What’s Next: Brown girl guide to entering the 5 AM Club

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As part of my “What’s Next” series, I am back with another exciting aspect of my life. All my friends and acquaintances are aware (or if you read my blog to lose weight) that I am a member of the 5 am Club which is that I get up at 5 AM on weekdays and 6 AM on weekends and sleep before 10 pm every day.

I have a fixed schedule; my day starts with my morning cup of Joe and an hour of exercise; I then proceed to my work and other activities. I often get asked, “ How am I motivated to do it every day,” “I am in NYC, don’t I want to party,” “Do I even have a life outside this regime?” etc. This blog aims to answer some of those questions and provide practical tips on developing this lifestyle if you want to join me in this club.

Before I begin the blog, let me give you a glimpse of my life; I am an Assistant Vice President at Morgan Stanley in the Data Strategy and Products Team. I am the founder of DataBuzz (a volunteer-driven community helping people who want to pivot in the technology field), US-Analytics Lead for Women in AI organizations, and Advisory Board for multiple organizations. I am an ardent writer and speaker as well. Outside work, I spend time with my husband and friends.

I didn’t lead this lifestyle until three years back; just like many of you, I slept at 2 or 3 AM and got up at 8, or 9 AM, depending on the day. I was a night owl, leading me to binge on food in the middle of the night.

Once I started taking care of my body, nurturing it with good food and exercise, I realized the importance of proper sleep and stress management. I could see a direct correlation between my weight and sleep/stress.

When I entered the corporate world, I had anxiety in the evening about reaching home on time so that I could hit the gym; this led to an increase in my stress levels and a decrease in performance at work as I was so stressed about getting everything done at 5 pm.

I brainstormed a strategy to manage this stress and started my day with a workout. The initial days were difficult as I couldn’t sleep at 10 pm hence getting up early in the morning became a headache. But my determination triumphed over my laziness, so below are the steps I followed in adopting this lifestyle for good:

1. Wake up at 5 AM every day: I woke up at 5 AM irrespective of when I slept, this might sound harsh but it led me to start sleeping early as I was so tired from an entire day’s hustle.
2. Ditch the late-night parties: I leave early from office parties or personal events that want me to stay past 8 PM so I can still reach home on time and hit the bed by 10 PM.
3. Leverage the Do Not Disturb Feature on your phone: I have automated the settings on my phone to turn on DND post 10 pm so that I don’t receive any calls or messages during the night which could disrupt the sleep
4. Be active: I have a morning exercise regime and I try to hit at least 10K steps a day. This ensures that I am exhausted by 10 pm and can get a good night’s sleep.
5. Dinner Before 7 pm: I always try to complete my last meal before 7 pm to allow proper digestion and aid sound sleep. If you think you might not be home by that time, carry some snacks like instant oats and peanut butter sandwiches or do meal preparation.
6. Eat the Carbs: What you eat for dinner is essential. I ensure that my dinner has white rice or simple carbs, which produce sleep hormones and hence a good night’s sleep. This might not work for everyone, especially if you are diabetic or on a low-carb diet.
7. 21-Day Rule: I am a massive fan of the 21 Days Rule. I strongly feel if you practice this kind of sleep pattern for at least 21 days, your body adapts to this lifestyle.
8. Planning is Essential: Plan your morning activity to be motivated enough to wake up in the morning. It could be anything from hitting the gym, journaling, walking, meditation, etc., basically, one thing you like. Example: I always like to log my food for the day with my morning latte so I can adhere to my macros and be cognizant of what I am eating that day.
9. Ditch the coffee six to seven hours before sleeping: If you are a caffeine fan like me, drink the last cup of coffee or tea at least six to seven hours before sleeping; else it can hamper sleep.

Apart from these tips, having a supportive partner/friend or joining a support group can also help you stay on track.

I understand that this schedule might not work for everyone, but I feel productive following this schedule. Waking up at 5 AM doesn’t guarantee any success, but it gives you the confidence that you can achieve anything by sheer discipline.