I am starting to think you know a thing or two!!!! Hahaha. I few months ago you said drink water upon waking. I thought coffee has water in it, but...I think you said coffee is not hydrating...so I began drinking about 400ml of water in AM. I then go for my 20-25 walk/run, then protein, then coffee. I feel better. I think my brain was arid. Thank you, Dominic!!!
I am so glad I am a paid subscriber and get a full dose. 🤓
These are powerful, easy-to-implement tips. Things that I recommend my patients every day. The thing about "no caffeine for 60-120 minutes after awakening" based on adenosine levels is interesting. I'll have to see how that works in my daily routine. Thanks
Excellent morning routine suggestions to get one neurologically in good shape for the day.
1. Waking up about the same time each day. No cell phone either, ask grandma for her Big Ben alarm clock.
2. Seeing sunlight first thing. Not just the nightlight.
3. Drink water to rehydrate.
4. Exercise for 20 minutes. Not jumping jacks.
5. Hold off on coffee for 90 minutes. Ask grandma also for her stove-top percolator.
There is one problem. A person can do these once or twice however, it takes a lot of willpower to do these every day. I have been trying for the past few years. The trouble is if I do not see the sunshine peeking in my window I go back to sleep because the Big Ben broke. I gave back the percolator, no way 90 minutes. I have managed to continue drinking water when I first get up and doing 20 mins. of exercise before breakfast. It takes two months for a change in routine to become a habit. Folks these are not easy to make routine. I was able to finish my PhD on water and exercise in the morning. Thank you for your kind attention.
So useful, thank you! It's nice to realise that i'm already on the right track with my morning routine. Certainly going to add some of your tips to my practice :))
Water first thing in the morning is literally a drug for me. I like to tag water Intake with ice water face plunge, and it feels all the inflammation or morning “puffy face” is gone. Great kickstart for me🏋️
Think this sums it up at its core, regardless of the semantics it’s about HAVING a routine regardless of what that actually looks like, everyone’s preferences will look different but it’s about being intentional with your first few hours of the day in order to show up as your best self for the rest 🙏🏽
I feel like everyone is so rushed no a days to get their kids out the door or rush off to work that it’s so hard to slow down and have a morning routine! It’s the most important part of the day!
The first point was a nice perspective. The biggest barrier to a consistent routine is usually the all-or-nothing perfectionism trap, so treating these scientific insights as a flexible menu rather than a rigid mandate is highly effective. The jetlag thought is accurate, especially when it comes to maintaining stable cortisol and metabolic rhythms. I love neurological-utility excerpts! Such a fascinating and complex subject 🙂
This mirrors something I think about often: behavior change is less about information and more about creating an environment where the desired action becomes the easy action.
The morning walk while the sun is low to get the healing rays of the red and near infrared light has been a game changer for me. Knowing that this healing window is limited everyday is a great motivator to get up and going.
I liked this post! It popped a meme into my thoughts of the perfect moment …..of departing a rest-state for first light, and just how pure that moment is . Coincidentally, it is when I visualize the outdoor pool in my RV park. Until reading this post, I thought about but opted for snuggles with rodeo-clown-catahoula-leopard hounds who are world class snugglers.
If I make a graphic I’ll credit you/share if that’s cool.
Redefining Me time. Adenosine bye-bye time. Hold the coffee time( which was previously my “me time”) . First dopamine then oxytocin. Did I get that right?
Thank you for this. I really appreciate the gentle, practical tone... especially the idea of treating these practices as a menu rather than a mandate.
The only part I’m still wondering about is the 90-minute coffee rule. From what I’ve read, caffeine seems to affect people quite differently, and the evidence doesn’t seem quite strong enough to make it a rule for everyone.
So I love the morning light, the walk, and the glass of water... but I think I’ll keep my coffee rhythm a little more personal :-)
Wordle, Sudoku, Quartiles, Mini Crossword Puzzle, yogurt, fruit, nuts, coffee, scroll news, fresh air walk, errands. By noon it feels like a full day!
I am starting to think you know a thing or two!!!! Hahaha. I few months ago you said drink water upon waking. I thought coffee has water in it, but...I think you said coffee is not hydrating...so I began drinking about 400ml of water in AM. I then go for my 20-25 walk/run, then protein, then coffee. I feel better. I think my brain was arid. Thank you, Dominic!!!
I am so glad I am a paid subscriber and get a full dose. 🤓
These are powerful, easy-to-implement tips. Things that I recommend my patients every day. The thing about "no caffeine for 60-120 minutes after awakening" based on adenosine levels is interesting. I'll have to see how that works in my daily routine. Thanks
Excellent morning routine suggestions to get one neurologically in good shape for the day.
1. Waking up about the same time each day. No cell phone either, ask grandma for her Big Ben alarm clock.
2. Seeing sunlight first thing. Not just the nightlight.
3. Drink water to rehydrate.
4. Exercise for 20 minutes. Not jumping jacks.
5. Hold off on coffee for 90 minutes. Ask grandma also for her stove-top percolator.
There is one problem. A person can do these once or twice however, it takes a lot of willpower to do these every day. I have been trying for the past few years. The trouble is if I do not see the sunshine peeking in my window I go back to sleep because the Big Ben broke. I gave back the percolator, no way 90 minutes. I have managed to continue drinking water when I first get up and doing 20 mins. of exercise before breakfast. It takes two months for a change in routine to become a habit. Folks these are not easy to make routine. I was able to finish my PhD on water and exercise in the morning. Thank you for your kind attention.
So useful, thank you! It's nice to realise that i'm already on the right track with my morning routine. Certainly going to add some of your tips to my practice :))
I'm a routine lover: they're practical, satisfying and calming! Just wrote an article about my love for routines (from a personal perspective, not scientific), maybe it resonates: https://jenthea.substack.com/p/routine-where-calm-meets-dopamine
Wow, what a great practical recommendation for sleep and waking - thanks for sharing your research and post.
I also just wrote a neuroscience REM Sleep article, but it's based on trauma-informed care, so hope it's ok to share here with you: https://allenkanerva.substack.com/p/sleep-rem-and-affective-memory-a
I'll be sure to follow you from now on, so thanks again.
Best,
Allen Kanerva
Water first thing in the morning is literally a drug for me. I like to tag water Intake with ice water face plunge, and it feels all the inflammation or morning “puffy face” is gone. Great kickstart for me🏋️
Think this sums it up at its core, regardless of the semantics it’s about HAVING a routine regardless of what that actually looks like, everyone’s preferences will look different but it’s about being intentional with your first few hours of the day in order to show up as your best self for the rest 🙏🏽
I feel like everyone is so rushed no a days to get their kids out the door or rush off to work that it’s so hard to slow down and have a morning routine! It’s the most important part of the day!
The first point was a nice perspective. The biggest barrier to a consistent routine is usually the all-or-nothing perfectionism trap, so treating these scientific insights as a flexible menu rather than a rigid mandate is highly effective. The jetlag thought is accurate, especially when it comes to maintaining stable cortisol and metabolic rhythms. I love neurological-utility excerpts! Such a fascinating and complex subject 🙂
This mirrors something I think about often: behavior change is less about information and more about creating an environment where the desired action becomes the easy action.
The morning walk while the sun is low to get the healing rays of the red and near infrared light has been a game changer for me. Knowing that this healing window is limited everyday is a great motivator to get up and going.
I liked this post! It popped a meme into my thoughts of the perfect moment …..of departing a rest-state for first light, and just how pure that moment is . Coincidentally, it is when I visualize the outdoor pool in my RV park. Until reading this post, I thought about but opted for snuggles with rodeo-clown-catahoula-leopard hounds who are world class snugglers.
If I make a graphic I’ll credit you/share if that’s cool.
Redefining Me time. Adenosine bye-bye time. Hold the coffee time( which was previously my “me time”) . First dopamine then oxytocin. Did I get that right?
Is this account an ai?
What should someone like me who does night shifts way too many times a month do?🥲🥺
Thank you for this. I really appreciate the gentle, practical tone... especially the idea of treating these practices as a menu rather than a mandate.
The only part I’m still wondering about is the 90-minute coffee rule. From what I’ve read, caffeine seems to affect people quite differently, and the evidence doesn’t seem quite strong enough to make it a rule for everyone.
So I love the morning light, the walk, and the glass of water... but I think I’ll keep my coffee rhythm a little more personal :-)