I Tried Andrew Huberman's Morning Routine for 30 Days

Summary

Cam tried Andrew Huberman’s morning routine for 30 days to address low energy, mood, and difficulty focusing. He tracked his daily energy and mood, work performance, and blood-test results.

Routine and strategies

• Wake at a consistent time: He generally got up around 6:00–6:30 a.m. and recorded his wake-up time.
• Get outdoor light early: He took a 10–15-minute walk outside soon after waking.
• Delay caffeine: He waited 90–120 minutes after waking before drinking coffee. In the meantime, he drank water with a little sea salt and Athletic Greens.
• Fast until late morning: He usually didn’t eat until around 11 a.m. or noon.
• Do a focused work block: He aimed for 90 minutes of work with his phone off and out of the room.
• Exercise: He followed the work block with about an hour of physical activity.
• Use cold exposure: He took cold showers during the challenge and finished with a cold plunge.
• Adjust the workspace: Following Huberman’s advice, he tried raising his computer to eye level and using quiet white noise. These changes alone did not noticeably improve his work.
• Reduce phone use more broadly: He eventually kept his phone powered down until lunch and sometimes put it in his car. Avoiding it before work helped him focus and reduced the urge to check it during work.

What he learned and reported

• At first, he continued to struggle with procrastination and distractions, despite following the routine and trying workspace changes.
• He realized that checking his phone during walks and after work blocks may have been fueling his desire for distraction. Limiting access to it helped him focus, sometimes reaching a flow state.
• He felt that doing challenging things, such as taking cold showers and completing focused work, helped him practice tolerating discomfort and resisting distractions.
• By the end of the month, he reported improved energy and mood, with average energy scores rising by almost two points. His brother also said his work was on time and of good quality.
• His final blood tests showed testosterone in the average range, while vitamin D and cholesterol had improved compared with the initial test. The video does not establish that the routine caused these changes.
• He decided to continue the routine and hoped to keep doing difficult activities that might pay off over time.

Presenters and sources

• Cam — presenter
• Andrew Huberman — source of the morning-routine and focus advice, including Huberman Lab episodes
• Brendan — Cam’s brother and work evaluator
• Matt — Cam’s friend