I’m a GP — these are the five morning habits I wish you’d quit

A quick scroll on Instagram. A cold shower. A steaming hot coffee.

Whether you’re up with the lark, or a self-confessed night-owl, we all have a tired-and-tested morning routine.

And while some habits might make hectic mornings feel that bit easier, others may actually be damaging our health.

Dr David Weinstein, an NHS GP based in Britain, says there are five things he wishes people would avoid first thing.

And, coffee addicts, you’re not going to like this first one…

1. Drinking coffee first thing in the morning

That first taste of coffee can feel like it awakens the soul, but it’s actually not that great for you.

Dr David says coffee can lead to dehydration throughout the day.

‘I’d love to see people start the day with a pint of water,’ says Dr David, 49, explaining that this is the best was to hydrate after the overnight fast, before having any caffeinated drinks.

‘Less people would come to see me with headaches. It’s a simple, but very positive thing you can do,’ he adds.

Dr David clarifies that coffee isn’t the enemy and is fine to drink throughout the day — although shouldn’t be relied upon as a source of energy.

However, he adds that if you can’t seem to get through your day without caffeine, you need to focus on getting more sleep, or visit a GP to see if there are underlying issues causing lethargy.

2. Sugary cereals

While often marketed as a healthy, often a bowl of cereal gives you a sugar hit, and nothing more.

David says that, if he had it his way, he’d ‘heavily tax breakfast cereals’ and ‘put cigarette packet-style warnings’ on cereal boxes to ensure people know how unhealthy they are.

‘With cereals, when something is considered to be part of a normal morning routine, and makes health claims like being “high fibre”, I think it’s criminal.’

The NHS recommends that adults consume no more than 30g of free sugars per day, which is about seven cubes a day, but many cereals have three or more cubes.

According to David, a bowl of Greek yoghurt — with some berries and nuts for a boost of protein and health fats for the day — is a much better alternative.

‘Yoghurt, fruit, a few nuts – it’s still just chucking stuff in a bowl. It’ll take the same amount of time to put together as cereal and milk.’

3. Not having breakfast at all

Similarly, David says that rushing out the door without having any form of breakfast can be bad for you.

Often referred to as ‘the most important meal of the day’, breakfast replenishes the body’s glucose, which boosts energy levels and provides essential nutrients for the day.

David explains that by skipping breakfast, this can lead to people becoming ravenous by 10 or 11am – and having an unhealthy snack instead, out of convenience or craving.

‘When you’re hungry you make unwise decisions.

‘Fasting for the morning only works if you’ve got a well-planned healthy lunch or breakfast, rather than rushing to the bakery for, maybe, a big sweet pastry.’

4. Morning doom scrolling

Even Dr David admits to this bad habit: grabbing your phone to scroll before getting out of bed in the morning.

‘I’m guilty of this myself, a lot of us reach for our phones as soon as we wake.

‘It’s terrible — starting the day with stress and anxiety, checking emails and scrolling social media and the news.

‘That instant hit of anxiety, instant bad news — it hits you straight away and it’s not how we’re designed to start the day.’

Instead, David recommends people purchase an old-fashioned alarm clock so they can leave their phone outside the bedroom overnight, rather than having it as your alarm.

When you wake up, he says you should not touch your phone for the first 15 minutes.

Rather, do some light stretches and think of a few things you’re grateful for, to set you up for the day.

‘We need a gentle introduction, otherwise it’s a cortisol hit much too early.’

5. No morning movement

Another morning routine to cut out is going straight from ‘bed to chair’ or ‘bed to car’ when starting work.

‘Bed to chair is a toxic thing that has become normal,’ explains David.

For people who work from home, which is much more common in a post-pandemic world, this can often mean we go straight from our bed to our laptops.

According to a 2025 study by BMC Public Health, sedentary behaviour and the lack of physical activity ‘are associated with negative health outcomes’ which can be influenced by one’s ‘working environment’ due to a reduced number of daily steps.

Instead, aim for 15 minutes of gentle movement, such as stretches or a short walk, ideally outdoors, which will impact your mood for the day.

For those working from home, or driving to the office, a walk during your lunch break could be just the trick.

‘Doing 15 minutes of movement clears your head, helps your mood and energy, and prepares you for the day,’ adds Dr David.