Quoted: Winter Morning Routines

We’ve rounded up some practical tips from our in-house editorial team at Healthline to give you inspiration with easy, accessible ideas to help you build a calming but healthy winter morning routine.

These gentle morning rituals and habits can help you start your day with intention, feel energized, and make those cold, dark winter mornings easier.

Then, read on to learn more about how you can incorporate these healthy morning habits into your daily routine.

CATCH THE SUNRISE

“I find it really grounding to get outside during winter mornings. There’s something so special about seeing the sunrise, and it’s a lot easier in winter, when the sky brightens a bit later! It’s a much nicer way to wake up than scrolling on my phone.” – Meg

CREATE A COZY ATMOSPHERE

“I put on a “winter village” video on YouTube, and have my breakfast and coffee while playing Wordle and Connections. It’s such a cozy way to start the day! I look forward to it when I wake up.” – Ari

WAIT FOR THE COFFEE

“I delay making coffee or tea until I’ve completed my exercise, meditation, and journaling, so it feels like a reward instead of a distraction.” – Frank

KEEP THE TEA FLOWING

“Tea! All the tea, all the time. I love trying new flavours. Some of them have great health effects, and some are just really tasty.

Pro tip – buy up tea advent calendars in early December! It’s way cheaper than buying the boxes, and you get some cooler flavours, too.” – Katy

START WITH SOME SUNLIGHT

“I keep the curtains open slightly so I can wake up with some natural light, and I don’t feel jolted out of deep sleep. Waking up more gently helps me avoid sudden stressors and allows me to start my day at a calmer pace.” – Anisha

SLOW DOWN YOUR MORNING

“Getting up to exercise sets the tone for my morning, even if that means light stretching. However, I also give myself grace and enjoy some mornings in bed, rather than stressing about rushing into the day. Sometimes I like to think the darker winter mornings exist so we can slow down.” – Catherine

WARM UP WHILE YOU WAKE UP

“Winter slog and dim lighting make it a struggle to get out of bed and get in some early morning exercise. But I do convince myself to do a few easy yoga poses, like child’s pose, side twist, and pigeon pose, all while still under the covers. A good way to start the day and helps me to get up and stop hitting snooze!” – Justin

Winter mornings can make you feel like you want to disappear under your covers. However, creating a kind and gentle morning routine can help you find simple ways to feel your best during those cold, dark mornings.

For many of our editors, the key to building an effective morning routine is establishing realistic habits, finding simple joys in seasonal changes, and developing grounding daily rituals that you’ll look forward to.

Remember, a truly healthy morning routine is one that allows you to be kind and gentle with yourself, while setting yourself up for a great day ahead.

Here are some simple tips to help you build a gentle winter morning routine that will help you ease into your day.