By Frank Lucasale 
Many of us wake up, roll over, and immediately grab our phones. It feels normal, even necessary—but neuroscientists warn that this one small habit could be doing more harm than we realize.
1. You Spike Your Cortisol Levels Instantly
When you wake up, your body is already releasing cortisol to help you feel alert. Flooding your brain with emails, alerts, or social media content adds an extra jolt of stress, leading to heightened anxiety throughout the day.
2. It Hijacks Your Attention System
Your brain’s reticular activating system (RAS) determines what gets your attention. Early exposure to overwhelming content pulls your focus toward chaos, not calm—and your brain follows that lead all day.
3. You Interrupt Your Natural Brain-Wave Cycle
In the first 30 minutes after waking, your brain is in theta waves—a calm, creative state ideal for reflection and planning. Checking your phone switches you to high-alert beta waves too quickly, killing creativity and clarity.
4. It Reduces Motivation and Focus
Scrolling first thing fills your mind with other people’s priorities before you’ve even thought about your own. That can dampen your inner drive and shift your focus outward, away from your actual goals.
5. You Train Your Brain for Reactivity, Not Intention
Neuroscience shows that repeated habits rewire your neural pathways. When you start each day reacting to notifications, your brain gets better at reacting and worse at initiating meaningful focus.
6. It Contributes to Mental Fatigue by Noon
Your prefrontal cortex, which handles decision-making and impulse control, gets overloaded early—making it harder to stay productive later in the day.
What to Do Instead
- Delay screen time: Give yourself 30–60 minutes before checking your phone.
- Start with silence: Breathe, stretch, or meditate before external input.
- Write down your top 3 intentions for the day instead of reading notifications.
- Use a real alarm clock to avoid reaching for your phone upon waking.
- Train your mind for focus by controlling how you start your day.
Changing this one habit could be the biggest shift you make in your mental energy. Don’t let your phone set the tone for your day—let your mind lead instead.