For most of my life, I assumed it was a personality thing. That groggy, sluggish, please don’t talk to me, can’t-function feeling? Normal, right? But after getting diagnosed with ADHD in college, I started putting the pieces together. My morning struggle wasn’t just a preference for staying in bed and sleeping in, it was executive dysfunction, dopamine depletion, and sleep inertia teaming up to ruin me.
Traditional morning routines never worked for me. “Just wake up earlier,” they’d say. “Go for a run first thing in the morning!” they’d suggest, as if I’m the kind of person who happily springs out of bed, ready to conquer the world. I tried everything! Strict schedules, habit trackers, the 5 a.m. productivity cult (okay, I never tried this one) but nothing stuck.
But over time, through trial, error, and a better understanding of how my ADHD brain actually works, I figured out a morning routine that mostly fits. Is it perfect? Hahaha.. No. But does it get me out of bed and functional in time for work/whatever the day has in store? Yeah, mostly. So, here it is:
Step One: Magnesium and Pretending I Have a Sleep Schedule
I’ve learned that if I don’t sleep well, I’m doomed before my alarm even goes off. So, my nighttime routine actually affects my morning routine. One of the biggest game-changers? Taking magnesium before bed.
I don’t know the exact science.. (here’s a link to study from 2019) something about nervous system regulation, but what I do know is that on the nights I take magnesium, I wake up feeling less like a truck hit me and more like a real human being. It helps me fall asleep and stay asleep.
Side note: before taking any new supplements or vitamins, it’s always recommended to check with you doctor if you have the means to do so.
Step Two: Outsmarting My Own Brain
I’m a night owl with a tendency to stay up too late.
If my alarm is within arm’s reach, I will hit snooze at least three times before I even register that I’m doing it. So, I charge my phone across the room overnight. This forces me to physically get up to turn off the alarm when it cruel reality wakes me.
At this point, I want to go back to sleep, but since I’m already upright, momentum is half the battle.
Pro tip: Use multiple alarms. One to get you out of bed, another to remind you that time is, in fact, still moving forward.
Step Three: High-Protein Breakfast
I can’t take my ADHD medication on an empty stomach unless I want to feel like a paranoid, shaky, nauseous disaster an hour later… and then have it wear off mid-workday. A high-protein breakfast is non-negotiable.
For me, that means something easy but effective. Scrambled eggs, Greek yogurt with granola, a protein shake, cottage cheese with a lil fruit, or peanut butter toast. I don’t have the patience yet for complicated meal prep in the morning, so if it takes more than five minutes, it’s not happening.
Step Four: The Dog Walk That Saves Me From Doomscrolling
If left to my own devices, I WILL sit on the couch, phone in hand, and lose 45 minutes (honestly probably more) to Reddit/social media before I even realize what’s happening. My dog, however, does not allow this.
Taking her outside every morning forces me into movement, which helps wake up my brain without requiring me to think too hard. Some mornings, we walk for 20 minutes. Other mornings, I stand there while she sniffs a rock for five minutes, and then we go back inside. The point is, it’s something.
And something is better than nothing.
Step Five: Wake-Up Ritual (No Caffeine Required)
Even after all that – getting out of bed, eating, going outside – I sometimes still don’t feel awake or alert. My brain takes a while to untangle and boot up in the mornings, and I don’t drink caffeine in the mornings anymore since I found out it can affect my ADHD meds, so I had to find an alternative.
I’ve started incorporating breathwork and guided meditation, (not because I’m a wellness guru (far, far from it)) because it actually helps. A couple minutes of deep breathing helps me transition from half-asleep to semi-functional.
Right now, I’ve been using the Open mediation app (yes, I signed up for the free trial, yes I didn’t take advantage of the free trial, and YES, I forgot to cancel it, but no, I don’t regret it) and I love it. With so many different meditation, breathwork, and yoga options to choose from depending on your goal/mood – do you want to focus? Or do you need energy? Do you need to relax? Do you need to release? All of these are categories you can choose and they have more!
This blog is new and and I’m not being paid to promote this app, but OMG I’ve told all my friends and even my boss about it.
All that said, you do not need an app to meditate. There are plenty of free guided meditation sessions on YouTube as well.
Do I do this every morning? No. Some mornings, I get distracted by my phone instead and pretend it’s self-care. But on the days I do take the time to breathe and wake up slowly, I notice a difference.
The Reality of ADHD Mornings
With ADHD, no routine will work 100% of the time. I would love to be the type of person who so effortlessly wakes up at 5 am ready to workout and slowly settle into the workday. But I’m not. Or at least not yet.
Some days, I still snooze my alarm more than I should. Some days, I forget to take my magnesium and wake up feeling like I fought a grizzly bear in my sleep. Some days, I take my dog out in pajamas and hope none of my neighbors see me (they usually do! IDC anymore!).
But overall, this flexible, ADHD-friendly morning routine makes my mornings less of a struggle.
If you’re trying to build a morning routine that actually sticks, start small. Pick one thing, see how you feel, and build from there.
Because let’s be really real, ADHD mornings can be tough enough. We might as well work with the chaos instead of against it.
What About You?
What’s one thing that makes your ADHD mornings easier?