Wouldn’t it be nice to strip away the overcomplicated routines posted online, getting back to the fundamentals of wellness? A minimalist approach to wellness is simple and consistent, with tried and trusted practices.

Wearables, ice baths, infrared sauna blankets, and searches for supplements – from vitamin B to vitamin D to the best weed gummies – may all help, but the fundamentals of wellness don’t change. Almost everyone on Earth can benefit from exercise, quality sleep and recovery, a nutritious diet, sunlight and a healthy circadian rhythm, meditation, and gratitude. Here’s how to create a calmer routine.

Return to movement

There are countless complex programs and biohackers’ routines online. But really, human bodies just need to move – often and with variety. A minimalist exercise routine could include some bodyweight strength exercises, whatever type of cardio you prefer (whether jogging, swimming, rowing, or long walks, for example), occasional higher intensity bursts (sprinting, punching bags, dancing) – as long as no health concerns prevent this, and a sport you enjoy.

There are many free YouTube fitness videos if having an instructor provides the right motivation. If accountability or a set program helps, you might choose a 30-day challenge like one of the popular “30 days of push ups” online. It’s rewarding seeing your progress and being in a better place than where you started.

Try to think of movement as medicine rather than a chore. It stimulates circulation, improves concentration and mood by releasing endorphins, and reduces stress. Daily movement, even in tiny chunks, conditions your muscles and supports your mood better than any supplement stack or trendy dried vegetable powder.

Exercise leads us on to sleep and recovery.

Prioritise sleep and recovery

While it follows exercise, sleep and recovery are arguably the most important part of wellness. It’s hard to maintain any exercise routine when your sleep’s not dialled in. It’s also a lot harder to stay motivated with a sunny outlook if you’re only getting a few hours’ rest per night. Many people put all their focus on workouts but ignore the downtime that allows adaptation (including muscle growth) to happen.

Start with sleep hygiene. Dimming lights an hour before bed, using apps like f.lux on your computer and using the colour filters on your phone, and maintaining a regular bedtime can help build a rhythm. If you stick to a routine, your eyes are more likely to naturally start drooping closer to bedtime! Getting to sleep will be easier. You might consider a pre-bedtime ritual (taking a warm shower, reading, a short yoga routine or stretching) to help signal your body that it’s time to rest.

Gentler exercise days, or rest days, can support recovery with mindfulness, breathing exercises, and easy movement. Whether it’s yoga, a slow walk in nature, or a few minutes of deep belly breathing, these practices promote parasympathetic activity – our bodies’ “rest and digest” mode.

Simplify nutrition

Let the changing influencers’ new diet theories come and go. The basics of nutrition have stood the test of time; whole foods (fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, proteins, and fats) help provide reliable energy and mood.

There’s usually no need to obsess over calories or macros. Look for general patterns. How do you feel a few hours after a meal? How do you sleep after eating sugary foods, or closer or further away from bedtime? That kind of mindful observation is more helpful than rigid rules that may have worked for someone with a different body and mind.

Many of the famously healthy foods work for both body and brain: olive oil, purple vegetables, low GI berries, fatty fish, etc. You might experiment with eating with your natural movement patterns: if you’re working out soon after breakfast, most of your day’s fat intakes might be better saved for lunch or dinner. If you practice intermittent fasting, don’t stress if you don’t stick to the schedule by the exact minute – you’ll still be reaping the benefits. And if you’ve tried IF for some time and it doesn’t feel right, your body might be telling you you’re better off eating more regularly.

Don’t forget hydration. Water and herbal teas are more helpful than sugary drinks and endless coffee refills. If you struggle to remember to drink enough, try setting a few reminders on your phone throughout the day.

Reconnect with sunlight

Sunlight is one of the most potent tools for physical and mental health; luckily it’s completely free. Aligning your activities with daylight helps regulate hormones tied to energy, hunger, and mood.

If you do follow some health influencers, you might’ve seen the likes of Andrew Huberman (Stanford neuroscientist, host of Huberman Lab podcast) talk about how just 10-15 minutes of morning sunlight helps set our body clocks.

Try to wake close to sunrise and dim your lights after sunset. Eat main meals during daylight rather than late at night. This reinforces your circadian rhythm, leading to better quality sleep and making it easier to wake up.

Create mental space

Both gratitude and meditation shift your focus away from what’s missing toward what already nourishes you. Keeping a simple gratitude journal (listing three things/people each evening, for example) or pausing to acknowledge one moment of beauty each day, is a low effort, high reward habit.

Meditation, stripped to its core, is simply training attention. No need for fancy cushions or subscription apps – ten minutes of mindful breathing each day will do more good than almost any other practice in the world. You can practice anywhere, anytime – before work, during a break, or while waiting for a train.

Keep things simple

Over time, small actions build into big shifts: steady energy, more restful sleep, more focus, and deeper calm. The minimalist path reminds us that the most proven wellness practices are the most ancient – and the most human.