How to Start the Day With a “Soft Morning”—and Why It Matters for Your Mood, Hormones, and Focus
If your mornings usually start with a jarring alarm and a rush for coffee, you’re not alone—but according to Todd Dorfman, MD, Co-Chief Medical Officer at Rebalance Health and a hormone management specialist, that high-alert start might be working against you. He says those first moments of your morning have a ripple effect across mood, energy, and focus for the rest of the day.
It has a lot to do with your hormones—specifically, the cortisol hormone associated with our bodies’ stress response. “The way we wake up sets the tone for our entire day, both hormonally and neurologically,” Dr. Dorfman explains. “Normally, our bodies follow a natural cortisol rhythm: cortisol rises gradually in the morning to help us feel alert and ready for the day. If we wake abruptly to a blaring alarm this rhythm is disrupted, and the body is thrown into ‘fight-or-flight’ mode, with a surge of cortisol and adrenaline. That can leave us feeling stressed, anxious, or depleted before the day even begins.”
But it doesn’t have to be that way. The alternative is a “soft morning”—a slower, gentler approach that helps your body wake in sync with its natural rhythms. Here’s what it means, how to try it, and why your nervous system will thank you.
