Morning routines are trending. Here’s how Dr Sophie Shotter wakes up well

Lately, every influencer under the sun seems to be talking about their wellness-boosting morning routine, including fitness content creator Ashton Hall whose TikTok video showcasing his two-hour-long(!) ritual has racked up an impressive 1.6 million views – and plenty of ‘are you serious?’ comments. Let’s face it, that peek into a world of picture-perfect mornings, filled with push-ups, green juices, and a manifestation-based ‘can do’ attitude, can feel seriously unrelatable when you’re rushing out the door for the work/school run…

Instead, here at Get The Gloss, we want to know what a real expert’s morning looks like, and the techniques they use to prepare for busy days and potentially stressful schedules that can actually transform your mornings. And, leading aesthetic doctor Dr Sophie Shotter certainly knows how to make the most out of the start of her day.

The busy aesthetic doctor (and winner of Aesthetic Doctor of the Year 2023) runs the Illuminate Skin Clinic in Kent, has a base at 10 Harley Street in London, and is the host of Age Well with Dr Sophie Shotter, a podcast that covers a 360-degree approach to ageing well.

So, from the joy of a cat-based wake-up call to what she does – and doesn’t do – every morning, Dr Sophie’s routine is shaped to help her prioritise wellbeing on a tight schedule, without needing to check if she looks good on Tiktok while doing it.

“My morning self is energised, happy and grateful!,” explains Dr Sophie. “For me, my morning time is precious and it’s where I dedicate a little time to myself. It is my best time too. From a work perspective, I find that through until about two or three pm is when I get most done.”

With that in mind, here’s how Dr Sophie Shotter wakes up well…

1. I’m awake at 5am – but without a blaring alarm

“I’m definitely a morning person. That’s when I feel at my most productive and efficient, so I get up at 5 am on weekdays. I do allow myself a slight lie-in at the weekends though! I used to find it harder to wake up so early, but through consistency, it’s become so easy I actually look forward to it now.

How I wake up has also changed dramatically since I’ve had an EightSleep. It’s a cover that goes over my mattress and the temperature adjusts according to my preferences to optimise my sleep overnight. In the lead-up to my ‘alarm’ time, the pod warms me up, which would naturally happen as your body is getting ready to wake up. Then, at my alarm time, the pod starts to vibrate under my shoulders: it is the most gentle and beautiful way to wake up – no cortisol-raising alarm blaring out, and I get out of bed easily without snoozing. To be honest, at 5 am it’s very rarely bright in the UK, even in summer. That’s ok for me, but I do think daylight alarm clocks [aka a sad lamp] are also amazing.”

2. I like to track sleep quality (as well as quantity)

“My magic number for sleep is around eight hours, but if I’m being honest I rarely achieve this in the week since I like to be up so early. I used to try to kid myself that I could cope with four to five hours, but I ended up feeling very burnt out. Now I aim for about seven in the week, and have one morning at the weekend with no alarm clock, so that I can have a ‘catch up sleep’.

I track my sleep mainly through my Oura ring [a type of wearable fitness tracker], and I don’t just look at the hours I’ve had but also at the amount of deep and REM sleep, my temperature, heart rate variability, and sleep latency [aka the time it takes you to drift off]. I find these things all correlate very well with how I actually feel when I start my day.”

3. The first faces I see in the morning are…

“…my cats. They are a definite part of my morning, and if I’m lucky I get woken up by them instead of my alarm clock. Feeding them is one of the first things I do after getting up. My personal trainer or tennis coach are also a crucial part of my morning – I exercise at 7 am every day Monday to Friday.”

4. Meditation keeps me calm on busy mornings

“Coffee with collagen, meditation and breathwork, cold plunging and skincare; all form the basis of every morning for me. Meditation gets me in the best frame of mind and means I step into every day feeling like the best version of myself. That means my mornings are busy, but they actually feel very calm. Then the busier bit of my morning starts as I cold plunge and try to get going!

I love the Intelligent Change journals for setting up my day too – they have a great productivity planner. The Five Minute Journal is also a brilliant quick morning and evening check-in.”

5. I really focus on fuelling my body

“The first drink I have in the morning is water, followed by a black coffee with my collagen in. My first bite to eat is usually around 10 am when I have breakfast. My go-to is a cocoa chia seed pudding, which I top with cacao nibs, flax seed, almonds, and spiced pears (with no added sugar!) I like to prepare my food the night before for the next day as well. That includes my supplements, breakfast, and lunch so that I know I’m well nourished during the busy day ahead.”

6. The one thing I never do in the morning is…

“…look at my phone straight away. That’s my biggest non-negotiable and I don’t like to look at the news in the morning. I tend to look at my WhatsApp when I’m having my first coffee. Anything else waits until much later and post-workout, including social media and emails.”

7. I really believe in supplementation

“Gosh where to start with my morning supplements – I use a lot! I guess the most widely useful ones for overall bodily health are Vitamin D3, Magnesium, Omega 3, Omega 3,6,9, B Vitamins, and Zinc. I also take beauty and immunity supplements, including the amazing Liposomal Vitamin C by Evernutri, a Liposomal Hyaluronic again by Evernutri, Absolute Collagen, and also a hydrolysed collagen with elastin. Plus, a probiotic, Nuchido Time + to boost my NAD levels, and a supplement called N101 to boost my Nitric Oxide levels. I do take more than this, but it’s all targeted to address things very specific to me (like supporting my thyroid function, for example).”

8. My soundtrack sets my mood

“I have playlists I like for while I’m at home and I love the classical musicians Ludovico Einaudi and Max Richter, which means I leave the house feeling centred and balanced. Or if I need to wake myself up more then I put on a Happy playlist, which I’ve put together myself. In the car, I may listen to a podcast or more music. I don’t tend to read in the mornings, but I do love to read!”

9. If you looked in my bathroom cabinet you’d find…

“…my full morning skincare and haircare routines. [Get your list ready, all these products are aesthetic doctor-recommended!]

“Cleansing: I cleanse with Clinical Skin Gentle Cleanser and use Neostrata PHA Restore Pads to exfoliate two to three times per week.

Serums: I like Revision DEJ Daily Boosting Serum, Clinical Skin Vitamin C ProCollagen Serum, Alastin HA Immerse, or Alastin Restorative Skin Complex depending on my key concerns

Creams: Clinical Skin Ultra Light Balance Renew Moisturiser, Clinical Skin Rejuvenating Corrective Eye Balm, and SkinBetter Science TechNO Neck Perfecting Cream.

SPF: Intradermology Synergy 6 Sunscreen is a non-negotiable every morning.

Hair: I wash my hair three times a week and love Pureology Hydrate shampoo and conditioner, plus K18 – it’s completely changed my hair condition. I am also loving the Dyson AirStrait as I can dry and straighten simultaneously.”

Find out more about Dr Sophie and her role as a leading aesthetic doctor (among other things!) via her Dr Sophie Shotter expert listing on The Gloss Book.