Hannah Saxton’s Daily Routine for Mitochondrial Health

Natural Wake-Up

Hannah starts her mornings around 7–8 AM in a calm and natural way, letting her body decide when it’s ready to rise. Instead of rushing into the day, she uses this time to gently ease into wakefulness and check how restorative her sleep was the night before.

• Gentle start: She avoids alarms, Wi-Fi, or any overnight disturbances so her body can wake on its own. This supports her circadian rhythm and prevents the cortisol spike that often comes with abrupt noise or light exposure.
• Morning tools: Each morning she reviews her sleep data with tracking devices, checking how much deep, light, and REM sleep she achieved. She also looks at heart rate variability, a marker that gives her insight into her recovery and stress balance.
• Natural rhythm: Waking in sync with her body’s timing allows her to avoid the sleep inertia that alarms often trigger. This helps her feel more alert from the start of the day and reduces grogginess.
• Sleep environment: Her bedroom is designed for restorative rest, kept at a cool ~67°F to promote deep sleep. Blackout curtains remove light exposure, while the quiet and dark setting ensures uninterrupted rest. A cooling mattress pad helps regulate her body temperature through the night, preventing overheating and supporting sleep quality.

This natural approach to mornings gives Hannah the chance to rise refreshed, with both the energy and mental clarity she needs to begin her day on the right note.

Morning Sunlight & No-Phone Walk

At 8:00 AM, Hannah steps outside to start her day with fresh air and natural light. This calm practice not only signals her body that it’s time to be awake but also helps her ease into the day with focus and energy. She treats this routine as a reset, giving her both movement and mental clarity before the busyness begins.

• Sunlight exposure: Hannah spends 10–15 minutes in direct sunlight each morning. This natural light tells her body’s internal clock that the day has begun, boosting alertness and setting the stage for steady energy levels.
• Body’s natural clock: Exposure to morning light helps regulate her circadian rhythm, which sharpens focus during the day and promotes deeper, more restful sleep at night. Staying consistent with this practice makes her routine feel balanced.
• Phone-free walk: She follows this with a short, phone-free walk. The absence of screens gives her mind a chance to wander freely, often sparking creativity and ideas that set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

By starting her mornings outside and away from technology, Hannah builds focus and energy that carry into her daily tasks, helping her feel more present and intentional throughout the day.

Red Light Therapy + Deep Reading

By 8:30 in the morning, Hannah shifts into a slower-paced routine designed to restore her body and sharpen her mind. Instead of jumping straight into work, she sets aside this block of time for both recovery and focused learning, creating a balance between physical health and mental growth.

• Red light therapy session: She spends around 30 minutes using red light in the 600–900 nanometer range, a wavelength known for reaching deep into tissues and stimulating mitochondrial activity. This improves the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body’s main source of cellular energy, giving her a steady supply of fuel for the day.
• Cellular repair support: With enhanced ATP production, her body is better equipped to repair oxidative stress and lower inflammation. This aids in faster muscle recovery, supports immune function, and keeps her body performing efficiently.
• Skin and circulation benefits: Red light at these wavelengths stimulates collagen synthesis, which helps improve skin elasticity and overall tone. It also promotes better circulation, ensuring oxygen and nutrients are delivered effectively throughout the body.
• Mood and energy boost: The therapy supports neurotransmitter balance, particularly serotonin, which helps stabilize mood and enhances alertness. This makes mornings feel less sluggish and more productive.
• Deep reading practice: After completing therapy, Hannah devotes 30 minutes to uninterrupted reading. At the moment, she’s reading The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin, a book that highlights how persistence and discipline can strengthen mental growth.
• Strengthening mental endurance: Consistent deep reading trains her brain to focus for longer stretches of time. Just like exercise conditions the body, reading conditions the mind to handle more demanding tasks with greater clarity.
• Stress reduction through focus: Immersing herself in a book lowers stress levels by calming the nervous system. Slower breathing, reduced muscle tension, and a quieter mind make this practice both restorative and enjoyable.

Pairing red light therapy with focused reading gives Hannah the chance to care for her physical recovery at the cellular level while also investing in mental resilience, creating one of the most nourishing parts of her morning. For readers who want to learn more about the science and benefits of this practice, our red light therapy guide offers a deeper look.

Breakfast & Metabolic Tracking

Around 9:00 AM, Hannah transitions into her first meal of the day and pairs it with a careful look at how her body is responding internally. For her, breakfast isn’t just about eating, it’s also a way to gather information on her metabolic health and make sure her body is energized in the right way for the hours ahead.

• Tracking data: She monitors glucose, ketones, and lactate levels, recording them in a spreadsheet. These markers give her real-time insight into how well her body is shifting between fat and carbohydrate metabolism. By keeping track daily, she can see how food and supplements affect her energy patterns.
• Metabolic insights: Monitoring these numbers allows Hannah to understand her mitochondrial efficiency, which is how effectively her cells produce energy. This tracking also shows how flexible her metabolism is, meaning how easily her body adapts to different fuel sources like fats and carbohydrates.

Alongside her breakfast, Hannah takes a carefully selected supplement stack that supports both her immediate energy needs and her long-term health:

• CoQ10: She includes CoQ10 to support her mitochondria during the day. This compound is essential for ATP production in the electron transport chain, helping her cells create steady energy and reducing the likelihood of fatigue.
• NAD+: NAD+ is another key part of her stack. It plays a central role in metabolism and DNA repair, giving her body the tools it needs to maintain energy while also supporting cellular health over time.
• Glutathione: To strengthen her antioxidant defenses, she adds glutathione. This compound protects her cells from oxidative stress and helps recycle other antioxidants, keeping her system more resilient.
• Inositol: She also takes inositol with breakfast, which helps regulate insulin sensitivity and hormone balance. This supports more stable blood sugar levels and steady mental focus as she moves into the morning.
• Vitamin D: For immune support and energy regulation, she includes vitamin D. It plays a role in mitochondrial function, hormone health, and overall vitality, making it an essential part of her routine.
• Electrolytes: To stay hydrated, she adds electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These minerals help her maintain fluid balance, muscle function, and nervous system performance throughout the morning.
• Multivitamin: Rounding out her stack, she takes a broad-spectrum multivitamin. This ensures her body has the full range of vitamins and minerals needed for energy, recovery, and cellular function.

By combining her first meal with detailed metabolic tracking and a supplement routine designed to support energy, recovery, and resilience, Hannah sets up her body and mind for the rest of the day.

Recovery & Resilience Work

Hannah sets aside part of her late morning for practices that help her body recover and build stress tolerance. At 9:30 AM, she rotates between different options, each designed to support her physical health while also giving her mental balance.

• Sauna + cold plunge: Alternating heat and cold improves circulation and vascular elasticity. Heat exposure activates protective proteins that support cellular function, while cold immersion strengthens the nervous system and stimulates mitochondrial growth, helping the body adapt to stress.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Increased oxygen pressure raises oxygen availability in tissues, which supports faster healing and cellular repair. It also enhances brain function by encouraging the growth of new neurons and boosts mitochondrial activity for more efficient energy production.
• Hike or long walk: On movement days, she heads outside for a long walk or hike. She often takes the opportunity to call her family, connect with her cofounder, or chat with her friend Hamza. This way, she combines light exercise with meaningful connection, adding a social and emotional benefit to the physical activity.

This flexible rotation of recovery practices gives Hannah the tools to care for both her body and mind. Whether it’s supporting cellular repair through oxygen therapy, strengthening her stress response through contrast therapy, or building emotional connection during long walks, each option adds resilience to her routine and keeps her energized for the demands of the day ahead.

Morning Journaling

Hannah uses journaling as a way to pause and center herself before diving into deeper work. Around 10:00 AM, she sets aside time to reflect and write, giving her thoughts space on paper while sharpening her mental clarity for the day ahead.

• Writing time: She spends about 20 minutes journaling, structured enough to bring order but open enough to allow creativity to flow naturally. This balance helps her capture both intentional reflections and spontaneous ideas.
• Cognitive benefits: Writing down her thoughts strengthens memory and creates better organization of ideas, almost like setting up a roadmap for the mind to follow later.
• Emotional regulation: Journaling offers her a private outlet to process emotions, release stress, and ease any mental tension before moving into more demanding parts of the day.
• Focus boost: This practice primes her brain for concentration, helping her approach work with sharper focus and fewer distractions.

This journaling ritual has become a steady anchor in her mornings, giving her a mix of calm and focus. If you’d like to add a similar practice into your day, our Journaling Routine article shares practical ways to build this habit.

Focused Thinking Sprint

Hannah doesn’t jump straight from task to task in the morning. Instead, she builds in a block of deep thought where distractions are minimized and her full attention is directed toward one meaningful challenge. This period, which begins at 10:30 AM, allows her to stretch her thinking and sharpen her mental performance.

• Problem selection: Rather than trying to handle several things at once, she chooses one significant question or challenge to focus on. This can range from a business-related decision to a personal reflection, giving her time to truly process what matters instead of rushing through it.
• Feynman approach: To gain clarity, she uses a technique where she explains the problem in the simplest way possible, as if teaching it to someone unfamiliar with the topic. By breaking things down into plain language, she forces herself to really understand the core of the idea.
• Strengthening memory: This exercise works like training for her working memory. By holding a complex idea in mind and rephrasing it clearly, she strengthens her ability to retain and organize information in a way that makes it easier to recall later.
• Sharper focus: It also reduces mental clutter. By distilling large, complicated concepts into their basics, she avoids feeling weighed down and instead experiences a clearer, more focused state of mind.
• Creativity boost: Tackling one idea with intensity often sparks new angles and creative solutions she might not have noticed otherwise. The act of simplifying and reframing pushes her to see connections between concepts.

This short sprint leaves Hannah more centered and mentally prepared, ensuring that the rest of her work flows with greater clarity and efficiency.

Workout

By late morning, around 11:00 AM, Hannah shifts her focus from mental work to physical activity. She uses this part of the day to recharge her energy and strengthen her body, choosing different workouts depending on how she feels and what her schedule allows.

• Pilates practice: Pilates helps Hannah build a strong foundation by targeting her core muscles and improving alignment. These sessions not only strengthen her body but also give her more stability and control for other types of exercise.
• Yoga flow: On days when she wants a slower pace, yoga allows her to stretch deeply while calming her mind. The mix of movement and breathing creates both physical flexibility and a sense of relaxation that carries through the day.
• Swimming sessions: Time in the pool offers her a low-impact but highly effective workout. Swimming challenges her endurance, tones muscles across the body, and provides a refreshing change from land-based routines.
• Tennis games: Playing tennis adds variety by combining fun with fitness. The fast-paced movements sharpen her reflexes, improve coordination, and also give her a chance to enjoy activity in a more social setting.

This variety of workouts keeps Hannah’s routine both effective and enjoyable, ensuring her fitness supports her overall lifestyle instead of feeling repetitive.

Work Routine

Her afternoons take on a focused structure, with the start of her workday settling in around 12:00 PM. This is when Hannah shifts gears from personal routines into professional responsibilities, dedicating her energy to meaningful projects and long-term goals.

• Focused work block: She carves out uninterrupted hours for deep concentration, often working until the evening without distractions. This setup helps her get into flow and sustain momentum.
• Company leadership: Hannah co-founded Mitome, a company centered on advanced health testing, alongside Dr. Chris Masterjohn. Much of her day involves overseeing progress, guiding direction, and making decisions that shape the company’s growth.
• Collaborating with her co-founder: Working closely with Dr. Masterjohn, she balances shared responsibilities while also contributing her own perspective to ensure both innovation and practical application are part of their approach.
• Structured schedule: She relies on time-blocking to divide her work into sections, whether that’s planning, writing, or meetings. This structure keeps her on task and prevents burnout from juggling too much at once.
• Team connection: Beyond her direct partnership, she communicates with her team to align on priorities, share updates, and troubleshoot challenges. Clear communication is central to how she maintains productivity across multiple projects.
• Growth mindset at work: Hannah views each day as a chance to refine both her professional and personal skills. She leans into challenges as opportunities to sharpen her abilities and create meaningful progress.

Her work routine shows how discipline and collaboration can coexist with creativity. By structuring her afternoons around focus, partnership, and steady growth, Hannah is able to make real progress on her professional goals while keeping her energy aligned with the rest of her daily routine.

Lunch

Around 1:00 PM, Hannah steps away from work to focus on refueling her body with clean, nourishing foods. This break in the day is less about indulgence and more about giving her the right balance of nutrients to keep her sharp and energized well into the evening.

• Protein smoothie: A nutrient-rich smoothie with protein helps keep her satisfied, supports muscle repair, and prevents sudden dips in blood sugar. It’s a convenient way for her to get lasting fuel without slowing down.
• Fresh vegetable juice: Carrot or celery juice provides hydration while also delivering essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that support digestion and reduce inflammation.
• Salad or bowl meal: A large salad filled with leafy greens, healthy fats, and lean proteins makes for a light but nutrient-dense option. It provides fiber, micronutrients, and steady energy without feeling heavy.
• Focus on balance: Each choice combines proteins, healthy fats, and phytonutrients, giving her the stamina she needs while avoiding the common mid-afternoon energy crash.
• Anti-inflammatory support: Her food selection is designed to minimize inflammation, which not only benefits physical health but also supports mental clarity and focus.

Her approach to lunch shows that eating well doesn’t have to be complicated. By choosing simple meals rich in nutrients, Hannah stays energized, avoids sluggishness, and keeps her productivity high.

Deep Work

After finishing lunch, Hannah sets aside a large part of her afternoon for focused work. From 1:30 PM until 8:00 PM, she creates an environment that allows her to concentrate fully on projects that require deep thinking and creativity.

• Phone and notifications off: She removes all potential distractions by silencing notifications and keeping her phone away. This helps her enter a flow state and maintain mental endurance for hours at a time.
• Immersed in high-value tasks: With her mind clear, Hannah directs her energy toward projects that demand problem-solving, planning, or creative work. This uninterrupted time lets her complete tasks more efficiently.
• Occasional use of Alpha GPC: To support mental sharpness, she sometimes takes Alpha GPC, a supplement that can enhance focus and memory. This gives her an added boost during particularly demanding work sessions.
• Sustainable focus practice: By dedicating the same block of time each day, she trains her brain to settle into deep concentration more quickly, making her workflow smoother over time.

This long window of focused effort is what helps Hannah stay productive. With minimal distractions and the right tools for mental clarity, she’s able to consistently perform at a high level during her deep work sessions.

Routines Spotlight: Phone Fasts

Every so often, Hannah chooses to fully disconnect from her phone. For several days at a time, usually starting midweek around Wednesday afternoon, she sets it aside to give her mind space from constant alerts and digital noise.

• Extended phone breaks: She commits to going without her phone for multiple days. This practice allows her brain to reset, reducing the constant craving for quick dopamine hits and improving overall focus.
• Mental clarity boost: Without the usual stream of messages and updates, her thoughts become clearer. The absence of distractions opens up space for deeper thinking and more meaningful reflection.
• Creative surge: By the third day of being offline, she notices a noticeable rise in creativity. Ideas flow more freely, and she often finds herself solving problems that had previously felt stuck.
• Improved problem-solving: These breaks sharpen her ability to think critically. Without digital interruptions, she can process information more thoroughly and arrive at better solutions.

Hannah’s phone fasts aren’t just about stepping away from technology, they serve as a reset that helps her return to work with sharper focus and renewed energy. These intentional breaks from constant connectivity allow her to approach her projects with a fresh perspective that often leads to stronger results.

Discomfort Zone Reading

When the clock strikes 8:00 PM, Hannah doesn’t reach for something light or entertaining. Instead, she sets aside half an hour for reading that pushes her limits, choosing material that requires deep concentration and persistence. This time is about challenging her mind in the same way others challenge their bodies through exercise.

• Mentally challenging material: She gravitates toward books and essays in areas like biochemistry, philosophy, or first-principles thinking. These are not easy reads, but they demand patience and force her to think in ways outside her comfort zone.
• Cognitive stamina building: Just as muscles grow when tested with heavier weights, her brain strengthens when it tackles difficult concepts. Over time, she has noticed her ability to focus for long stretches and process complex information has improved.
• Focus under pressure: Reading dense material at night also sharpens her ability to remain calm and engaged when faced with demanding tasks during the day. It builds resilience that translates into her work and decision-making.
• Long-term payoff: This consistent habit ensures she continues to grow intellectually rather than plateauing with content that feels easy or familiar. Each session leaves her with a sense of progress, even if the material takes time to fully understand.

Finishing her day with this mental workout allows Hannah to strengthen her frontal cortex stamina. Over time, this nightly practice has become one of the most valuable parts of her routine, helping her stay sharp, focused, and better prepared to handle challenges in both her personal and professional life.

Dinner

By sitting down to dinner at 8:30 PM, Hannah gives her body the fuel it needs without eating too close to bedtime. This timing, paired with her balanced plate of protein, vegetables, and carbs, sets her up for better digestion and smoother recovery as she winds down for the night.

• Protein choices: Tofu or fish often take center stage at her dinner table, both providing the protein her body needs to repair and recover after a full day. These sources also keep the meal light and digestible.
• Fresh vegetables: A mix of organic produce such as bok choy, cabbage, and carrots adds color, texture, and plenty of nutrients. Vegetables play an important role in supporting digestion and providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Complex carbohydrates: Options like rice or potatoes supply steady energy, helping her body restore glycogen levels and maintain balance before sleep. These slow-digesting carbs also prevent late-night hunger.

This balanced approach makes her dinners both enjoyable and practical. Hannah ends her evenings with a sense of nourishment that supports her health and prepares her body for recovery overnight by choosing protein, vegetables, and complex carbs.