Gisele Bündchen's Morning Routine Includes This Healthy Drink & Mental Health Practice

Morning routines are all the rage on social media, to the point where lots of us end up feeling, well, a little inadequate about our own. Not all of us can roll out of bed smiling at before dawn and go straight into our aesthetically pleasing journaling/mindfulness/exercise routine! That said, there are some genuinely good habits we can pick up from others’ morning routines, even if ours don’t look quite so perfect, and that’s how we’re feeling after learning what Monday mornings look like for Gisele Bündchen. The model, mom, and wellness aficionado shared her morning routine with the Wall Street Journal in a new interview, and there are a few simple, accessible things we love about it (and might just incorporate into our own).

One thing we’re definitely copying: Bündchen’s simple wake-up drink. No, it’s not coffee or even tea — no caffeine here. Instead, the model opts for lemon water of a specific kind (and temperature). “I like to have lukewarm water with a little lemon and Celtic salt,” she tells the outlet. She follows that up with 15 minutes of stretching and 15 minutes of meditation — a solid mental health practice to start the day.

So why lemon water with salt — and why lukewarm? While Bündchen doesn’t explain what she specifically likes about this combo, lemon water has plenty of documented benefits. For one thing, it’s a good way to hydrate that many people prefer over tasteless plain water (but is still a healthier choice than sugary drinks like soda or juice). Lemons also contain vitamin C and may help prevent kidney stones, per the National Kidney Foundation. Some small studies have also found that drinking lemon water before eating can help boost digestion.

So what about the Celtic salt Bündchen sprinkles in her lemon water? Per Mayo Clinic, Celtic Sea salt is a type of sea salt that was originally made through “the evaporation of sea water from coastal areas in France near the Celtic Sea,” though water from other coasts is now used as well. It’s distinctive for its larger crystals and gray appearance, a result of the minerals it features.

As far as health benefits, Celtic Sea salt is less processed, so contains more moisture and trace minerals (think: magnesium, calcium, potassium) in very small amounts. Mayo Clinic also notes that, for some people, drinking water with Celtic Sea salt helped them drink more water overall, and can be especially beneficial for those who sweat heavily and frequently, such as during long workouts.

So what about the lukewarm temperature that Bündchen likes for her lemon-salt water? Overall, experts say that water at any temperature is good for keeping you hydrated and healthy, though some cultures believe that cold water comes with health risks, some of which have been borne out by research. One small study, for example, found that cold water can make congestion worse (so a good idea to avoid it if you’re sick or feeling stuffy), while other research linked cold water with triggering migraines.

Overall, Bündchen’s lemon-salt water morning drink sounds like a good option for hydration, which is something we should all be thinking about when we wake up in the morning. After all, you’ve just gone hours without drinking anything — your body needs some water to kickstart the day.

And we love that Bündchen prioritizes this short routine and uses it to make time for herself in the morning. It’s not always easy as a mom, the model acknowledges, especially when her kids are with her. (They split time between Bündchen and her ex-husband, Tom Brady.) “When my kids are with me, they have so many activities. It’s difficult to manage my schedule and their schedule,” Bündchen says. “The most important thing for me every day is to put the oxygen mask on me first.”

Before you go, shop more products to help you hydrate: