I tried Andrew Huberman's Morning Routine FOR 100 DAYS and became LIMITLESS...
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I tried Andrew Huberman's Morning Routine for 100 DAYS and became LIMITLESS...
What if you had a limitless pill? The perfect morning routine that could set you up for success, but not be so intense that you have to plan your whole life around it? Andrew Huberman's morning routine does exactly that.
This video breaks down Andrew Huberman's perfect morning routine step-by-step in a digestible format, so you too can optimize your morning, day, and life.
Throughout this video I'll also share my experience with this routine, which I've been following for the better part of 4 months now.
In this routine, you'll find ways to increase dopamine levels for increased performance, focus and drive. Sleep best practices, NSDR meditations, the benefits of light on your energy levels, and how to do cold exposure, plunges, or cold showers.
Another key point of this routine delaying your caffeine intake by 60-90 minutes in order to avoid an afternoon crash or dip in energy. All of these factors added up impact your biology, hormone levels (testosterone, cortisol, dopamine, adenosine), which all help you feel great and perform well throughout the day.
It's also about balance, and integrating these science-backed techniques into your lifestyle. Try one or two of these, and see how the align with your unique life. It's made a major impact on my life for the better and I hope it can help you as well.
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A comprehensive morning and daily routine based on Andrew Huberman's neuroscience research can optimize productivity and well-being by strategically timing light exposure, cold exposure, caffeine, exercise, and work phases to align with circadian rhythms and neurochemistry.
- Three sequential phases (morning, linear, non-linear) align with natural circadian and ultradian rhythms to maximize both cognitive function and recovery
- Specific interventions (light, cold, caffeine timing, dopamine management) have measurable neurobiological effects that compound when stacked together
- The routine is sustainable and adaptable when core principles are understood rather than rigidly followed, allowing personalization while maintaining efficacy
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Delaying caffeine intake to 90–120 minutes after waking helps offset cortisol levels in the beginning of the day because adenosine (which builds up during sleep) suppresses when caffeine is immediately consumed, causing a rebound crash in the afternoon, whereas delayed caffeine consumption prevents this crash.
“he also recommends that you delay your caffeine intake to at least an hour after you wake up and this is really going to help you offset your cortisol levels in the beginning of the day and I believe the term is called adenosine this builds up when you sleep and if you immediately drink caffeine it temporarily suppresses it but it all comes roaring back in the afternoon many people find that if they delay their caffeine intake to 90 to 120 minutes after waking up that they feel more alert in the morning and they completely avoid that afternoon crash”
Immediately getting light into your eyes and drinking salt water in the morning helps set the tone for your circadian rhythm, preventing afternoon crashes and enabling sleep when the sun goes down.
“the first step is almost immediately getting light into your eyes and drinking salt water I take some mineral drops in my water in the morning trust me it doesn't taste great but this really helped helps get the neurons firing in your brain right away in the morning and the light actually helps set the tone for your circadian rhythm so this is going to allow you to not crash in the afternoon and actually be able to go to sleep and be tired when the Sun goes down”
Light exercise in the morning (such as walking, running, weight lifting, or other physical activity) supports dopamine levels throughout the day, which helps maintain motivation, focus, and sharpness.
“if you're doing some kind of exercise in the morning that's also going to support dopamine levels throughout the day which is going to help you stay motivated and focused and sharp”
Non-Sleep Deep Rest (NSDR) is a practice of lying down for 10–15 minutes without actually sleeping, using meditation or guided practices (such as Dr. Joe Dispenza meditations), which resets the mind, recharges the body, and prepares the nervous system to tackle additional work tasks.
“if it's been an especially draining day I'll engage in some non-sleep rest this is very much recommended by huberman as well yes so non-sleep deep rest nsdr is an acronym that I coined because it encompasses a lot of practices that are not meditation per se but that bring the brain and body into a state of relaxation and focus this is where you simply lay down for 10 to 15 minutes and you don't actually go to sleep so you can do some kind of mindful meditation there's apps like headspace I personally like to listen to the Dr Joe dispenza meditation just to reset your mind recharge yourself and give your body some rest to go and tackle the project you're working on”
Cold plunges or cold showers increase dopamine levels 2.5 times above baseline, which is more than the dopamine elevation from chocolate, sex, or cocaine (which raise dopamine approximately 2 times over baseline), and this elevated dopamine provides sustained motivation, sharpness, and focus throughout the day.
“chocolate sex and cocaine raise your dopamine levels temporarily in the short term about two times over Baseline cold plunges or cold showers actually increase your dopamine level 2.5 x over Baseline so even more than hardcore drugs cold plunges motivate you and keep you sharp and focus and the beautiful thing is it's a slow rise over time so when you do the cold Plunge in the morning you're going to be more focused and more are sharp when doing tasks throughout the day”
The linear phase of the day (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.) is optimal for deep work and focused task completion, and can be structured as either a 90-minute work session followed by a 20-minute rest period, or using the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes work, 5 minutes rest).
“the linear phase really lasts from about 10 a.m until 2 pm in the afternoon this phase is where you can focus on your deep work you're going to tackle most of the day-to-day tasks that you need to get done here he recommends doing a 90-minute work session followed by a 20 minute rest period you can also do the Pomodoro Technique which is 25 minutes on five minutes off on a simple timer to keep you focused and knocking out tasks”
Adopting Huberman's science-backed routines and integrating them into your lifestyle is important, but sustainability and individual adaptation matter more than rigid adherence to the exact schedule, and not matching another person's routine (e.g., waking at 4 a.m.) should not cause stress or guilt.
“while training Jiu Jitsu isn't part of the Andrew huberman routine or protocol it's important to adopt some of these science-backed routines and really incorporate them and integrate them into your lifestyle whatever that looks like for you so just because you see your favorite influence start waking up at 4am every day doesn't mean you need to beat yourself up because you're not doing the same it's about sustainability it's about feeling good and Longevity”
The non-linear phase (7–8 hours after waking, approximately 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.) is optimized for creative and flexible work, contrasting with the analytical, task-focused work of the linear phase.
“the non-linear phase starts seven to eight hours after waking up it usually lasts about 2 p.m till 10 pm at night this phase is all about focusing on the creative work so you're doing all the analytical tasks in the linear phase and in the non-linear phase this is where you can be flexible and creative with your work”
Putting your phone on do-not-disturb and setting it away from your desk during the linear work phase significantly reduces the likelihood of distraction and social media scrolling, making work sessions more productive.
“one thing I'll do is I'll take short breaks to maybe step outside side get some sunlight in my face reset and then jump back on to zoom land and while you're working this phase I find it really beneficial to put my phone on do not disturb maybe Set It Off to the desk because it's very very easy to go down the rabbit hole of scrolling on social media if you have it immediately at your fingertips”
The pursuit of productivity and well-being is a common goal, but balancing the two is challenging; many people experience a pattern of either maximizing productivity while sacrificing health and well-being, or prioritizing well-being at the cost of productivity.
“the pursuit of productivity and well-being is a common goal but hitting the right balance between the two can be a challenge often I find myself completely sacrificing one for the other on one hand my productivity is through the roof but my health and well-being suffer or I'm completely zenned out checking all the holistic boxes in my life and productivity dies”
Even adopting a single habit from Huberman's routine (such as delaying caffeine, getting sunlight in your eyes, or doing an ice bath) produces a noticeable major impact, and stacking multiple habits produces compounding and significantly amplified results.
“I can tell you it really makes a difference just small things even if you pick up one of these habits delaying caffeine getting some sunlight in your eyes maybe doing an ice bath just one of these things you're gonna feel a major impact and when you start stacking them that's when you start to get really crazy results”
The speaker has personally noticed a significant difference in afternoon energy crashes when comparing days when they consume caffeine immediately upon waking versus days when they delay caffeine and instead have non-caffeinated tea and get morning light exposure first.
“like I noticeably experience the difference when I just wake up immediately go to the coffee pot drink it down versus waiting maybe having some tea that's not really caffeinated getting some light in my eyes it makes all the difference in the world”
Andrew Huberman is a neuroscientist and tenured professor at Stanford University in the department of neurobiology, and is well-known for hosting the widely popular Huberman Lab podcast.
“Andrew huberman is a neuroscientist and a tenured professor at Stanford University in neurobiology and he's well known for his widely popular podcast the huberman lab”
Engaging in social interaction at the end of the day (such as dinner with friends and family, or social activities like Jiu Jitsu training) is an important component of the non-linear phase and contributes to overall well-being.
“he also recommends getting outside at the end of the day this is where you can have some social interactions go to dinner meet with some friends and family I typically get my social interaction from Jiu Jitsu which I do in the evening time about four times a week and it's a big part of my life”
Finding a single clear and concise morning routine from Andrew Huberman's extensive teachings and available videos is difficult because there is a large volume of content and conflicting information across multiple sources.
“Andrew huberman is brilliant and has documented hundreds of hours on this topic but finding one clear and concise regimen with all the videos and conflicting information was very difficult to do”
The morning routine can be understood and structured into three distinct phases or sections, which makes it easier to comprehend and implement than approaching it as an undifferentiated set of recommendations.
“The routine can easily be understood by breaking it down into three sections morning linear and non-linear”
The speaker blocks their calendar from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. specifically to focus on creative work and prevent meetings from interrupting the non-linear phase.
“I've actually blocked out my calendar from 3 P.M to 5 PM so I can focus on my creative work and not have to take meetings”
The speaker's Jiu Jitsu training (done 4 times per week in the evening) is not formally part of Huberman's protocol but serves as their primary source of social interaction and is considered important enough to integrate into their overall routine.
“I typically get my social interaction from Jiu Jitsu which I do in the evening time about four times a week and it's a big part of my life so while training Jiu Jitsu isn't part of the Andrew huberman routine or protocol it's important to adopt some of these science-backed routines and really incorporate them and integrate them into your lifestyle whatever that looks like for you”
Andrew Huberman stands out among academic leaders and science communicators because he both talks about science and walks the talk—he appears to follow his own advice, is smart, productive, and this is visibly apparent.
“what really makes Andrew stand out to me personally is he not only talks the talk but he walks the talk Andrew looks like he takes his own advice he's smart he's productive and it shows”
The speaker has been incorporating Huberman's teachings into their morning routine for approximately 4 months and has noticed a significant positive difference in their experience and well-being.
“I've been incorporating his teachings into my morning routine for about four months now and I can tell you it really makes a difference”
Getting mineral/salt water in the morning is unpleasant-tasting but produces immediate neurochemical benefits (getting 'neurons firing in your brain right away').
“I take some mineral drops in my water in the morning trust me it doesn't taste great but this really helped helps get the neurons firing in your brain right away in the morning”
The speaker adjusts their morning exercise intensity based on their evening activity level—since they do intensive Jiu Jitsu training 4 times per week in the evening (which is taxing on the nervous system, muscles, and body), they keep morning exercise lighter to avoid overtraining.
“I Jiu Jitsu in the evening which is pretty intense and taxing on my nervous system and my muscles and my body so I don't want to overdo it in the morning so I go a little bit lighter at this part of the routine”
There are four major pillars throughout the morning routine that have significantly changed and impacted the speaker's life for the better in terms of productivity and daily well-being.
“additionally there are four major pillars throughout this morning routine that I'll share throughout the video that have truly changed and impacted my life for the better when it comes to productivity and how I feel throughout the day”
Morning sunlight exposure 'just feels good' in addition to its physiological benefits of circadian rhythm regulation and afternoon crash prevention.
“plus it just feels good to be in the Sun so it definitely helps to do this”