Imagine a city day during the week. The platform is packed at 7:40 a.m., and half of the carriage is carrying a flat white in a paper cup. A rule that sounds almost impolite enters the scene: don’t touch caffeine for ninety minutes after waking up. This article is a thought experiment that examines how Andrew Huberman’s morning routine would compare to a London office schedule, as no trial was conducted for it.
First, what he suggests. Huberman, a neuroscientist at Stanford, recommends holding caffeine for 90 to 120 minutes after waking up, getting outside for light within the first 30 to 60 minutes, and drinking water with electrolytes. According to his theory, the mid-afternoon crash softens and adenosine, the molecule that accumulates and causes drowsiness, clears more gently. He awakens at six or six-thirty. Around eight, he has his first yerba mate or coffee.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Protocol in short | Delay caffeine 90 to 120 minutes after waking, get bright light early, hydrate first |
| Stated reason | Allows adenosine to clear more naturally and may soften the afternoon crash |
| Morning light advice | Outside within 30 to 60 minutes of waking, ideally without sunglasses |
| Winter alternative | Light therapy lamp, about 10,000 lux, roughly a foot from the face for 10 to 20 minutes |
| Hydration | Water with electrolytes or a pinch of sea salt before caffeine |
| Huberman’s wake time | About 6:00 to 6:30 a.m. |
| Huberman’s first caffeine | Yerba mate or black coffee around 90 to 120 minutes after waking |
| Caffeine cutoff | Before noon |
| Cortisol idea | Cortisol peaks about 30 to 45 minutes after waking, which is the basis for the delay |
| Medical view | A physician cautions that benefits are possible, not proven |
| Status of the 90 to 120 minute window | A Huberman recommendation, not a settled sleep guideline |
| London winter sunrise | Close to 8 a.m., with frequent overcast skies |
| Example commuter timeline | Wake 6:45, light and walk during commute, first coffee around 8:15 to 9:00 |
| Easiest parts to adopt | Water first, early outdoor light, an earlier caffeine cutoff |
| Hardest parts to adopt | Cold plunge, red light panel, large supplement stack, six-day training, late first meal |
| Social challenge | Office coffee rounds and morning catch-ups |
| Practical suggestion | Try a modified version for two weeks and note energy and sleep |
The London version is now available. It is strangely feasible for someone who wakes up at 6:45 to complete a 9 a.m. desk to reach the 90-minute mark at 8:15. The delay is caused by the commute. Everything else is where the problems begin. The hardest part to follow is the light advice. Sunrise occurs around 8 a.m. during midwinter, and the sky is mostly gray throughout the day. Huberman acknowledges this and recommends a 10,000 lux lamp for cloudy mornings. He claims that while it’s not as good as the real thing, it’s still better than nothing.
The culture comes next. Coffee serves as a social glue in these offices. The customer who shows up with two cups, the “quick catch-up over a coffee,” and the kitchen line. It seems insignificant but noticeable to turn someone down at 8:30. The true cost of the protocol might not even be physical. It’s the slight awkwardness of having to wait.
Whether the delay accomplishes the stated goals is the more difficult question. Compared to the podcast circuit, doctors appear to be more circumspect. According to one doctor’s assessment, the theory is based on cortisol peaking 30 to 45 minutes after waking, with potential but uncertain benefits. Additionally, according to one review that focuses on sleep, the precise 90 to 120 minute window is Huberman’s suggestion rather than a set rule. That seems reasonable. Tidy numbers travel well, so there’s a sense that the number is tidy.
However, some aspects of the routine are independent of any disputed mechanism. It’s difficult to argue with the free nature of morning daylight and a quick stroll. It makes sense for anyone who has trouble sleeping to cut back on caffeine by noon, as he does. It’s easy to imagine a London worker benefiting more from sunlight on their face and getting off the bus early than from any kind of timing trick.
The routine becomes unreachable during the remainder. Cold plunges, red light panels, a daily stack of a dozen supplements, training six days a week, an eating window starting at 11. That’s not a routine built around a life, but a life built around the routine. It will be unrecognizable to most Northern line commuters.
What would a logical version look like, then? First, water. Go outside early, even if it’s just for ten minutes. Coffee at 8:30 or 9 instead of 7. Unless there’s a compelling reason to try it, skip the rest. Only by trying for a few weeks and paying attention will each person be able to determine whether that results in a better afternoon.
Perhaps that is the most truthful lesson. The 90-minute delay is neither absurd nor a cheat code. Contrary to what the rest of the Huberman morning suggests, it is a simple experiment that is inexpensive to conduct and much simpler.
