Top shrink says most people are doing mornings all wrong — here's the stupidly simple fix.
Forget the influencers bragging about their 5 am ice plunges and two-hour meditation marathons. Turns out, your Instagram-worthy morning routine might be screwing up your entire day.
"I see people every week who are exhausted before they even get to work because they've turned their mornings into some kind of spiritual boot camp," says Dr. Keith Ablow, founder of Pain-2-Power (www.pain-2-power.com) and bestselling author. "They're so busy performing wellness that they've forgotten what actually makes them feel good."
The morning routine industrial complex wants you to believe that unless you're journaling, cold-plunging, and doing yoga poses while sipping bulletproof coffee, you're doing life wrong. But Ablow says that's complete BS.
THE REAL DEAL
"The best morning routine is the one you'll actually stick to," Ablow tells The Post. "I'd rather see someone spend five minutes drinking their coffee mindfully than stress themselves out trying to squeeze in 47 different wellness activities before 7 am."
The dirty secret? Most of those picture-perfect morning routines are setting people up to fail.
"When you create this impossible standard for yourself first thing in the morning, you're basically guaranteeing you'll feel like crap about yourself by noon," says Ablow. "That's not optimization — that's self-sabotage with extra steps."
So, what should you actually be doing when you roll out of bed? Ablow breaks it down:
GET SOME DAMN SUNLIGHT: "Step outside for literally two minutes. Your brain needs that light signal to wake up properly. You don't need to do sun salutations — just stand there like a normal person."
BREATHE LIKE YOU MEAN IT: "Try the 4-7-8 thing — breathe in for four counts, hold for seven, out for eight. Do it three times. It's not mystical, it's just good for your nervous system."
MOVE YOUR BODY (A LITTLE): "You don't need to deadlift. Do some jumping jacks or push-ups. Anything that gets your blood moving without making you want to crawl back into bed."
STOP THE MADNESS
The biggest mistake people make? Trying to copy someone else's routine instead of figuring out what actually works for their life.
"I had one person who was getting up at 4:30 am to do this elaborate routine she saw on TikTok," Ablow recalls. "She was miserable, her family was annoyed, and she was falling asleep in meetings. When she finally admitted it wasn't working, we scaled it back to 15 minutes of basics. Suddenly, she was a human being again."
The bottom line: Your morning routine should make your day better, not turn you into a stressed-out zombie before you've even had breakfast.
"If you're spending more time planning your morning routine than actually enjoying it, you've missed the point entirely," says Ablow. "The goal is to feel good, not to win some imaginary wellness competition."
My TAKE: Skip the performance art and stick to the basics. Your future self will thank you — probably while drinking regular coffee like a normal person.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. The content provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease.
Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health routine, especially if you have existing medical conditions, take medications, or experience health concerns. Dr. Keith Ablow and Pain-2-Power do not provide medical treatment or diagnosis.
