90-120 minutes after waking), eat some food in the early morning hours, and wake up 30 minutes or an hour earlier each morning.

This should not be considered medical advice. Follow Dr. Huberman's instructions and consult your physician before changing your protocols.

References

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing @ 00:26:01

So they can't get sufficient sunlight, but get that morning light ideally from sunlight and take into account all the specific points that I've given you here. And I should say, enjoy this practice. It's really nice to get outside first thing in the morning and get the sunlight. In fact, when you start doing this, you'll notice that your body will start to feel more energized and it will feel more energized more quickly.

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing @ 00:33:47

Here's what I suggest. If you want to be alert early in the day and you want to sleep great at night, get that bright sunlight, get into some cold water. And if you don't want to get into some cold water, try and get some movement. It could be a walk, so you can get your sunlight exposure while you're taking a walk first thing in the morning.

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing @ 00:43:10

to be eating and active and viewing sunlight the next day and the next day and the next day. I say all this because there are some beautiful studies and I'll highlight one again in the show note captions that show that if people are having a hard time waking up in the morning, one of the things they can do is maximize sunlight viewing, exercise in the morning, drink caffeine, although again, I support the idea that that would best be done about 90 to 120 minutes after waking, eating some food in those early morning hours, et cetera, et cetera.

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing @ 00:20:37

So try and get outside, ideally within the first five minutes of waking or maybe it's 15 minutes, but certainly within the first hour after waking. I want to share with you three critical things about this tool of morning sunlight viewing. First of all, this is not some woo biology thing. This is grounded in the core of our physiology.

Sleep Toolkit: Tools for Optimizing Sleep & Sleep-Wake Timing @ 00:44:49

or an hour earlier each night, set an alarm and wake up 30 minutes or an hour earlier each morning until of course you're waking up at the time you want to wake up. And then even in that groggy state, get some exercise, get some sunlight viewing. If the sun's not out, turn on those bright artificial lights, have some breakfast even if you're not hungry.