How to Meditate in the Morning When You’re Not a Morning Person

Meditation is a great practice for starting your day with clarity, focus, and calm. But for those of us who aren’t great with mornings — not just a little cranky, but barely able to pull on a pair of pants — starting a day with meditation can seem unattainable, especially on a tight schedule. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a lot to build in some balance and quell that morning rush.

Here’s a little guidance on carving out a practice that fits into your unique kind of morning, even if it is borderline impossible to feel grateful and/or blessed with each sunrise.

Don’t force it

You don’t have to start each day with gratitude. You don’t have to wake up an hour earlier. If some of the typical morning meditation guidance feels alienating, you don’t have to follow it. Start with a meditation that resonates with you. Meditation is not a chore, nor should it be.

Keep it short

Consistency is more important than how many minutes of meditation you can squeeze into your day. Even if you can only grab a minute or two out of your morning, it’s better than zero minutes. Even full, guided meditations come in small packages: Each class in Jackie Stewart’s 14-Day Meditation Habit series is just over five minutes long.

Try some breathwork

Breathwork is a concrete mindfulness practice you can do from anywhere, whether you’re in bed or taking a shower, and it doesn’t take a lot of forethought. Connecting your mind and body with your breath can help get your head on straight, and an invigorating exercise like the HA breath might help you wake up a little bit, too.

Find where you’re already pausing in the morning

Maybe you’re rushing out the door each morning, but are there times in your morning where you already naturally pause? Maybe it’s a body scan in the 10 minutes between snooze-button hits or a brief mantra meditation while you’re waiting on your coffee. If you’re already a tea drinker, a tea meditation isn’t a huge leap.

Don’t get hung up on form

You’re not doing this for Instagram — even people who post about meditation on Instagram are posing for those photos! Meditation is a deeply personal practice, and you only need what serves you. A meditation space can be helpful, but isn’t necessary. You don’t need to light incense or face a certain direction. Don’t let setup become a distraction from actually doing the practice.

Meditate on the move

Meditation takes many forms, and transforming going from Point A to Point B into a moment of calm can be especially useful to those of us that are always rushing out the door.

If part of your morning typically includes a walk, try a walking meditation. You can even practice meditation on the bus! A few different meditation apps have guided practices specifically for commuting, or you could try firing up your favorite guided meditation to see if it works for you in that setting.

You can also spend these transition times by trying to objectively observe the setting around you — the breeze moving through the trees, bus chatter, doors opening and closing. This short listening practice with Jackie Stewart is a great place to start. Just remember to stay safe and continue to look both ways before you cross the street.

Meditation isn’t perfect!

Even the sunniest early birds and most experienced meditation practitioners have plenty of trouble staying present sometimes. So you didn’t achieve total stillness — you still practiced today, and that’s enough.

This gentle meditation for focus and inspiration brings a touch of coziness to your morning. You’ll imagine a daily routine that, even if it might be a little aspirational for some of us in reality, can help diffuse any anxiety you carry about starting your day.

Explore Meditation with Jackie Stewart

This series of short meditations introduce you to a variety of practices that are easy to fit into your routine, including a walking meditation and a listening meditation. Give them a try to find out what works best for you. Her focused breath meditation gives you an important tool to practice mindfulness wherever you are.

Check In and Breathe with Sah D’Simone

If you’re looking for a gentle moment of calm for your mornings, this meditation is designed to diffuse your anxiety and stress. Give it a try to take some of the edge off your morning rush.

Awakening Breath with Sah D’Simone

The HA breath is an invigorating practice that is easy to sprinkle into your morning. In this short practice — just over six minutes — Sah D’Simone guides you through a dynamic practice to help unlock a little extra wakefulness.

Want to practice these classes for free? Unlock our full library of online meditations with a 14-day trial to Alo Moves.