Not exactly a “morning person”? You’re not alone. For some, simply waking up (instead of hitting the snooze button for the third time) is the biggest accomplishment on a typical morning. But why stop there? If you’re looking to kick off a truly successful morning, research shows that adding a few easy steps to your morning routine can give you a boost. Try these three ideas to turn your A.M. rush into a healthy morning routine.

Start Your Healthy Morning Routine with the Right Fuel

Tip #1: Eat a Healthy Morning Meal. You’ve heard it a hundred times, but breakfast truly earns its title of “most important meal of the day.” Not only does it provide the fuel you need after a long fast (a.k.a. sleep), but it’s also been shown to improve cognitive function and help with cardiovascular health.

Got a morning meeting on the calendar? Instead of relying on that extra-large coffee, try making time for a hearty bowl of oatmeal to help keep you focused. Steel-cut oats, in particular, are a great choice because they take longer to digest and can provide a more gradual, steady supply of energy throughout the morning. If you’re usually busy making sure the rest of the family gets something to eat, take that as a reminder to fill your own plate, too. (A 2019 study showed a link between missing breakfast and heart disease. How’s that for a wake-up call?) We love travel-friendly breakfast burritos or a whole-grain bagel topped with tomato and avocado, but there’s no shame in a simple peanut butter sandwich, either! What’s important is that you don’t skip breakfast completely. (Whether you’re a fan of fruit smoothies or veggie-egg scrambles, there’s an extra benefit to beefing up your repertoire of breakfast recipes: They taste great any time of day!)

Boost Your Breakfast with a Side of Vitamins

Tip #2: Take a Multivitamin. Starting the day with a healthy, filling meal: easy. Starting the day with a meal that includes all the vitamins and minerals you need for a balanced lifestyle: less simple. Luckily, you can pair your morning meal with a good multivitamin that rounds out your diet and gets you out the door on time. 

Multivitamins include many beneficial ingredients in just a single serving. The right multi is packed with essential vitamins and minerals that aid in everything from stress management and bone support to cellular energy support and positive beauty effects.* With plenty of great multivitamins to choose from, there’s an ideal one out there to add to your good morning routine. 

So how to choose your supplement? Age, sex, and lifestyle all play a part in determining what supplement will help the most. Multivitamins have the benefit of checking off several boxes without needing to juggle multiple bottles. If you’re not sure where to start, try a well-rounded, once-daily multi for men or women. You might also want to get your doctor’s opinion, based on any concerns you’d like to address. While the best source of nutrition will always be found in what we eat, you can look for vitamins that are formulated for absorption so you get the most out of each tablet. Fermentation—which has long been linked to better gut health—is used in high-quality multivitamins to activate nutrients for your body. 

A good multi will also have the nutrient levels set to complement what you’re already getting from food. New Chapter multivitamins are designed so you can absorb the good stuff. We fine-tune the levels of each high-quality vitamin & mineral, choose types that work best with the body, and ferment key nutrients with probiotics and whole foods. That lets you reap benefits each time you take your daily serving! (Don't love tablets? We also make 100% delicious multivitamin gummies packed with essential nutrients to start any day WELL.)

One last tip for successful people: If you’re guilty of forgetting to take your vitamin with breakfast, try keeping a bottle in your car or at the office, or pack yourself a handy vitamin case. New Chapter vitamins are gentle to take anytime, even on an empty stomach.

Make it a Morning Habit to MOVE

Tip #3: Exercise & Get Your Heart Rate Up. Exercise is the final step for a healthy morning routine that jumpstarts more productive days. We all know that exercise is good for you, but… first thing in the morning?! Yes! Whether you set your alarm a bit earlier, or simply skip scrolling through social media and checking email in bed, it’s worth making the effort to get moving ASAP. 

Exercise itself has proven to be a jack of all trades when it comes to improving your health. It’s been linked to everything from losing weight to quitting smoking. Adding that workout into your morning routine has its own set of benefits. First, by scheduling exercise before your day gets going, you’re ensuring that it happens, period. When you work out in the A.M., you can’t use that afternoon meeting as an excuse to skip the gym, and many of us are wiped by the evening—making the couch way more appealing than the elliptical machine. 

Because exercise can help boost your energy level, it’s also better to take advantage of that at the beginning of the day versus at night, when physical activity might actually prevent you from falling asleep. More pep for your busy day and better rest at night. It’s a win-win!

Some of our favorite morning workouts are routines that can be done at home, from a neighborhood jog to a bedroom barre session with the help of a chair. There are endless free options online to check out (including videos), so try a bunch and pick your favorite to create a routine that works. It might seem tough at first, but soon enough you’ll look forward to that workout as a time to center yourself before the day really ramps up.

Even taking as little as 15 minutes for each of these tips can help set you up for a successful morning and day. Getting healthy morning routine ideas into your repertoire can be pretty simple!

What's next? Check out our blog on daytime wellness tips to keep your good thing going.