How do you get morning sunlight into your routine?

Go outside within the first hour of waking and spend about fifteen minutes in daylight without sunglasses, since light through a window is much less effective. This Burst follows that with a ten-minute body scan, five minutes of structured breathing and a minute of cold water to finish.

How long does it take, and do I need experience?

About 57 minutes. You need somewhere outside to stand or walk and a place to lie down for the body scan, and no experience, because the cold step starts at one minute and you can build from there if it serves you.

Who inspired this Burst?

Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and Stanford professor who hosts the Huberman Lab podcast and has talked about morning light, breathing and cold exposure. The sequence is Bearmore's own, built from what he has shared publicly, and is not a record of his actual routine.

A Morning for Your Body Clock

Quality: Very good· 92.7%Effort: Gentle· 057m

·Inspired by Andrew Huberman

Seeing your screen before you’ve seen the sky?

Set your circadian rhythm before screens get a look-in. This morning routine has sunlight outside, a body scan, breathwork, and a cold shower to finish.

The runsheet

1
Get outside, no sunglasses
Being in nature
Fifteen minutes of morning daylight for the eyes within the first hour of waking. Outside is best, no sunglasses; through a window is a lot less effective.
15 min activitySetup 3 min · Reset 3 min · 21 min all-in
Bearmore’s thoughts on doing being in nature before body scan
This pairing is especially effective because the sensory grounding from nature primes heightened body awareness, deepening the relaxation a scan brings.
2
A body scan, lying down
Body scan
Ten minutes of a body scan, a longer version of NSDR. Lying down is fine. Move attention slowly through each part of the body without trying to relax it; the relaxation is a side-effect.
10 min activitySetup 3 min · Reset 3 min · 16 min all-in
Bearmore’s thoughts on doing body scan before breath work
This works well because awareness of where tension sits can help guide breath work more effectively.
3
Structured breathing
Breath work
Five minutes of structured breathing. Cyclic sighing (double inhale through the nose, long exhale through the mouth) for two-to-five minutes is a default to feel good. Box breathing or physiological sighs also work here.
5 min activitySetup 1 min · Reset 1 min · 7 min all-in
Bearmore’s thoughts on doing breath work before cold showers
This is a strong combination because controlled breathing primes you to meet cold water with composure instead of a gasp, making the shower invigorating.
4
One minute of cold water
Cold showers
One minute of cold water to close the morning. The general recommendation is brief, deliberate cold exposure. One minute is the entry-level amount; build from there if it serves you.
1 min activitySetup 6 min · Reset 6 min · 13 min all-in
Time well spent.
57m spent doing something good for yourself.

The breakdown

Burst evaluation

QualityVery good· 92.7%

Sequencing100%

Logistics85.3%

DifficultyGentle· 0

Total activity57m / 60mGentle

Physical activity6m / 29mGentle

Mental focus25m / 29mGentle

Introspection0m / 29mGentle

Creativity0m / 59mGentle

+ 4 more conditionsHow we assess →

Wellbeing focus

The relative wellbeing focus of this Burst.

HighEmotional

HighPhysical

LowSelf

LowSocial

MedIntellectual

About this Burst

Andrew Huberman (who this Burst was inspired by) treats outdoor morning light, with no sunglasses, as the anchor for the body clock. This Burst is composed and scoped to four evidence-based daily practices: morning sunlight viewing, short body scan, structured breathing, and a brief cold shower to finish.

Clear my head From the researchers Morning Off the podcasts Out in nature Quick (under an hour)Under 2 hours A new morning routine Easy start Most loved

Common questions

A Morning for Your Body Clock57m · free in the app57m · free in the app