Want a healthier morning routine? The 5 best things experts recommend doing — and 5 you can skip.

Priscilla Blossom
·9 min read
A woman in bed stretching her arms above her head as she wakes up in the morning.
Ready to start the day? From drinking lemon water to brushing your teeth the right way, here's what experts recommend making part of your morning routine. (Getty Creative)

Many people believe that how you start your morning can set the tone for the rest of the day. Those people also tend to be the types who spring out of bed at the crack of dawn, do sun salutations, journal before breakfast and sip lemon water before so much as turning on the coffee maker. But are they onto something?

Those of us who start the day smashing the snooze button before dragging ourselves into the world's quickest shower might wonder if life — and our health — would be better if we had a more productive morning routine. Lifestyle guru Mel Robbins (of "let them" theory fame), for instance, gives herself five seconds to get out of bed, which she promptly makes before high-fiving herself in the mirror, having a glass of water (and no coffee until she's been up for at least an hour), going outside and basking in the morning light and moving her body by stretching or taking a walk.

But do we really need to do all that? It depends. Here's which habits experts say are indeed worth building into your new and improved morning routine — and what you can skip.

Rise and shine! Experts tell Yahoo Life these activities will make a difference in your day.

There are a lot of benefits to working out, or at the very least stretching or walking, in the morning (including, potentially making it easier to build a consistent exercise routine).

“Timing of exercise can be important, and finding a few minutes in the a.m. to walk, or do pushups and jumping jacks at home ... can provide physical and psychological preparation for the day,” says Dr. Jonathan Fialkow, deputy director of clinical cardiology at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “It can provide clearer thought, less stress, physical strength and fitness."

Dr. Manmeet Singh Ahluwalia of Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute tells Yahoo Life that it can also cut one's cancer risk. “Physical activity in the morning is one of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of getting cancer,” he says, pointing to research published in the International Journal of Cancer, which found that early-morning physical activity — between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. — was associated with a 25% lower risk of breast cancer, and a 27% lower risk of prostate cancer compared to getting no exercise at all.

While some people like to splash a little cold water on their face first thing in the morning, many skip on cleansing entirely — and that’s a no-no, according to Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a board-certified dermatologist at Schweiger Dermatology Group.

“Many people skip this step in the morning (men: I'm looking at you!) because they feel like their skin isn't dirty since they were just in their beds and washed their skin before bedtime," Nazarian tells Yahoo Life, "but washing in the morning is super-important.”

Why? Nazarian explains that our bodies move throughout the night, carrying sweat, oil from our scalp and saliva from our mouths onto our pillows — then onto our faces and back again.

“You wake up with scalp oil and bacteria all over your face, whether you know it or not,” says Nazarian. “Washing ensures you minimize risks of inflammation and infection, but also creates a super-clean palate for your morning skin care regimen to follow (antioxidant, sunscreen, etc.).”

Some people want to brush first thing, while others prefer waiting until after breakfast to clean their teeth. What do dentists say? There's no real consensus; the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing twice a day for two minutes, but doesn't cite a timing preference. As Healthline notes, there is significant support for brushing first thing to tackle plaque-causing bacteria that has accumulated overnight, though Maria Jackson, a dental hygienist at Aspen Dental, tells Yahoo Life that rinsing the mouth with water before having breakfast, then brushing after eating, will also do the trick.

“A quick rinse before eating clears out some bacteria that can build up overnight,” she says. “Brushing after breakfast removes leftover food and bacteria, so you’re not stuck with them all day.”

There is something dentists agree on: If you prefer to brush your teeth after eating or drinking coffee or tea, take your time. Jackson says it's best to wait at least 30 minutes before brushing, especially after having acidic items like coffee, tea or orange juice. “These drinks are acidic and can temporarily soften your enamel," Jackson says. "Waiting gives your saliva time to neutralize the acid, protecting your teeth from wear and damage." In the meantime, the ADA — which suggests waiting as long as an hour to brush — says chewing sugar-less gum, drinking water or milk or having a piece of cheese can help neutralize acids until it's time to brush.

OK, so you're brushing your teeth — but what about tongue scraping? This involves using a tool to remove debris, bacteria and dead cells from your tongue — and it's something Dr. Fatima Khan, a dentist and the co-founder of Riven Oral Care, swears by.

“[Tongue scraping] improves oral health and helps prevent bad breath,” Khan explains. ”The choice of tool, whether a toothbrush or tongue scraper, is less important than cleaning thoroughly from the back to the front of the tongue and removing the white coating.”

Why do it in the morning? For starters, it helps manage halitosis (aka bad breath) before you go out into the world. Khan also says that the white coating you see on your tongue tends to appear more often in the morning due to mouth breathing and low saliva flow in the evenings, which can cause an overgrowth of bacteria.

5. Drink lemon water

You’ve probably heard lots of influencers tout the benefits of drinking lemon water, and in this case, they’re mostly right.

“After a night of sleep, the body is naturally dehydrated. Lemon water helps rehydrate and kick-start your metabolism,” Dr. Justin Houman, a urologist and assistant professor of urology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, tells Yahoo Life.

And because lemons contain the antioxidant vitamin C, Houman says squeezing some into your first glass of water of the day can help support your immune function and skin health over time. Lemon water may also help with digestion by stimulating gastric juices and potentially reducing bloating or mild constipation — and you can drink it warm or cold, he adds.

But heads up: Houman warns it may not be the best morning beverage for those with acid reflux or other stomach sensitivities as the lemon’s acidity might worsen some symptoms. He also warns that the acidity in lemons can potentially erode tooth enamel over time, so drinking it with a straw or rinsing with plain water right afterward might be a good idea.

Our time in the mornings is precious — so don't feel pressure to squeeze this stuff in, experts say.

While taking vitamins for specific deficiencies under a doctor’s care is important, many people are starting their day with supplements they don't need. “Our bodies are very efficient and resilient,” says Fialkow, who calls our overreliance on multivitamins "magical thinking."

Instead, he recommends focusing on eating a healthy diet (including a hearty breakfast), getting good sleep and staying active for heart health.

Step away from the juicer: Fialkow says sipping OJ or a green juice isn't as healthy as it's made out to be.

“While vegetables and fruits are healthy in moderation, macerating them in a blender may affect how we absorb them and decrease the fiber benefit,” he says. If you're throwing too much fruit into your blender or drinking store-bought juices, you're also likely getting a lot of added sugar. “[This can] add calories and create metabolic stresses and is deleterious to our cardiovascular system,” Fialkow notes.

If you want a juice, by all means, get one. But it's a not a make-or-break morning habit you need to pick up.

While washing your face and using a moisturizer with SPF are among the “good” things to do every morning, Nazarian says you don’t need to go all out with things like toners and essences. “[These can] irritate skin by stripping too much of the it's natural moisturizers, so it's less likely to tolerate the other morning ingredients we like to use (like sunscreen), leading to inflammation and redness.”

She also recommends avoiding retinoids first thing in the a.m., which she calls a well-meaning but misplaced step. “Many retinoids are sun-unstable, and break down in sunlight,” she says. “Save these guys for the evening, and pair with a heavier moisturizer to minimize dryness and irritation while you sleep.”

Cold plunges and similar therapies have become pretty popular due to claims they can help reduce inflammation, speed up recovery and even improve mood. But doing them daily isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. “While cold therapy can be beneficial in specific situations, morning cold plunges show no benefit,” says Laura Sommer, a doctor of physical therapy and owner of In Motion Physical Therapy.

Sommer warns that cold plunges can also be harmful if done for too long or with water that's too cold. Some of the potential complications include cardiovascular issues, hypothermia and drowning.

“If people enjoy doing it, by all means, go for it. But it doesn't increase strength in muscles and is no better than an active recovery to decrease systemic inflammatory stress,” she says.

Oil pulling, the practice of swishing oil around in your mouth for potential oral health benefits, has existed for thousands of years and predates tooth brushing. While TikTokers claim it whitens teeth, prevents gum disease and more, experts aren't convinced, and the ADA does not recommend doing it.

“This traditional Ayurvedic remedy has gained significant popularity as a trending at-home oral care practice," says Dr. Jennifer Kim, a prosthodontist at ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers. "However, its overall effectiveness remains questionable due to the need for more comprehensive research and standardized regimens."

Kim says there are common misconceptions about the practice, including the belief that it can replace routine dental care or even cure cavities. She stresses these claims are false.

We want to know: How do you start the day? Tell us what your morning routine entails here, and they may be used in a future article. Submissions close on Feb. 10.

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