Evening Standard and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability are subject to change
I don’t close my curtains, so I usually wake naturally with the sunrise. Sleep is really important to me, so I try to get an early night where possible. It’s harder in summer because the light starts so early, but waking with the natural light cycle always feels best for me
The first thing I do is have a coffee. I’ll take the coffee back to bed, rest there for a few minutes, listen to the radio, look at the light coming through the room and think about the day ahead. It’s something I’ve always done, and I’d find it strange not to
Movement is a huge part of how I feel good mentally and physically. My ideal morning starts with a run around Regent’s Park. Not every day is perfect, but that’s the intention. When I get home, I’ll shower and get ready
I’m very low-fuss when it comes to skincare and grooming. I use anatomē products, naturally — shower gel, cleanser — and every day I use the anatomē illuminating face oil. In summer, I’ll spray La Roche-Posay SPF 50 over my face, head, neck and arms before leaving the house
Advertisement
Breakfast is usually oats or something protein-focused. Lunch is ideally a salad, although if I’m busy I’ll grab something healthy while I’m out. I love Paul Rothe & Son in Marylebone and I go to the Salad Project quite a lot, too. Dinner is almost always cooked fresh at home. Fish, meat, vegetables — I like colour and freshness on a plate. Summer food especially makes me happy: tomatoes, fruit, good ripe cheeses. I don’t follow any strict diet. I just think eating properly, cooking from scratch and enjoying food is important.
Running is my version of meditation. Being alone in the park, outside, moving — it completely clears my head. I grew up in Ireland, so nature has always been important to me
“Opera, theatre, music, visual arts help you breathe differently and feel more connected”
I also think culture is deeply important for wellbeing. Opera, theatre, music, visual arts — those experiences help you breathe differently and feel more connected. We have the best opera, concert halls and theatres in the world. People don’t realise how inexpensive it is to stand in the opera house to listen and see some of the most wonderful music ever written. That, and an old-fashioned phone call with a friend is underrated
I love a sauna. There is a village in Northern Ireland, Rostrevor, with a place called Revive Sauna overlooking the water and mountains, and it’s honestly one of my favourite places to reset. In London my gym has a really good sauna too, so I try to use that regularly
Advertisement
Cordyceps, lion’s mane and reishi have genuinely made a difference for me during stressful periods. But more than any supplement, I think waking naturally, being outside and staying connected to nature are the biggest mood enhancers. I’ve also become fascinated by scent and the emotional impact it has. Different fragrances can shift energy, focus and mood throughout the day
I don’t currently have a television, which has been positive. I’m trying to read more and listen to more audiobooks instead. Like everyone, I spend far too long on screens throughout the day and I worry about what that’s doing to attention spans and eyesight
I think I’ve refined my own personal system over time: movement, eating well, culture, music, visual arts and nature. Your body craves those things every week. That’s one of the great gifts of living in London — there is endless stimulation for the mind
I try to wind down at about 10pm. Usually it’s a scented anatomē candle, a quick cleanse, then into bed with the anatomē pillow spray and sensory point oils. I always read before bed. I’m fairly relaxed with my phone — it charges in the same room — but recently I’ve definitely felt less interested in endlessly scrolling. I think a lot of people are becoming fatigued by constant digital noise
Brendan Murdock is the founder of London-based wellbeing brandanatomē
