Morning Hormone Reset + Why Your First Hour Matters

If there’s one part of your day that quietly governs how you think, feel, fuel, and show up — it’s your morning. Not in a ‘rise and grind’ kind of way, but through the subtle hormonal dance that begins the moment you wake. For women in midlife — especially those navigating perimenopause or the daily juggle of work, family, and shifting energy — those first waking hours ripple through everything from mood to metabolism.

Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all. Part of my work as a health coach is helping people become experts in their own rhythm — tuning into what truly supports them, rather than forcing routines that don’t. In this article, I’m sharing my own morning flow — not as a template, but as an example of routine with purpose. Because each step is more than a wellness tick-box. It’s a form of daily hormone therapy, woven into real life.

The Cortisol Curve: Starting Gently, Not With a Spike

Cortisol gets a bad rap, but we need it — especially in the morning. It’s meant to rise naturally as the sun comes up, nudging us awake, sharpening focus, and mobilising energy. But when we reach for our phones or dive into emails the moment our eyes open, we create an artificial cortisol spike — often on top of already elevated baseline levels from chronic stress or poor sleep.

In my morning, I start with something that anchors rather than agitates: a cuddle with my son. This oxytocin-rich connection dampens unnecessary cortisol elevation and reminds my nervous system that I’m safe.

Then comes hydration — specifically, electrolytes in water. This helps support adrenal function (where cortisol is made), particularly after a night of fluid loss and no intake. Think of it as internal scaffolding for your stress response.

TIP: If you're waking tired, wired, or both — reassess not just what you do in the morning, but how you feel doing it. Your first 30 minutes can shape your stress chemistry for the entire day.

Journaling + Red Light: Supporting the HPA Axis

Next stop in my routine (and yes, I know this is a privilege) is my red light sauna and a brain dump into my journal. The near, mid, and far red light supports mitochondrial health (the energy factories of our cells) and helps regulate circadian rhythm — key for balancing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, our central stress-response system. This becomes especially important in perimenopause when our cortisol rhythms can become chaotic.

Now, if you don’t have access to red light, stepping outside into natural morning sunlight — even for a few minutes — can offer similar benefits for circadian regulation. Meanwhile, journaling helps down-regulate the amygdala — the part of our brain that keeps scanning for danger. By naming what’s swirling around mentally, I reduce background stress and increase clarity. Less cortisol means more room for other crucial hormones to do their jobs.

Cold Showers: Dopamine, Resilience + Brown Fat Activation

It’s not for everyone, but the cold shower that follows is a game changer. Research shows that cold exposure increases dopamine (our motivation molecule) and supports vagus nerve tone — crucial for emotional resilience and recovery from stress.

Even more interestingly, it stimulates brown fat activation — a type of fat that burns energy and generates heat. This is especially beneficial for midlife women who may be struggling with metabolic slow-downs.

Protein First: Blood Sugar + Hormone Stability

Breakfast for me is savoury and protein-rich — at least 30g. I often go for full-fat yogurt with nuts, seeds, berries, cinnamon, and chia jam. This isn’t just a delicious nutrition trend — it’s foundational to hormone stability.

When we eat high-protein, high-fibre meals in the morning, we blunt blood sugar spikes, which in turn stabilises insulin. And that matters because insulin resistance is a key driver of hormonal imbalance (and weight gain) in midlife — affecting everything from progesterone to oestrogen to testosterone.

Dr Lara Briden, author of Hormone Repair Manual, explains that “stable blood sugar is one of the fastest ways to stabilise hormones, especially for women in their 40s and 50s.”

Strategic Caffeine + Sunlight: Anchoring Circadian Rhythm

Coffee comes later — at least 90 minutes after waking. That’s intentional. Delaying caffeine supports the natural cortisol peak your body is trying to achieve on its own. When we consume caffeine too early, we interfere with this process and risk a bigger energy crash later.

Instead, I take my “dirty chai” outside, barefoot, into the morning sun. Light through the eyes and skin (especially early-day light) is one of the most powerful tools to reset and support our circadian rhythm, which governs the production of melatonin at night, cortisol in the morning, and even reproductive hormones across the day.

Why This Matters More in Perimenopause

Hormonal fluctuations in the 40s and beyond aren’t just about hot flushes and heavy periods. They affect mood, sleep, weight, skin, memory, and how we relate to the world around us. And poor sleep, one of the most common complaints, makes everything worse.

According to the UK Sleep Council, more than 70% of women aged 45–54 report disrupted sleep, with hormonal changes being a key contributor. That sleep loss disrupts leptin and ghrelin (our hunger hormones), elevates cortisol, and diminishes progesterone — often called our “calming” hormone. It’s a domino effect. But it’s not irreversible.

Your morning habits are one of the few things you can fully control. And they have the power to reset your entire hormonal rhythm.

Where to Begin?

If this sounds like a lot, don’t worry — I didn’t implement it all at once. If you’re looking for a place to start:

• Hydrate immediately on waking (bonus if it includes electrolytes or a pinch of good quality salt)

• Step into natural light within 30 minutes of waking

• Eat protein within 1 hour of waking

• Delay caffeine until after food, ideally 2 hours after waking

Start with one. Build slowly. Tune into what supports your energy, not drains it. Morning routines aren’t about perfection — they’re about protection. For your nervous system, your hormones, and your joy.

➡️ You can find my full routine featured in Paloma Chiara’s blog here:

How to Create Your Morning Routine (+ Routines from Wellness Experts) | Paloma Chiara

If you're feeling stuck, foggy, or just tired of feeling tired — your mornings might be the key to the shift you're craving. Sometimes it just takes a fresh pair of eyes and a compassionate nudge to get started.

I offer a free 15-minute Clarity Call to help you explore what’s going on and where to begin. You can find the link to book time in my diary here — I’d love to connect.

Alisa x