What is Andrew Huberman's morning routine?

He has described getting morning sunlight in the eyes early to anchor the body clock, some form of non-sleep deep rest or meditation, structured breathing, brief cold exposure, hydration, and delaying caffeine by 90 to 120 minutes. This Burst sequences four of those, the sunlight, a body scan, breathing and a cold finish, into one short block. It is inspired by what he has shared publicly, not a record of his exact morning.

Why does Huberman recommend morning sunlight?

Getting daylight in the eyes soon after waking helps set your circadian rhythm and supports the natural morning rise in cortisol, which he has called one of the highest-leverage things you can do for sleep and mood. Outdoors with no sunglasses is far more effective than through a window.

What is NSDR, and is the body scan the same thing?

NSDR, or non-sleep deep rest, is a short practice of lying still and moving attention through the body to reach deep calm while staying awake. The body scan here is a ten-minute version of the same idea.

Should I delay my coffee in the morning?

Huberman has recommended waiting 90 to 120 minutes after waking before caffeine, to avoid an afternoon energy dip. This Burst does not include a coffee step, so the delay is easy to keep alongside it if you want to follow that part too.

Huberman’s Morning

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

Inspired by Andrew Huberman

For when you too often see screen light before daylight.

Set your circadian rhythm before screens get a look-in. Andrew Huberman's morning routine has sunlight outside, a body scan, breath work, 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. Huberman has called this the single highest-leverage practice for sleep, mood, and circadian alignment. 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 what Huberman calls 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 Huberman 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. Huberman's 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 is an American neuroscientist and tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. Hosts the Huberman Lab podcast and Instagram (5M+ followers). Content covers sleep, light exposure, cold exposure, breathwork, NSDR, exercise, and supplementation. Best known for distilling research-backed protocols into specific daily practices.

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

Huberman’s Morning57m · free in the app57m · free in the app