Morning meditation: a 10-minute routine for beginners

Why meditate in the morning

Okay so the morning is the one time of day nobody has gotten to you yet. No emails, no group chat, no opinions. A few quiet minutes before all that is low-key the softest gift you can give yourself.

The practical reason is even better: it's easier to keep a habit you tie to something you already do every day. Wake up, water, sit. Kettle on, sit. Same spot, same time, and soon you don't have to think about it.

Before you start

• Phone stays away until you're done. Use the timer on this page, or an old-school alarm.
• Pick a spot and keep it: the edge of your bed, a cushion by the window, a kitchen chair.
• Drink some water first. You just went eight hours without any.
• Sit tall but comfy. Feet on the floor if you're on a chair, hands resting on your thighs.

The 10-minute morning meditation

1. Arrive (1 minute). Close your eyes. Take three big sighs: breathe in through your nose, top it up with a little extra sniff, and let it all out slowly through your mouth.

2. Slow breathing (2 minutes). Breathe in through your nose for 4, out for 6. Longer outs feel calming for a lot of people. Follow the cloud if counting is too much this early.

3. Body check-in (2 minutes). Move your attention from your feet up to your head. Notice what feels tired, tight or fine. Don't fix anything, just say hi to it.

4. One word (2 minutes). Pick one word for today: steady, soft, brave, patient. Breathe in thinking the word, breathe out letting it settle. If you love a mantra, use SAT NAM instead (here's the sat nam meaning).

5. Three small thank-yous (2 minutes). Bring to mind three tiny things you're grateful for. Coffee counts. The light on the wall counts. Let each one land before the next.

6. Close (1 minute). Sit in silence for a few breaths. Then ask yourself: what's one thing I want to do today, just for me? Open your eyes. Done ☁️

Short on time?

• 3 minutes: three sighs, then a minute of slow breathing, then one word for the day.
• 5 minutes: add the body check-in.
• In bed: totally allowed. Sit up against your pillows so you don't drift back off.

Three minutes every day beats thirty minutes once a month. Nobody is grading this.

Ways to switch it up

• Chakra mornings. Do a quick chakra meditation, root to crown, one breath and one colour each.
• Mudra mornings. Sit in gyan mudra for 5 minutes. Your hands get a job, your brain gets a break.
• Breath mornings. Four rounds of box breathing before a big day.
• Phone-free mornings. Keep the first twenty minutes screen-free and let your brain wake up on its own.

Make it stick

• Tie it to a cue. "After I fill my water glass, I sit down for 3 minutes." Plans written like that, in the "when X, I'll do Y" format, help people actually follow through.
• Start tiny. One minute is a real start.
• Track it. Add it to your Glow Meter so you can watch the streak grow.
• Skip a day? Literally who cares. Just come back tomorrow.

What meditation can and can't do

A big 2014 review of 47 trials found that meditation programmes led to small to moderate improvements in anxiety, depression and pain. The evidence for stress was weaker, and there was little or no evidence of an effect on sleep, positive mood or attention. It found no evidence that meditation works better than other active options like exercise or therapy.

There's no good evidence that morning is better than any other time. The best time is the one you'll keep.

And meditation isn't always easy. A 2020 review found some people have unpleasant experiences while meditating, like anxiety or low mood, including people with no history of mental health problems. If sitting with your eyes closed makes you feel worse, open them, stop, and try a walk or slow breathing instead. If you're struggling with anxiety or low mood, please talk to a doctor too. We love a team.

Go deeper

Want a ready-made morning routine for a whole week? The free 7-Day Chakra Challenge is about ten minutes a day, one chakra at a time. Prefer breath? Breathwork Babe has a lesson on building your own daily breath routine. And for the other end of the day, try yoga nidra.

FAQ

How long should a morning meditation be?

Ten minutes is lovely, but 3 to 5 minutes is a great start. Consistency matters more than length.

Should I meditate before or after coffee?

Either is fine. Some people like to sit while the kettle boils, others after the first sip. Just keep the phone out of it.

Is it better to meditate in the morning or at night?

There's no strong evidence either way. Morning is easy to protect because the day hasn't started yet, but the best time is the one you'll actually do.

Can I meditate lying in bed?

Yes, but sitting up against your pillows helps you stay awake. If you keep falling back asleep, try sitting on the edge of the bed.

Sources

• Goyal M, Singh S, Sibinga EMS, et al. (2014). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3):357-368. PubMed
• Farias M, Maraldi E, Wallenkampf KC, Lucchetti G (2020). Adverse events in meditation practices and meditation-based therapies: a systematic review. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica 142(5):374-393. PubMed
• Gollwitzer PM, Sheeran P (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 38:69-119. doi.org
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Meditation and mindfulness: effectiveness and safety