I wake up around 6.30am, with a gentle light alarm. Cortisol levels are at their peak in the morning, which is not inherently a bad thing; cortisol has an important role in energy and alertness. But being jolted awake when those levels are already elevated feels aggressive. Starting gently, with light not noise, is an act of kindness to your nervous system.
Before anything else, I stretch. Overnight, the body is relatively still for hours, which causes the fascia and muscles to stiffen and spinal fluid to shift. A morning stretch restores circulation, reactivates the lymphatic system and signals to the nervous system that the body is ready to move.
One of my deepest beliefs is that routine and repetition are among the greatest gifts you can give a child. We have breakfast together as a family — always together — and then we all walk to school. That walk is one of my favourite moments of the day. Right after, I work out.
“Getting outside, even briefly, regulates your mood and energy in ways that no supplement can”
Movement is scheduled, like a board meeting, every morning. “I’ll do it when I have time,” is a beautiful lie we tell ourselves. I rotate strength work, Pilates and tennis. I also walk wherever I possibly can.
Then comes my skincare ritual. I begin with the Noble Panacea Elemental Hydration Prep Essence and the Elemental Refiner. I then apply the Absolute Intense Renewal Serum mixed with our Exceptional Vitamin C Booster. That combination delivers elasticity, firmness, and a luminosity.
I am not dogmatic about food. I’ve lived and worked across so many cultures and of course, I am French, which means food is sacred. Lunch is my largest meal: proteins, good fats, greens. Dinner is lighter and earlier where possible, because I understand the relationship between late eating and sleep quality. The things I could not live without? Dark chocolate and coffee.
I use the sauna five times a week. The research is compelling, linking frequent sauna use with cardiovascular health, reduced inflammation, improved muscle recovery, better sleep and stress regulation.
AI is one of the most profound shifts of our lifetime. Within Noble Panacea, it is fundamental that the team embraces it too. When we do, we free ourselves to focus on added value tasks: the creative thinking, the human connection, the decisions that require us. What I am careful about, however, is not outsourcing my thinking entirely. I want to remain the author of my own perspective.
My desk is minimal. Visual noise is exhausting to me. I have a good camera and a good microphone, because when you are leading a global team, the quality of your communication matters. Beyond that, everything is rigorously organised. I always say: you must be able to find any piece of information in two clicks on your laptop.
The most important productivity tool I have is my team. I am surrounded by talented people. Trust and the ability to delegate with confidence are fundamental.
I am energised by human connection, conversation, and laughter. Also exposure to natural light. Getting outside, even briefly, regulates your mood and energy in ways that no supplement can replicate. That said, for women, magnesium biglycinate stands out, with strong evidence around sleep quality, stress regulation, hormone balance and muscle function. I also take vitamin D and omega-3s.
I try to begin winding down by 9pm. The evening is for family, reading with the children, a quiet dinner when possible, and disconnection from work.
In terms of sleep I need a cool room, complete darkness and consistency of timing. The body’s circadian rhythm is architecture. Rhythm is everything.
Céline Talabaza is the chief executive and co-creator of Noble Panacea
