My Balancing Morning Routine (and How to Create Your Own)

Years ago I shared our family’s morning routine and how I juggled toddlers, preschoolers, and crazy days. Now with teenagers in the house, my mornings have gotten a little slower. Yes, my kids still practice gymnastics in the house, and we recently added a bird to the pet menagerie, but I still have some quiet time to myself.

Mornings used to be the busiest time of day for me—kids to feed, school, chores, and a quick workout (if I could fit it in). I prioritized getting up 30 minutes early to get a little self-care and hygiene in before the kids got up. Since then, I’ve switched my mindset when it comes to my morning routine. Now, I see it not as a to-do list, but as a sacred space. A chance to tune into my body.

A Morning Routine Rhythm

I want to take you behind the scenes of my actual morning routine. Not because I think it’s perfect or that you should copy it step for step. Everyone is at a different stage, but doing even just a few healthy habits in the morning can give you a positive start to the day. This morning routine has helped me reconnect with my body, feel more energetic, and reset my nervous system. Think of this as inspiration, not instruction. Some of these might be things you already do. Others might be tiny tweaks that cause big shifts.

So let’s walk through what I do before I check a screen, before coffee, and what my non-negotiables are.

Light + Minerals: My Morning MVPs

Before I do anything else (yes, that means coffee!) I step outside within 30 minutes of waking up. Ideally I’m barefoot and I usually have a jar of mineral-rich water in hand.

This one shift, simple as it is, has been the most transformative. It’s free, it’s easy to try, and it’s about syncing your body with what it already knows how to do: wake up with the sun.

Why Sunlight First?

Getting natural light in the first 30-60 minutes after waking helps reset your circadian rhythm. This is the internal clock that regulates everything from sleep cycles to hormone balance. Early sunlight helps your body know, “Hey, it’s morning,” which supports melatonin suppression and a healthy rise in cortisol. I track my health metrics and I’ve noticed the biggest shift simply by adding healthy light.

There’s been a lot of talk about cortisol recently, but it’s not all bad. The goal isn’t to lower it across the board, but to regulate it. Cortisol is meant to spike in the morning and gradually taper off and morning sunlight is the trigger for this.

Studies show early sun exposure can improve sleep, support mood, and regulate blood sugar and metabolism. With our screen-saturated, indoor-centric modern lives, these simple, primal cues are often missing. I think of this as more of a bio-harmonizing practice than a biohack. We’re not upgrading the body, but helping it support itself.

 Hydration (With Minerals)

Someone wise once said, we’re basically houseplants with emotions. Just like our hormones need light to function, our cells crave water. While I’m soaking up sunlight I like to rehydrate. I’ll keep a quart jar of water on my nightstand within easy reach. Some days it has salt in it, other days I use fulvic/humic minerals or a blend of magnesium, potassium, and sodium.

Here’s why: we lose water and minerals during sleep, mostly through our breath. That’s why you often weigh slightly less in the morning. You didn’t burn fat overnight (unfortunately), you just lost water. Replenishing our minerals supports:

• Cellular hydration
• Energy production
• Nervous system balance
• Healthy muscle and nerve function

Magnesium is a big one for me. Statistically, most of us are deficient in magnesium and sodium. These also happen to be two of the most essential minerals for our cells to function.

I take Magnesium Breakthrough in the morning (I’m what’s called an inverse modulator, so I do better with magnesium in the a.m. Many people prefer it at night). I also keep salt water and minerals on my nightstand so I can hydrate before even leaving the bedroom.

Detox Your Mouth Before Your Inbox

Next, I focus on oral care. Since our oral health is so closely tied with health in general, this is one thing I really try to prioritize. I like to say I detox my mouth before I detox my inbox. I’ll start with oil pulling, rinse with saltwater, tongue scrape, then brush and floss.

Our oral microbiome is the front line of our gut health. We talk a lot about the gut microbiome but rarely about the mouth, yet they’re intimately connected. Imbalances in oral bacteria have been linked to everything from bad breath to cardiovascular issues to cognitive decline.

Oil pulling is an ancient Ayurvedic practice. While clinical research is limited, I have noticed my teeth feel cleaner and look whiter when I do it consistently. Tongue scraping helps remove overnight buildup of bacteria and dead cells and might even support gut health downstream.

A gentle reminder: if you oil pull, spit in the trash or outside, not down your sink. Your plumbing will thank you!

Gentle Movement & Lymph Support

While I do prioritize exercise, this isn’t my workout for the day. This is about gently waking up my body and supporting the lymphatic system. Unlike the heart, the lymph system doesn’t have a pump and relies on movement. Morning is the perfect time to get our drainage and detox network flowing after a night of stillness.

Here are a few lymph supportive things I rotate through. I don’t do all of these every morning, I just focus on what my body feels like it needs at the moment.

• Rebounding on a mini-trampoline)
• Lymphatic self-massage on all the drainage points
• Dry brushing (I usually do this before a shower)
• Fascia release or mobility flow (like CARS)
• A simple 10-minute walk outside (also a great way to get morning light!)

I’ve also found that gentle fascia work in the morning helps release stored tension. If you’ve ever read The Body Keeps the Score, you know emotions can get “stuck” in the body. Gentle stretching, rolling, or sound therapy can help shake off that emotional residue before the day begins.

Supplements on an Empty Stomach

Once I’ve moved and hydrated, I take a few supplements that work best on an empty stomach. These include magnesium, Masszymes (or other enzymes), and Pectasol (modified citrus pectin).

Why these?

• Magnesium supports hundreds of biochemical processes in the body—stress response, detox, muscle recovery, and more. Most people are deficient, and it’s one I think is beneficial across the board.
• Proteolytic enzymes, taken without food, may help break down inflammatory proteins, support immune modulation, and assist in recovery. I used these heavily when healing from autoimmune issues and still find them helpful.
• Pectasol binds to excess Galectin-3, an inflammatory marker. It also binds to heavy metals and environmental toxins. I learned about it from Dr. Isaac Elias and find it helpful in calming inflammation and supporting detox pathways.

Protein and Fiber For Blood Sugar Support

Before coffee, I try to eat a solid breakfast with at least 40 grams of protein and a healthy dose of fiber. This is one of the newer shifts I’ve made, and it’s been a game changer. Not only have I noticed better energy levels and hormone balance, but it helps with mood, focus, and blood sugar regulation.

Considering the typical American breakfast is basically dessert (with a healthy dose of caffeine), this can be a significant positive change that affects the whole day.

My breakfast go-tos include things like:

• Pastured eggs
• Grass-fed meats or seafood
• Fiber-rich veggies like artichokes, sauerkraut, cucumbers
• A smoothie with beef isolate or whey protein, collagen, and chia seeds

Collagen adds glycine and proline, which support skin, joints, and gut health. Studies even suggest that combining collagen with protein improves muscle synthesis after a workout.

I also wait a bit before drinking coffee, which I do most days (but not all). Caffeine on an empty stomach can spike cortisol and lead to crashes later. Waiting 60–90 minutes after waking, eating, and hydrating helps caffeine work for you, not against you. This also gives your adenosine levels (which regulate sleepiness) time to reset.

When I do drink coffee, I often blend it with other things that nourish my body. These can include collagen powder, functional mushrooms, healthy fats, and adaptogens, like ashwagandha or cacao.

Breakfast Supplements

Some supplements I take first thing on an empty stomach, but others I take with food. During breakfast I’ll grab B vitamins (methylated for better absorption), omega-3s, and choline. After genetic testing, I found that I personally feel best taking extra choline. Experiment and tweak your supplements to take what your body needs!

Fat-soluble vitamins like D, K2, A, and E are best absorbed with fat containing meals, so breakfast is my delivery window for those as well.

The Power of Not Doing

Honestly, one of the most impactful parts of my morning isn’t what I do, but what I don’t do. No screens. No work. No reactive mode. Not until I’ve checked in with my body first.

This boundary alone has improved my focus, clarity, and creativity. Studies suggest that screen exposure in the first 30 minutes of waking increases anxiety and lowers productivity. So for me, it’s worth the delay.

A Bonus Tool: Ice Water Face Dunk

This one’s not a daily habit for me, but a creative and effective reset: dunking your face in a bowl of ice water for 10–30 seconds. It activates the mammalian dive reflex, which slows heart rate and helps activate our parasympathetic nervous system for more calm.

Some other benefits include:

• De-puffing the face
• Increasing alertness
• Supporting vagus nerve tone
• Mimicking some benefits of cold exposure, without the full-body stress

If you’re not up for a cold plunge, this might be a more approachable alternative. While I do cold therapy plunges sometimes, I do skip them at certain times of my cycle.

The Bigger Picture of a Morning Routine

It’s not about doing everything every day, and I’m not suggesting you need to either. It’s not about building the “perfect” morning routine, but creating margin in your morning. Creating space to check in with your body before the world checks in with you.

Some days that looks like 90 minutes of morning rituals. Other days it’s just water, sunlight, and breath before diving into the day. Start where you are and try just adding one simple thing and see how that feels. It doesn’t need to be overwhelming!

Even if you have little ones running underfoot, taking 2 minutes to breathe and set your mind for the day can have a huge impact. And take the kids outside with you to run around while you sip your mineral water! It’s often the simplest shifts that can have the biggest impact.

What does your morning routine look like? What would you like to add to it (or stop doing!)? Leave a comment and let us know!