We Asked a Doctor to Rate Andrew Huberman’s Morning Routine

Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and host of a popular health-focused podcast, is known for his wellness protocols. These are optimized to improve mood, cognitive performance, and overall well-being—and his morning routine is no exception.

Many of his fans have adopted these principles to live a healthier life, but are they feasible or sustainable for the average person? We asked our chief medical officer, Sohaib Imtiaz, MD, to score these protocols.

Q: Is Andrew Huberman’s morning routine something that everyone should try to follow? How would you rate them?

Imtiaz: There are evidence-based habits in his morning routine, but for some of these behaviors, you don’t really need to adhere to strict timing. Plus, I don’t think everyone has time for a 3-hour morning routine every day.

The problem with adopting Huberman’s protocol is that this strict routine can become a bit too identity-driven, and you end up stacking interventions without a problem to solve.

There’s always a trade-off with these things. If you’re over-optimizing just in those morning hours and then sedentary the rest of the day, your “perfect” morning routine won’t compensate for what you do the rest of the day.

Wake Up Early: 7/10

Huberman recommends waking up 2–3 hours before your habitual wake-up time. I think this became popular because of the 5 AM clubs and people trying to adopt the “high performer” identity these morning routines promise.

My advice: protect your sleep. For example, if you went to bed really late, I’d prefer you sleep in rather than trying to wake up after 4 hours of sleep to get in your morning routine. The sleep will go further for you.

A consistent wake-up time and adequate sleep (7–9 hours each night) matter more than waking up early.

Delay Caffeine: 1/10

There’s this idea that you should delay caffeine by 90-120 minutes because cortisol naturally peaks 30 to 45 minutes after waking, and if you drink caffeine immediately, you may override the natural alertness cortisol provides. But there’s not much science behind that, unfortunately. Caffeine doesn’t really affect cortisol like that.

Taking caffeine earlier doesn’t make a difference from delaying it by 90 minutes. Meal timing and hydration are more important for energy than when you drink your first cup of coffee.

Hydrate Upon Waking: 8/10

Huberman says you should hydrate with water and electrolytes immediately upon waking.

Rehydration reduces that morning sluggishness and supports blood pressure stability in people with high blood pressure, so it’s a good habit. But you don’t need the complicated electrolyte cocktail; drink 1-2 glasses of water in the morning and aim for at least 68 ounces total throughout the day. It’s pretty simple.

Get Exposure to Sunlight: 10/10

Morning sunlight exposure is backed by solid evidence. Exposure to natural light within the first hour or two of waking actually improves your nighttime sleep quality and makes you feel more alert during the day.

The morning light signals the brain to suppress melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. It entrains your circadian rhythm, which is just a fancy way of saying it anchors your sleep-wake cycle.

Engage In Exercise Early: 6/10

Morning movement increases blood flow, enhances alertness, improves mood, and helps regulate glucose (blood sugar). But you don’t have to work out every morning. Stretching in the morning is sufficient to get your muscles moving and increase blood flow to them.

You can exercise later in the day, too, as long as it doesn’t affect your sleep (you don’t have to do it in the morning). Often, morning workouts just fit people’s schedules. There’s no real evidence that the morning is better for you than the afternoon.

The only time it’s negative is when you exercise within 3 hours of your bedtime. It’ll affect your sleep.

Take a Cold Shower: 4/10

Cold plunges or showers activate your cold shock proteins, making you feel more alert and ready to go. If you’re optimizing your morning routine to boost alertness, it can be a helpful part of a morning routine, but it isn’t essential.

Ideally, you’d probably want to do cold plunges after training to help your muscles recover, rather than in the morning to help you wake up.

Temperature regulation is more important for high-quality sleep, especially in the evening before bed.