Are morning routines worth it – what does science say?

Mornings aren’t what they used to be. These days it’s apparently about waking up at 5am, walking barefoot across grass to your cold plunge, journaling, organic wholefoods - all before you turn your phone on.

Sounds good – but also quite a lot of pressure. So I wanted to find out if there’s any science behind a “morning routine”. Or have we taken some evidence-backed behaviours and optimised them beyond recognition?

What’s good, what’s hype, and how can we choose the things that work for us and reject the rest?

Are morning routines worth it?

I love a routine as much as the next person. I think anyone who’s into their fitness and training does. People like us tend to thrive on lists, data, and repetitive tasks.

But I’ve thought for a while that “morning routines” might be useful because they’re a routine, not because the morning is some special metabolic window.

Here’s what I like about morning routines:

• They can create space for things you value (fresh air, exercise, planning)
• Repeated behaviours reduce the decisions you have to make
• Consistent wake time can help give your day structure
• Starting the day with some time for yourself feels good

But those are my thoughts, not science.

Let’s look at whether or not there’s anything inherently healthier about doing your morning routine in the morning, or whether they’d do the job at any time in the day.

One thing I don’t agree with is encouraging people who are already sleep-poor to get up an hour earlier. I’d rather see someone get enough sleep and have a shorter, less faddy, morning routine. Sleep is the OG healthy habit after all!

Which morning routines are backed by science?

1) Daylight in your eyeballs

We know that light is an important cue for the body’s circadian system. Morning light exposure is linked to earlier sleep timing, although the evidence isn’t super strong. Getting outside is a sensible recommendation, but don’t stress about what that looks like. Standing on the lawn with a cuppa is OK, it doesn’t have to be 10 minutes with your face turned to the sun.

2) Movement

Exercise is obviously beneficial – I don’t need to convince you on that. And exercising in the morning can mean it gets done. But morning exercise isn’t inherently better than any other time of the day. This systematic review of 35 studies found inconsistent results. If you enjoy morning training, do it. But there’s no need to force it if you prefer training later.

3) Eating (big caveat)

Breakfast isn’t mandatory. It depends on your overall diet and what you’re doing that morning. If you train early, you might not want to eat beforehand (I know that’s not what fitness experts want me to say, but I’m just keeping it real). This 2025 systematic review found no clear evidence between breakfast vs no breakfast (although it’s a small study). The point is that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” isn’t true and organic spinach on local sourdough isn’t a predictor of a great day.

Morning routines that are fads and myths

If these things work for you, crack on. But here’s the myth-busting version so you can decide for yourself what’s worth it and what’s not.

1) You need to wake up early to be productive

There’s no universal biological rule about wake time. Early waking only makes sense if it fits your lifestyle and sleep needs. Sleeping enough will always beat winning the “who got up earliest” competition.

2) You have to exercise first thing

Exercise is great, but morning exercise isn’t categorically better. Personally I like it, but I know people who thrive on after-work or evening training. Get it done when you can.

3) You have to drink water straight away

Obviously hydration matters but this is one example of normal healthy behaviour repackaged as a biohack. You do get hydrated overnight (especially in hot weather). But you don’t need a specific reset to kickstart or heal some internal system. It’s OK to have a coffee (or heaven forbid a cup of tea!) first. Stay on top of hydration all day.

4) A morning routine can optimise your hormones

This is another example of a general truth twisted out of all recognition. The body has circadian rhythms and hormonal patterns under control. You can’t manipulate cortisol through a specific sequence of morning activities. (If you could, people in certain countries and climates would be screwed!)

5) Everyone needs the same morning routine

Morning routines have turned into an optimisation contest and it’s all a bit braggy IMO. There’s no reason to think someone else’s routine is best. Parents, shift workers, commuters, athletes, people with different chronotypes – we all have different mornings. The best routine is the one that consistently supports healthy behaviours you need to do.

4 morning routine myths vs 4 science-backed habits

Myth – get up at 5am

Better version – get enough sleep, go to bed earlier if you can

Myth – Train first thing

Better version – Train when you can do it consistently

Myth – Drink a pint of water straight away

Better version – Start the day hydrated, drink throughout the day

Myth – Cold exposure is essential

Better version -  It’s not, it’s optimal. Do it if you like it.

3 things everyone should do in the morning (backed by science)

Everyone is a big claim, so let’s just look at three sensible behaviours – if they make sense for you then do it.

1) Get outside

I nearly wrote “get some daylight” then remembered what country we’re in. Getting outside doesn’t need to be a protocol. Open the curtains, stand in the garden with your coffee, walk the dog, walk the kids to school – whatever works.

2) Move

This doesn’t have to be training. It could be a walk, stretch, mobility, calisthenics flow. A few pull ups or a little bodyweight circuit can be great.

3) Set the day up

This is behavioural, not physiological. Get yourself organised or clear your head. Eat if you’re hungry. Hydrate. Make a plan. Move your body and give yourself a few clear minutes before sitting at work all day.

Ditch the perfect morning, there’s no such thing

Morning routines aren’t BS, but the idea of a perfect morning routine is largely a social media invention. Some behaviours have credible evidence behind them (the ones that are common sense). Some are preferences dressed up as biohacks.

You don’t need to optimise every moment of your waking day. Build a morning routine that doesn’t stress you out, sets you up for the day, and makes you feel better.