How to Build The Perfect Morning Routine (Backed by Science)

Why I’m Building a Morning Routine

As an acute care nurse seeking a healthy work-life balance, I am on the journey to create my perfect morning routine – one that will leave me well-rested, with time for everything I want to do during my days on and off. 

I wanted to document this journey so you can follow along. Whether you are a working professional, a parent, a busy student, or anyone else juggling life, you too can find the best way to start your day. 

I’ll be explaining what I did, what I found, and what works for me – starting with the science. 

Step One: Researching the Science Behind a Healthy Morning Routine 

Before I started, I knew I needed to dive into the science behind the ideal morning routine. Here’s what I found: 

Routine takes time

Like building habits, achievable routines don’t happen overnight. They take time, effort, and consistency. Research shows that routines in children, families, and adults can positively impact development and health. 

Sleep is crucial

Most of us have heard that everyone should get 7-9 hours of sleep a night, but how important is this really? Turns out, very. Losing just a couple of hours of sleep for multiple nights in a row leaves your body feeling as if you haven’t slept at all for one or more days. This can impact your immune health, growth and development, hormones, emotions, reaction time, and brain function. 

Exercise is the foundation

Morning exercise not only promotes physical health, but it also protects against a phenomenon known as sleep inertia. Simply speaking, sleep inertia is the drowsiness we feel when we first wake up, and it can decrease performance. Exercise actively fights against this sluggishness, reducing its duration and severity. 

Sunlight matters

Have you ever wondered why rainy, cloudy days leave you feeling like you just want to curl up on the couch all day? The answer can be found in the sunlight. Light helps to regulate our circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle). By getting sunlight first thing in the morning, you may feel more rested, spend less time in bed, and be more alert throughout the day. 

Gratitude helps

This simple practice of setting aside just a few minutes to reflect and express gratitude each morning can enhance your mood, improve your relationships, and boost your general well-being. 

Step Two: Planning My Ideal Morning Routine

Knowing all this, it was time to plan and implement some changes. I realized that the foundation of my morning routine would start with setting a consistent bedtime and wake time. 

My Workday Wake and Bed Times

This will look different for everyone, but here’s what it looks like for me (on my work days): 

• Wake time: 5:00 AM (to allow for journaling, exercise, breakfast, and prep before work)

• Bedtime: Between 9:00 and 10:00 PM (to ensure 7-8 hours of sleep)

My Morning Routine Schedule

Then I needed to plan out what I wanted my morning to look like – combining the science with my vision! 

• 5:00 AM – Alarm goes off. As much as you want to hit snooze, don’t. As you begin to wake up, you may be in one of the most crucial stages of sleep, and hitting snooze will disrupt that cycle of sleep and only put you back into light sleep. 

• 5:05 AM – Workout. Yes, this is a quick turn around, but it works for me! I like to alternate between functional strength training and pilates workouts targeted at the muscles I am working everyday during work. 

• 5:35 AM – Get ready. Look good, feel good, do good: by giving myself even ten minutes to get ready, I can set myself up to have that much better of a day. 

• 5:45 AM – Outdoor gratitude. With this I am able to kill two birds with one stone, getting some sunlight as the sun starts to rise and practicing my gratitude. This gives me a little bit of relaxation before a hectic day. 

• 6:00 AM – Breakfast. This is a meal many people skip, but it is still scientifically an important part of your day, improving performance and health status. If you don’t like to eat breakfast, try to get some protein in to curb unhealthy cravings for the rest of the day.

• 6:20 AM – Leave for work, ready to succeed after a science-backed morning!

Step Three: Practicing My Morning Routine for 30 Days (to be continued) 

So, that is my plan, but like I learned, routine takes time and effort. I’m giving myself one month to implement these changes consistently. 

In the next blog, I’ll share how it went and what I learned along the way!

By Delaney Gilmore, BSN, RN