Most of us start the morning on autopilot. We grab a coffee or a quick bite, rush out the door and hope our brain wakes up by the time we need to focus. But growing research suggests that what you eat in the morning—and whether you eat at all—plays an important role in your cognition, mood and long-term health.
Breakfast isn’t simply the first meal of the day. It’s the moment you give your body the fuel, nutrients and hormonal signals that can set the tone for everything that follows. What you eat and drink early in the day may influence how you think, feel and perform for the rest of the morning.
Awakening the brain
After a full night of fasting, your brain wakes up hungry for nutrients. Replenishing glucose and nutrients early in the day supports the brain during the period when your demands are highest, and may reduce the morning brain fog many people interpret as stress or fatigue. If the brain gets the fuel it needs, this can help you feel clear-headed, focused and emotionally steady.
In fact, a 2021 study of over a thousand adolescents found that students who ate a balanced breakfast just before cognitive testing performed better across attention, memory and reasoning tasks than those who skipped it. Breakfasts that included at least two quality components, such as whole grains and dairy, were linked with higher cognitive scores than very light or low-quality meals.
According to an analysis published in The Independent, people who regularly skip breakfast may consume fewer essential nutrients overall, including calcium, fiber and B vitamins—nutrients that directly support mood and energy. Going without breakfast can trigger blood-sugar swings that may increase irritability and stress in the morning and influence your self-control, patience and mood throughout the day.
How breakfast shapes your hormones
Your body begins every morning with an internal rhythm. Hormones like cortisol rise after waking, priming you for the day. But when you skip breakfast, that rhythm can be disrupted, and the body can interpret the ongoing fast as a sign of stress. Some studies suggest that this can keep cortisol elevated longer than it should.
This makes breakfast more than just a simple source of fuel—it becomes part of how your body regulates hormones throughout the day. A stable supply of energy may help support hormonal regulation after a night of fasting, preventing stress-driven spikes. Regularly skipping breakfast, on the other hand, has been found to disrupt the metabolism, destabilize insulin and glucose control, and even lead to cognitive decline in the long term.
For students, professionals or anyone who needs clarity and focus in the morning, a healthy breakfast may indeed be the most important meal of the day. A morning meal that combines protein (e.g., yogurt, eggs), complex carbohydrates (oats, whole grains) and healthy fats (nuts, seeds) is a reliable way to balance your morning hormones and supply steady energy for mental tasks.
Putting it into action: healthy breakfast ideas
Knowing the science is one thing—turning it into a habit is another. Here are five quick and easy breakfast ideas that balance protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats:
- Overnight oats with yogurt and fruit: Mix oats with milk or plant-based yogurt, chia seeds and seasonal fruit. Refrigerate overnight for a grab-and-go option.
- Egg and vegetable toast: Whole-grain toast topped with scrambled or poached eggs and spinach or tomatoes for protein and fiber
- Nut butter and banana sandwich: Whole-grain bread with natural peanut or almond butter, paired with a banana for slow-release energy
- Smoothie bowl: Blend milk or yogurt with frozen berries, a handful of nuts and a spoon of oats. Top with seeds or fruit for texture.
- Savory quinoa or rice bowl: Pre-cooked grains with a boiled egg, avocado and cherry tomatoes for a protein-rich, nutrient-dense breakfast
Each of these options delivers steady fuel for the morning, supports cognitive performance, and is easy to customize based on personal taste, budget and time constraints.
Supporting student health
At IE University, we support our students beyond the classroom, promoting healthy habits that can help you reach your full potential. This is part of the driving force behind a nutrition project created in collaboration with Noa Benzadon, a behavioral scientist and nutritional therapist. As a student of the Bachelor in Behavior & Social Science, she saw the struggle among her classmates to form healthy habits that stick.
Noa’s goal in creating this project is to help students move from a reactive approach to a proactive approach, taking ownership of their own health. She explains, “The idea is to make the behavior very tangible. So rather than just saying, ‘I will start eating healthy,’ how can I take ownership and make it very specific?”
The philosophy behind this project reflects the broader ethos of the Bachelor in Behavior & Social Sciences. This interdisciplinary program equips students with a holistic understanding of human behavior, combining psychology, behavioral science and evidence-based health insights. Students don’t just learn theory—they apply it to real-life challenges, designing interventions that create tangible results.
For those ready to move from surviving university life to thriving in it, learning how to design habits that stick—from breakfast to study routines—is an essential skill. IE University provides the guidance, tools and environment to turn this science into everyday practice.