4 Reasons the 5 AM Club Might Not Be for You and Why This Is a Good Thing
Unconventional ways of finding your own rhythm
Have you read hundreds of articles on morning routines and self-optimization before? Do you still wake up tired and feel like you’ve tried all the advice available?
I am not a morning person myself, and it took me several years to figure out what schedule worked for me. Now, I take the time I need, rarely use alarms, and consistently hit eight hours of glorious sleep.
The following tips are an accumulation of my learnings from the few past years. They can be structured into three categories: analyzing, experimenting, and optimizing.
#1 Get a Sleep Tracker
Visualizing how much I actually slept each night was a game-changer for me. I found out that I am not only consistently getting less than seven hours of sleep but I regularly go to bed past midnight.
Getting a sleep tracker is relatively easy and inexpensive. I use a smartwatch that records my deep, light, and REM sleep phases.
If you are uncomfortable wearing a watch while you sleep, you can also use a sleep-tracking app on your phone. These two apps, for instance, are recommended by the New York Times:
You can always record your sleep schedule on paper if you do not want to give your sleep schedule data away. You can find many simple and free templates online, from simple habit trackers to full-blown sleep diaries.
Finding your sleep pattern is crucial to get a feel for your rhythm. It is crucial that you sleep enough.
#2 Stop with the Alarms
How many hours of sleep do you need to actually feel rested? Can you spot patterns in your sleeping patterns?
Stop using alarms and find out what feels good to you.
I regularly go to bed past midnight and need 7–8 hours of sleep every night to feel rested. This means that I do not start my day until 9:30 AM. It also means that I naturally wake up between 8:30–9 AM every day without using an alarm clock.
To get here, I had to adjust my schedule, meaning that I do not schedule meetings before 10 AM. I used an “emergency alarm” set for 9:30 AM, in case I did not wake up before my first appointment at 10 AM. This alarm only makes sense, if it is ridiculously over your usual wake-up time, but it can help as training wheels.
You are exhausted, if you can sleep for 24 hours straight! It takes time to adjust and the body needs to catch up on sleep. However, it is normal to sleep longer for the first weeks of this experiment.
Waking up without an alarm clock reduces my stress levels, gives me the time I need to feel rested, and does not interrupt my deep sleep.
Exploring your natural sleep cycle is the first step. If you want to dive deeper into the importance of sleep, I recommend the book “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker.
Here are some helpful tips for getting to bed earlier that are included in the book:
- Use blackout curtains.
- Keep your bedroom’s temperature between 17–20°C.
- Reduce your caffeine intake — caffeine may not completely clear your bloodstream 10 hours after consumption.
Now that you are well rested, you can find out your most productive times during the day.
#3 Do Not Make the Bed
Fun fact: not making your bed is healthier for you! Exposing the sheets to light can cause microscopic dust mites to dry up and die. They enjoy the cozy, warm, and dark environment you’ve created by making the bed.
This is according to a London Kingston University study from 2005 — it all comes down to the humidity in your home.
It is also okay to make your bed if you get a feeling of accomplishment or a sense of calm from it. I work from my bedroom, and making the bed improves my focus. I just have to ignore my thoughts of dust mites and change the sheets regularly.
#4 Change Timezones
Experiment by blocking 2–3 hours of uninterrupted focus time each day and do your most challenging task first. Try the same hours for at least a week.
Northern European societies are optimized around getting up early. You can plan your next workcation according to your peak productivity hours if the world around you revolves around morning people.
You could book a trip to Greece, Cyprus, or Turkey for a month. Based on your visualization you can experiment with optimizing sleeping patterns and productivity hours.
This might not work long-term or forever, but it might give you some clarity on your own rhythm.
I tackle my most critical tasks between 10–12 AM. This time of the day determines if I feel accomplished in the evening. So my ideal time zone would be 1–2 hours to the east.
Trying out different time zones has clarified this productivity window for me. Even though I have not moved to my optimal timezone I clearly communicate my productivity hours and prioritize this time by keeping it meeting-free.
Final Thoughts
Knowing yourself can become your superpower, and you can maximize productivity on your own schedule.
Analyze your status quo, experiment with what feels right, and prioritize your rhythm. Follow whatever schedule works for you, but make it a conscious decision.
Rhythms change depending on age, life phase, mood, hormones, external factors, and time zones. Visualizing them can help you adapt.
If I wanted to comfortably join the 5 AM club I could also do it from Malaysia and so can you.
Want to learn strategies for achieving a more flexible and personalized schedule? Join my newsletter and improve how you work in the digital age. Sign up for free!
