Why Your Morning Needs a Rudder—and Where to Find It

By Rabbi Yaakov Lieder

Rudder

This publication is dedicated to Mr Albert Dadon AM of Melbourne, Australia, in heartfelt appreciation of his enduring friendship and generous support.

If you’ve got 30 seconds...

Each year, millions are spent on research trying to explain human behaviour: why we do what we do, think what we think, and feel what we feel. Some findings are groundbreaking. Others? Well, your grandmother could’ve told you.

One such discovery is that the first few minutes after we wake up act like a rudder, quietly setting the direction for our entire day.

According to Harvard Medical School, how we begin our morning can shape our emotional tone for hours to come.

So, what’s the modern reflex? Wake up, swipe the phone, and scroll through a buffet of tragedies, economic dips, celebrity chaos, and (if nothing local is awful enough) global misery. You’re not just waking up—you’re downloading despair before you’ve even brushed your teeth.

The media knows this too well: if it bleeds, it leads. No doom at home? They’ll borrow some from abroad. Still too quiet? Try Mars.

But research—and common sense—suggest something else entirely: instead of giving your first ten minutes to the news, give them to yourself.

Try:

• waking to soft music (Spotify's Wake Up Gently playlists)

• saying a short prayer or blessing

•  a few moments of breathing or guided meditation

• reading something positive, not panic-inducing (maybe this classic book on gratitude)

Turns out, this isn’t new wisdom. It’s very old. And very Jewish.

If You Have Another Minute…

Ancient Wisdom Meets Neuroscience

Let’s talk about Modeh Ani. It’s a short morning prayer—just 12 Hebrew words—recited right when you wake up, while still sitting in bed. No special preparation required, because it doesn’t use G-d’s name.

Our sages knew that rolling out of bed and saying a holy name before brushing your teeth might feel... less than respectful. So, they worked around it.

Here’s the prayer:

Modeh ani lefanecha, Melech chai v'kayam, shehechezarta bi nishmati b’chemla, raba emunatecha.("I thank You, living and eternal King, for returning my soul within me with compassion. Great is Your faithfulness.")

Learn more about Modeh Ani here

Time it. It takes exactly 12 seconds when said slowly and with intention.

Now brace yourself for a delightfully ironic twist.

A Neurological Discovery That Sounds... Familiar

At a neurology conference in the U.S.—the kind where professors wear lanyards and debate brainwaves—a British neurologist, Professor Linda McMarron, presented findings on morning fainting episodes.

The culprit? Standing up too quickly after sleep.

Apparently, it takes about 12 seconds for blood to make its way from your feet to your brain.Jump up too fast and your body responds with a sudden blood pressure drop, which may lead to fainting—a condition known as Orthostatic hypotension.

Her advice? Sit up, count slowly to 12, then rise.

Cue the observant Jewish professor in the room who (in this story, at least) raised a hand and said: “We’ve been doing that for 3,000 years.”

Because Modeh Ani, said slowly, takes… 12 seconds.

Not only does it give your body time to adjust, but it also gives your soul something to start the day with: gratitude, not anxiety.

Take Action

Before you check the news or emails, check in with something deeper: your thoughts, your breath, your purpose.

Let the first words of your day be ones of appreciation.

Let Modeh Ani be your 12-second head start—physically grounding, emotionally uplifting, spiritually anchoring.

And best of all?

It’s free.

For more blogs, go to https://www.jfc.org.au/blog

and for videos, go to https://www.youtube.com/@liederrelationshipandparen7760/videos