Welcome to Waking Up Well, a column where we hand-select people we admire and ask them to share how they start the day. We think morning routines are a crucial part of an intentional wellness journey and we’re fascinated by the practices of our favorite figures.

Dr. Chelsea Azarcon grew up wanting to be an author, but chronic illness had other plans. She was always a sick kid, and this only got worse in her teens and 20s. After working with prestigious doctors and still coming up short on answers, she began to conduct her own research — which eventually led to her medical career.  

“Chelsea’s advanced training in integrative medicine combines conventional medical knowledge with research-based natural therapies.”

With a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University after studying Biological Sciences at Cornell University as an undergrad, Chelsea’s advanced training in integrative medicine combines conventional medical knowledge with research-based natural therapies. Her work touches on rheumatology, Lyme disease, and autoimmune disease, with a focus on finding the hidden triggers of persistent illness. She has worked with some of the most respected medical institutions in the country including the Mayo Clinic and UCLA Hospital alongside a variety of accomplished alternative practitioners and conventional practitioners alike. Eventually, she realized storytelling and medicine could be integrated too, and wrote her first book, a memoir entitled “Losing You, Finding Me.” Today, she runs a private practice in Northern California and shares her story and insights as a public speaker.

We are so inspired by Chelsea’s story, and we were dying to know how such a busy person starts her mornings! While she does a lot to contribute to her overall health, we love the warmth and flexibility that she builds into her routine: Her mornings look a little different during the week, for example, than on the weekends. She mentions that research shows consistent wake times are best for sleep, but because she is in remission from Lyme Disease and mold illness, she gives herself grace with natural wake times a few times a week. She also tells us that she leans into her chronotype, which indicates that she’s naturally more of an “evening” person, so her major bio hacks are stacked at the end of the day (we’ll have to tell you about that another time!).

“While she does a lot to contribute to her overall health, we love the warmth and flexibility that she builds into her routine.”

For Chelsea, mornings are mostly about listening to her body’s cues and integrating small, achievable habits to set herself up for a successful day. From vibration plates to spirituality and superstar supplements, here’s how she opens her days.

7:30 am | Weekday rise ⏰

One of the benefits of running my own private practice is the flexibility to start my day at a time that feels restful for me. I wake with an alarm, but one of my goals for the new year is to replace my conventional alarm with a Hatch, which wakes your body by mimicking the sun. This cues circadian rhythms that it is time to wake up.

“There is a Scottish Term called ‘hurkle-durkle’ that means ‘to allow oneself to lie in bed and lounge when one should be getting up.’ Because I am not a morning person, I try to integrate a little bit of this concept before rising.”

I usually set my alarm a few minutes before I know I want to get up. There is a Scottish Term called “hurkle-durkle” that means “to allow oneself to lie in bed and lounge when one should be getting up.” Because I am not a morning person, I try to integrate a little bit of this concept before rising (on the weekends, hurkle-durkle is in full force). I often use this time to say a brief prayer, which is usually a mix of gratitude, asking for help, and setting an intention for my day. If I am extra tired, I will listen to a faith-based meditation that focuses on quieting my mind & heart and connecting with God’s love for me. Because carrying faith throughout my day, and expressing in it my work, is important to me, I may also mentally recite a Bible verse that releases protection, intention, or blessing over my day. 

As a doctor, I agree that one of the worst things you can do for your brain in the morning is scroll. Doing a high dopamine activity early in the day can make it harder to sustain dopamine levels throughout the day, leading to dips in concentration and energy. But, as a human, I confess, I sometimes splurge and scroll for a few minutes before getting up. But, I never check email or any other work-related messages until I am out of bed.

Person in pink pajamas stretches with arms raised, standing in front of a window with wooden frames.
Woman lying on a bed, gently cuddling a Golden Retriever. The bed has soft pillows and a fluffy blanket.

8:00 am | Doggy snuggles & unmade bed 🐾

One of the first things I do when my feet hit the ground is share a hug with my golden retriever (on days when we are feeling extra hurkly-durkly we may cuddle before getting out of bed). This gives me a shot of oxytocin first thing. When I get out of bed, I leave it unmade until the end of my morning routine. Leaving a bed unmade is better for your health as it gives the sheets time to air out, allowing moisture to evaporate. Research has shown that unaired blankets are a breeding ground for parasites and dust mites, too. Yuck!

Sun exposure is also a key part of a healthy morning routine. Since I am not a morning person, you will not find me setting my alarm 20 minutes early to get sun exposure. Here is what I do instead. I like using a sun lamp (like the Verilux HappyLight), especially on days when I get ready in the bathroom without windows or in darker winter months. I hung a mirror near the window in my room, so you might catch me doing my makeup and hair routine at this mirror, so I can get sun exposure without sacrificing sleep. 

“I hung a mirror near the window in my room, so you might catch me doing my makeup and hair routine at this mirror, so I can get sun exposure without sacrificing sleep.”

I recently got a PEMF + infrared mat from Bon Charge, that I can sit on while doing my routine near the window. PEMF is a beneficial type of EMF that boosts cellular and mitochondrial health (as well as creativity and productivity) while infrared helps ground, and reduces inflammation.

Person sitting on the floor petting a golden retriever lying on a black mat, with a wooden cabinet in the background.
Woman with long hair yawning, stretching one arm overhead, wearing a floral dress indoors.

8:10 am | Vibration plate 💓

One of my favorite things to do in the morning is to spend 10 minutes on my Vmax fitness vibration plate. Vibration plates are excellent for strengthening muscles and bones and moving lymph. Because I prefer to work out at the end of the day (with the exception of weekends, when you can catch me running by the lake or doing an at-home Pilates routine right after breakfast), the vibration plate is a great way for me to wake up my body and feel energized for the day. It is always a treat when I make time for it. If I don’t have time for the vibration plate, I will use a lymph roller on my face before putting on makeup.

8:30 am | Organic skincare & singing 🎶

Skin & haircare are some of my favorite morning rituals. I enjoy the challenge of trying to get a blowout look without using too much heat (overnight braids or curlers & the Dyson Airwrap help me with this). My skincare is a sacred time. If I wore Frownies patches to bed, I will remove them first. I have a several-step skincare routine using Eminence Organics products — a line of Hungarian skincare without cancer-promoting or hormone-disrupting ingredients (popular with a lot of celebrities too). 

I have often enjoyed listening to a podcast, educational training, or audiobooks during this time (currently making my way through “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed & “Return of the Gods” by Jonathan Cahn) but, in the new year, I am trying to spend this time singing. Singing is a great way to tone your vagus nerve and shift your body into a parasympathetic state. Personally, I also believe singing has a way of energetically shifting the environment. Because of that, I try to sing something with a spiritual reflection. Maverick City is a favorite. Or, I will wake up with song lyrics in my head and I will listen to the song those lyrics are from — recently it was “Steady Love” by Ben Rector. While we all have to find time to make ourselves presentable for the day, I try to fill this time with things I enjoy so I don’t feel like I’m jumping straight into work.

A dog sits on a bed near a window, with sunlight streaming in. A plant and woven baskets are in the background.
Two pink boxes of Frownies Facial Patches are open on a wooden surface, with several patches scattered around.

8:45am | Supplements & glucose check ⚕️

I am really focused on mitochondrial health currently. Mitochondria are responsible for making energy inside of cells so mitochondrial support is amazing for anyone looking to lose weight, boost performance, heal disease, slow aging, and biohack their neurocognition. I created a custom supplement called MitoMend (which will be available to the public soon) that supports every stage of mitochondrial energy production from the carbs, fat, or protein you ate in your diet to energy molecules your cells can use. This helps kickstart my energy and appetite. As part of my post-Lyme recovery, I am also supporting my thyroid with microdoses of thyroid medication and adrenals with glandular supplements from cows. Healthy thyroid and adrenals are key to balanced hormones, a working metabolism, and sustained energy. My two superstar supplements are methylene blue & NAD. This combination helps turn my cells ON!

“My two superstar supplements are methylene blue & NAD. This combination helps turn my cells ON!”

Another key component of a healthy metabolism and longevity is balanced blood sugar. I don’t check my blood sugar every day for my mental health, as I tend to get obsessive over biomarkers. However, I check my blood sugar about quarterly. This involves taking a morning reading that helps me understand how well my diet, sleep, and stress are supporting my metabolism. Levels is a company that provides OTC access to CGMs (continuous glucose monitors) for those who want to track at home. If my blood glucose reads high, or I wake up feeling like my blood sugar is high (it feels like I ate too much sugar), I will drink 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in 1 ounce of water to help that glucose get to muscles.

Twice a month, I also check my muscle mass, fat mass, and bone density on my Hume Body Pod in the morning. This helps me understand if my habits are supporting my fitness goals.

Person holding a red pill organizer labeled "NIGHT" with pills inside, part of a larger weekly pill organizer on a table.
Woman in a kitchen smiling, holding several capsules in one hand, and playfully holding one up to her eye with the other hand.

9 am | Smoothie & coffee alternatives 🍵

I prioritize a healthy breakfast for me and my dog (yes, the dog gets homemade food with supplements too). I practice intermittent fasting 1–2 times/week, with more regular fasting in the follicular phase of my cycle. Otherwise, I make a smoothie. This is a great way for me to load up on vegetables at the very start of the day. My ideal smoothie has 1/2 avocado, 1/4-1/2 cup frozen cauliflower rice, 1 cup power greens, non-dairy milk (without gums if I can find it), a scoop of Ancient Nutrition Bone Broth Protein Powder (2 scoops if I am focusing on my protein goals), cocoa powder, and stevia. Check out the recipe here for something similar!

“I practice intermittent fasting 1–2 times/week, with more regular fasting in the follicular phase of my cycle. Otherwise, I make a smoothie.”

If I have enough time, I often enjoy a homemade matcha (Ancient Nutrition has a great Collagen Matcha Energizer Powder I love) or a superfood coffee alternative from Kamana made with mesquite pods. But I never drink caffeine without food since this is a surefire way to lead to unhappy hormones and metabolism.

Keep in mind that somewhere in here, I have a good poop. Yep, I said it. For me, a good sign of a healthy gut is a morning routine that always includes a good poop.

Person placing greens into a white blender filled with assorted vegetables.
A green smoothie in a glass with a metal straw, placed next to a bunch of rainbow chard on a light surface.

9:30 am | Walk to work 🚶‍♀️

I am blessed to live close enough to walk to work, so if I am really on top of my game, I jumpstart my step count this way. If walking is going to make my morning rushed or cut into my sleep, it gets eliminated. I have to prioritize what serves me best, overall!

Images by Frownies and Chelsea Azarcon, captured by Hannah Crouse.