Huberman Daylight-First Morning
Designed by Bearmore
Inspired by Andrew HubermanWhen you see screen light before daylight.
Set the day's circadian rhythm before screens get a look-in. Andrew Huberman's daylight-first morning of sunlight outside, a body scan, breath work, and a cold shower to finish.
The runsheet
Morning sunlight
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 activityBearmore’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.
Body-attention
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 activityBearmore’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.
Structured breathing
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 activityBearmore’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.
Cold exposure
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 activityTime well spent.
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The breakdown
Burst evaluation
Wellbeing focus
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.