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Its a crisp, sunny fall morning on a rooftop in New York City, and it immediately hits me that although Gisele is an iconic international supermodel and author, shes human, too.

While the Gaia Herbs wellness ambassador, 43, is known for being a total meditation and yoga queen now, she used to live a very different life. In fact, it took a big health scare in her early twenties to curate her current self-care practice, which begins promptly at 5 a.m., BTW.

My life changed completelyit was like a rebirth of sorts, Gisele said. What could have really killed me gave me a whole new life.

These days, her routine looks *very* different, and it might have just saved her life all those years ago. Ahead, learn everything to know about Giseles exact meditation and morning routine, which helps power her through her day.

The practice helps center Gisele each day.

I used to wake up in the morning with two cigarettes [and] a Mocha Frappuccino with whipped cream, she said of her teenage years at the events panel. At night, Gisele couldnt sleep (because of the coffee and nicotine), so she drank red wine to fall asleep. She also struggled with severe depression and anxiety.

In her twenties, Gisele's body couldn't handle all the ups and downs of her lifestyleand her adrenal glands started shutting down. Thankfully, she got things back on track by changing her diet, quitting smoking, exercising, and taking herbal supplements.

So these days, instead of waking up with coffee and a smoke, she fills up on all the good stuff: jogging, meditating, yoga and breathwork.

Gisele also feels a major difference in her brain on the days when she makes time to meditate, versus when she hits snooze, sleeps in, and then rushes out the door.

It's dark, everyone is sleeping, and it's really the time that I feel is putting [on] the oxygen mask, Gisele said at the meditation ahead of our interview. This is charging your body for the day.

Deep breaths and alternate nostril breathinga practice of covering one nostril, then inhaling into the other nostril, exhaling out of the otherhelp her in stressful moments, she adds. It can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, allowing you to feel calmer, per the Cleveland Clinic.

My whole entire day's, like, a different energy, she continues.

After Gisele fills her own metaphorical cup, shes able to tackle the rest of her daily activities with a calmer mind.

I'm very intense and I go hard, [so] the rest is extremely important, she shared at the panel. If we just keep putting our energy out, we're not going to have any more.

Usually, Gisele will find a patch of grass or sand where she can stand and feel connected to the earth.

This time, as she sits down for our group meditation session, she encourages us to take off our shoes and put our feet in the grass to feel grounded, too. Clearly, her love of nature and Mother Earth shows up in her meditation practice as well.

Spend a minute taking a few deep breaths, it would change your day and it would change your life, she said before the meditation.

When it came to the actual meditation, we sat criss-crossed with our palms facing up. It began with a full inhale through the nose, and a long exhale. Then, we did a body scan to determine where we were holding tension (we started with our face, then moved down to the jaw and chest, and finished at our toes).

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During the meditation, which she guided us through, she told us to focus on our breathing, and asked us to notice the thoughts that came up in ours mind and then let them go, instead of pushing them away.

She also guided us through some alternate nostril breathing. And later in the meditation, we did breathwork: Inhaling deeply for a few seconds before sighing it out.

Sometimes, Gisele sets an intention for the grounding practice, which is a short-term goal that you have during your meditation, such as focusing on your breathing. She did this with us, too.

I ask for the earth to take away all the different energies that no longer serve me and fill me with her love and her generosity, she says.

Gisele hasnt had alcohol in over two years, and has been taking Gaia Herbs supplements for two decades. Specifically, she takes ashwagandha (an adaptogen that is said to help with stress) and turmeric (which can help reduce swelling) every morning.

"Gaia is the supplements that I've been taking for over 20 years, so I take them every morning," she says.

After her meditation, Gisele jogs with her dog for about three miles. Then, she does another workout. Gisele has been a fan of jiu-jitsu and yoga for a long time, but she recently started weightlifting as well.

It just helps you feel stronger, she tells Womens Health.

Of course, if she can sweat outside, she'll take the opportunity to do so. Gisele will exercise outdoors a few times a week, usually paddleboarding or kayaking. I always want to make sure that every day, I'm doing something in nature, she adds.

Well, I dont think Im alone when I say everyone can take a page out of Giseles playbook and learn something from her life transformation. I cant wait to see what comes next, Gisele!

Addison Aloian (she/her) is an editorial assistant at Womens Health. When shes not writing about all things pop culture, health, beauty, and fashion, she loves hitting leg day at the gym, shopping at Trader Joes, and watching whichever hockey game is on TV. Her work has also appeared in Allure, StyleCaster, LOfficiel USA, V Magazine, and Modern Luxury Media.

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Gisele Bndchen's Exact Meditation And Morning Routine - Women's Health