Neuroscience Says This Is the 1 Thing Everyone Should Do as Soon as They Wake Up in the Morning

Ask experts or just look online, and you will find no shortage of suggestions for healthy morning activities you should adopt (here are 50 if you don’t believe me). Whether you prefer to take advice from Richard Branson, Ernest Hemingway, or the latest research, just about everyone has an idea for how to spend those first precious moments of the day. 

Maybe you find all this advice inspiring. But maybe you find it overwhelming. Few busy entrepreneurs have time for focusing rituals, five-minute meditations, rise and shine exercise, and morning pages all before they start their workday (while quite possibly also trying to herd the kids off to school). Of all the recommendations out there, which should you prioritize? 

Stanford neuroscientist and popular podcaster Andrew Huberman has a definitive answer for you, and I think you’re going to like how easy and pleasant it is. 

The biology of early morning sunlight 

Huberman is known for his multi-hour podcasts, deep dives into brain chemistry, and complex fitness advice. If you have time for all of that, by all means go for it. Strapping and accomplished, Huberman is a walking advertisement for his own advice. But if you only have time for a more minimal routine, he is crystal clear on what you should prioritize. 

“I consider viewing morning sunlight in the top five of all actions that support mental health, physical health and performance,” he wrote in a recent newsletter, putting soaking up some sunshine up there along with essentials like getting enough sleep, eating healthy food, moving your body, and nurturing strong relationships. 

Why? You can apparently get a whole PhD in the subject, but the short answer is that sunlight has an outsize impact on our body clock, immune system, hormones, and focus and alertness. Huberman offers a snapshot of this science in his newsletter: 

Viewing sunlight within the first hours of waking (as soon as you can, even if through cloud cover) increases early-day cortisol release (the ideal time for elevated cortisol) and prepares the body for sleep later that night. A morning spike in cortisol will also positively influence your immune system, metabolism and ability to focus during the day.

Further, morning sunlight helps regulate your “circadian clock”–the body’s mechanism for anticipating when to wake up and go to sleep–and it manages other biological processes like hunger and body temperature.

A detailed how-to guide

Exactly what should you be doing to reap these impressive benefits? Happily, the answer is both easy and free. If it is sunny, try to get outside and bask in the rays for five to ten minutes as soon after waking as you can. It’s fine to combine your morning sun with whatever other activities you like, such as a walk, journaling, or even hanging out the laundry. Just don’t wear sunglasses or stare directly at the sun (obviously). 

If it’s cloudy, you need to be outside for more time, not less. “Even on overcast days, there is still enough sunlight to trigger positive effects, but you’ll need to increase the time outside to at least 15-20 minutes,” explains Huberman. 

If you live in darker places or wake before the sun comes up, you should opt for the next best thing and switch on as many bright lights as possible as soon as you’re out of bed. Then head outside and into the sun when you can. Bright overhead light or putting your desk next to a window will also help you stay alert and focused during the day. 

Finally, try to find a time to spend a few minutes out in the sun in the afternoon as well. “The particular wavelengths of the sun when it is low in the sky (yellows and oranges, in contrast with blue) come through even if it’s overcast. Sunlight viewed in the late afternoon/evening communicates to the brain’s circadian clock that it is evening and time to begin the process of transitioning to sleep that night,” Huberman explains. Afternoon light is particularly beneficial if you missed your morning dose of light. 

Don’t neglect the basics

You can check out Huberman’s characteristically in-depth article on the biological effects of light exposure for lots more details (including advice on what to do if you work odd hours). But you don’t need to know all the biology to put Huberman’s advice to use. There are a ton of interesting morning routine suggestions out there. Mix and match to your heart’s content, but your body will suffer if you don’t make time to soak in enough light to support your body’s healthy, natural rhythms.