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Ben Greenfield Up at 5:00 AM

Updated · 14 minutes

Ben Greenfield's daily routine

Biohacker, Fitness Expert, and Author

Biohacker and fitness expert Ben Greenfield wakes around 4:30-5:30 AM and is in bed around 9:30-10:30 PM. His day covers fasted workouts, recovery sessions, focused work and long family evenings, with a detailed sleep routine at the end.

Daily Wake-up Time
4:30-5:30 AM
Age
44
Location
Spokane, Washington
Occupation
Biohacker, Author, Podcaster
Reviewed by the YourDailyWay team 4 sources cited Physical PerformanceMental ClarityLongevity

The day at a glance

24 hours, midnight at the top. Each colour is a kind of time.

12:00 AM: Sleep 5:00 AM: Natural Wake-Up and Oral Care 5:15 AM: Hydration and Morning Supplements 5:30 AM: Movement and Coffee 7:30 AM: Fasted Workout 8:15 AM: First Meal: Superfood Smoothie 9:45 AM: Team Huddle and Focused Work 2:00 PM: Light, Nutrient-Dense Lunch 2:30 PM: Biohacked Power Nap 3:00 PM: Afternoon Biohacking Lounge Session 3:30 PM: Afternoon Work Session 5:30 PM: Family Fitness Activities 7:00 PM: Family Book Club, Guitar Singalong, and Prayer 7:30 PM: Family Dinner and Games 8:30 PM: Family Whole-Body Movement and Connection 9:00 PM: Evening Wind-Down and Bedtime Preparation 10:30 PM: Sleep Onset and Maintenance 10:45 PM: Sleep 12a 6a 12p 6p Up at 5:00 AM
  • Sleep 8h 30m
  • Training 2h 45m
  • Food 5h 15m
  • Work 6h
  • Mind 30m

Schedule

  1. 5:00 AM Natural Wake-Up and Oral Care
  2. 5:15 AM Hydration and Morning Supplements
  3. 5:30 AM Movement and Coffee
  4. 7:30 AM Fasted Workout
  5. 8:15 AM First Meal: Superfood Smoothie
  6. 9:45 AM Team Huddle and Focused Work
  7. 2:00 PM Light, Nutrient-Dense Lunch
  8. 2:30 PM Biohacked Power Nap
  9. 3:00 PM Biohacking Lounge Session
  10. 3:00 PM Afternoon Biohacking Lounge Session
  11. 3:30 PM Afternoon Work Session
  12. 5:30 PM Family Fitness Activities
  13. 7:00 PM Family Book Club, Guitar Singalong, and Prayer
  14. 7:30 PM Family Dinner and Games
  15. 8:30 PM Family Whole-Body Movement and Connection
  16. 9:00 PM Evening Wind-Down and Bedtime Preparation
  17. 10:30 PM Sleep Environment Preparation
  18. 10:30 PM Sleep Onset and Maintenance
  19. 10:45 PM Pre-Sleep Biohacking Routine

Up at 5:00 AM, earlier than 18 of the 29 people we track.

Compare all wake-up times

Who Ben Greenfield is

Ben Greenfield is a human performance consultant, exercise physiologist and New York Times bestselling author. He mixes current science with ancestral practices to work on health, longevity and performance.

  • Building a biohacker compound in Viola, Idaho, with a move-in date around the end of 2024/early 2025, which he plans to feature in a podcast.
  • New York Times Bestselling Author
  • Top 100 Most Influential People in Health and Fitness
  • Voted America's Top Personal Trainer
  • Released an article on his "10 Radical Biohacks of 2025" in October 2025.
  • Published a free chapter from his book Boundless titled "Boundless Lean and Mean" in April 2025.

Morning Routine

05:00 AM - 09:15 AM

Ben's morning starts with oral care, supplements, movement and a fasted workout.

  1. Natural Wake-Up and Oral Care

    Routine

    Ben wakes up naturally and begins his oral care routine.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben wakes naturally, by his own account around 4:30-5:30 AM, avoiding alarms to stay in step with his body clock.

    Oral Care Routine:

    • Oil pulling with Dirt Oil Pulling Mouthwash for 5-10 minutes
    • Tongue scraping using the Dirt Tongue Scraper
    • Face wash with natural cleanser
    • Thorough gargling

  2. Hydration and Morning Supplements

    Food

    Hydrates with 32oz of water and takes morning supplements.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben drinks 32oz of water enriched with hydrogen tablets and electrolytes.

    Morning Supplements:

    • Electrolytes (brand unspecified)
    • Minerals
    • Hydrogen tablets
    • Spermidine
    • NAD
    • Resveratrol
    • Glutathione for liver detox and immunity
    • Kion Omega softgels (from his own brand)

  3. Movement and Coffee

    Food

    15 minutes of movement (stretching, foam rolling, trampoline) while sipping coffee.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben performs 15 minutes of light movement including stretching, foam rolling, or bouncing on a mini trampoline.

    Coffee Preparation:

    • Kion coffee
    • MiCacao tea
    • Four Sigmatic mushroom blends

  4. Fasted Workout

    Training

    Trains fasted in his home gym focusing on strength and aerobic work as part of his Boundless philosophy.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben trains fasted in the morning (around 7:30-8:15 AM) in his home gym.

    Workout Focus:

    • Strength training
    • Aerobic conditioning

  5. First Meal: Superfood Smoothie

    Food

    A superfood smoothie after his workout.

    Read the full breakdown
    Around 8:15-9:15 AM, Ben breaks his fast with a superfood smoothie rich in antioxidants, protein, and healthy fats.

    Typical ingredients include:

    • Leafy greens
    • Collagen peptides
    • Healthy fats like MCT oil or avocado
    • Superfood powders

  6. Biohacking Lounge Session

    Routine

    Uses hyperbaric chamber and ice bath plunge as a reset and recovery session.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben dedicates 1 hour in the afternoon for biohacking recovery:
    • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy session
    • Ice bath plunge at 55-60°F

Focused Work and Productivity

09:45 AM - 02:00 PM

Ben's work routine mixes a team huddle with deep focus time.

  1. Team Huddle and Focused Work

    Work

    A team meeting and focused work sessions.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's work routine mixes team time with focused solo work:

    Work Session Structure:

    • Daily huddle with the Ben Greenfield Life team
    • Use of a Kineon red light wrap-around device during the first 20 minutes of office work
    • Focused work on writing, research, and content creation
    • Breaks to keep his energy and focus up

Afternoon Recovery and Work

02:00 PM - 05:30 PM

Ben's afternoon covers lunch, recovery and routine work.

  1. Light, Nutrient-Dense Lunch

    Food

    Lunch consists of a big green salad with roasted vegetables and leftover fish or meat, finished with olive oil and a cup of tea.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's lunch is light and nutrient-dense:

    Typical Lunch Components:

    • Big green salad
    • Roasted vegetables
    • Leftover fish or meat
    • Olive oil dressing
    • Cup of herbal tea

  2. Biohacked Power Nap

    Sleep

    A 15-45 minute power nap with a few sleep tools.

    Read the full breakdown

    Ben uses a Biomat, Brain.FM or SleepStream app, SleepMaster mask, and SleepPhones for a 15-45 minute power nap.

  3. Afternoon Biohacking Lounge Session

    Routine

    Hyperbaric chamber and ice bath plunge for reset and recovery.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben dedicates 1 hour in the afternoon for biohacking recovery:
    • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy session
    • Ice bath plunge at 55-60°F

  4. Afternoon Work Session

    Work

    Focuses on reactive work tasks and communications.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben uses his afternoon work session for administrative and communication tasks:

    Afternoon Work Activities:

    • Taking phone calls
    • Responding to emails
    • Handling administrative duties
    • Paying bills and opening mail
    • Responding to social media and blog comments

    Research in productivity and chronobiology suggests that the early afternoon can be an ideal time for tasks requiring social interaction and routine decision-making, as opposed to deep, creative work.

Family Time and Evening Wind-Down

05:30 PM - 10:30 PM

Ben's evening is built around family activities, dinner and winding down for sleep.

  1. Family Fitness Activities

    Training

    Engages in active play and workouts with his family.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's evening routine starts with family-oriented physical activities:

    Family Fitness Options:

    • Tennis or pickleball
    • Walking or hiking
    • Playful bodyweight workouts with kids
    • Pool workouts

    Bodyweight Workout Examples:

    • Backward and forward crabwalks with a child riding on Ben's waist
    • Overhead child presses combined with squats
    • Bear crawls and pushups with a child on Ben's back
    • Arm curls holding a child upside down by their legs

    Pool Workout Examples:

    • Underwater swims
    • Doggy paddles
    • Pool pullouts
    • Treading water (all with a child on Ben's back)

  2. Family Book Club, Guitar Singalong, and Prayer

    Mind

    Begins with family book club, guitar singalong, and prayer.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's pre-dinner routine combines education and culinary activities:

    Family Book Club:

    • Daily review of a new book chapter with his sons
    • Encourages discussion and critical thinking

    Guitar Singalong and Prayer:

    • Family sings together
    • Group prayer before dinner

  3. Family Dinner and Games

    Food

    Enjoys a nutritious dinner accompanied by engaging conversation and games like Monopoly and Exploding Kittens.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's family dinner is for eating together and talking:

    Typical Dinner Components:

    • Vegetable or salad
    • High-quality protein (meat or fish)
    • Complex carbohydrates (sweet potatoes, roasted carrots, or beets)

    Dinner Activities:

    • Engaging dinner games such as Monopoly and Exploding Kittens
    • Lively conversations
    • Sharing of daily experiences

    Healthy Dessert Options:

    • Homemade ice cream
    • Dark chocolate mixed with yogurt
    • Frozen blueberries with dark chocolate

  4. Family Whole-Body Movement and Connection

    Training

    A 'whole family movement' session with no screens.

    Read the full breakdown

    Ben and his family engage in light movement activities such as stretching, yoga, or playful exercises.

  5. Evening Wind-Down and Bedtime Preparation

    Sleep

    Begins with family cleanup, guitar practice, occasional yard games, followed by meditation, reading, and prayer.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's evening wind-down is about relaxing with his family:

    Wind-Down Activities:

    • Family cleanup of the kitchen
    • Guitar practice session
    • Occasional yard games (cornhole, bocce ball)

    Bedtime Routine with Kids:

    • Evening meditation using the Spiritual Disciplines Journal
    • Reading a bedtime story
    • Family prayer

    Adult Wind-Down:

    • Casual reading
    • Quality time with wife, Jessa

    Consistent bedtime routines can improve sleep quality and reduce stress. Relaxing activities before bed signal to the body that it's time to wind down.

Sleep Optimization Protocol

10:30 PM - 05:00 AM

Ben's sleep routine is detailed and aimed at rest and recovery.

  1. Sleep Environment Preparation

    Sleep

    Setting up the bedroom for sleep.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben pays close attention to his bedroom conditions:

    Lighting:

    • Use of halogen and incandescent bulbs only
    • Avoidance of dimmers due to high EMF
    • Closing of blackout curtains for complete darkness

    Temperature Control:

    • Setting ChiliPad to 60°F
    • Adjusting room temperature to 66-67°F

    EMF Mitigation:

    • Turning off Wi-Fi and putting devices in airplane mode
    • Use of EMF-blocking canopies if necessary

    A cool, dark, quiet room helps sleep. A sleep temperature between 60-67°F (15-19°C) is typical, since it lets the body's core temperature drop and signals that it's time to sleep.

  2. Pre-Sleep Biohacking Routine

    Sleep

    A few devices and habits that help him sleep.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben's pre-sleep routine uses several biohacking tools:

    Sleep Enhancement Devices:

    • Attaches SR1 PEMF DeltaSleeper device to collarbone
    • Uses Earthpulse or lies on the Biomat for recovery if needed

    Muscle and Skin Care:

    • Rubs sore muscles with Ancient Minerals magnesium lotion
    • Applies a few drops of essential lavender oil on the pillow

    Sleep Accessories:

    • Puts on the wraparound Sleepmaster sleep mask
    • Uses SleepPhones to play sleep-enhancing audio

    Magnesium may improve sleep by calming the nervous system and relaxing muscles. PEMF therapy has been associated with falling asleep faster and sleeping longer.

  3. Sleep Onset and Maintenance

    Sleep

    Techniques for falling asleep quickly and staying asleep.

    Read the full breakdown
    Ben uses several techniques to fall asleep fast and stay in deep sleep:

    Sleep Onset Techniques:

    • Uses Sleepstream app in "Deep Sleep" mode or Brain.FM sleep track through SleepPhones
    • Practices 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8)

    Deep Sleep Maintenance:

    • Continuous use of the DeltaSleeper PEMF device throughout the night
    • Maintains a cool sleeping environment with the ChiliPad
    • Ensures complete darkness with the Sleepmaster sleep mask

    Sleep Cycle Considerations:

    • Aims for approximately 7-7.5 hours of sleep
    • Wakes naturally without an alarm, usually between 5:00 and 5:30 AM

    Certain sound frequencies, like those used in Brain.FM, may help sleep. The 4-7-8 breathing technique activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you relax.

Questions about Ben Greenfield's routine

How does Ben Greenfield manage to wake up so early without an alarm?

Ben has trained his body to keep a regular sleep-wake cycle. He goes to bed at about the same time and sets up his sleep environment carefully, so he wakes around the same time each day without an alarm.

Is it really necessary to use so many devices and supplements for sleep?

Ben's approach is thorough, and nobody needs all of these devices and supplements. His routine is highly personal and comes from years of self-experimentation. Start with the basics, a dark, cool room and a consistent sleep schedule, then add other things if you need them.

How does Ben balance family time with his intense health and fitness routine?

Ben builds family time into his fitness routine. He involves his children in workouts and makes them playful. Family meals, evening wind-downs and shared activities like book reviews are part of his daily schedule.

Can following Ben's routine improve my own health and productivity?

Ben's routine can give you ideas, but it is highly personal to his needs and lifestyle. Take the principles, such as prioritizing sleep, staying hydrated, moving through the day and balancing work with family time, and adapt them to your life. Consult a healthcare professional before making big changes to your diet or exercise.

What time does Ben Greenfield wake up?

Ben Greenfield typically wakes around 4:30-5:30 AM and keeps his sleep and wake times consistent.

What is Ben Greenfield's morning routine?

Ben Greenfield's morning routine includes hydration, supplements, movement, a fasted workout and a smoothie.

What does Ben Greenfield eat in a day?

Ben Greenfield eats a balanced diet built on whole foods, adequate protein and healthy fats.

What is Ben Greenfield's workout routine?

Ben Greenfield mixes strength training, cardio and flexibility work.

What supplements does Ben Greenfield take?

Ben Greenfield takes supplements matched to his own health goals and deficiencies, often vitamins, minerals and performance-enhancing compounds recommended by health professionals.

How much sleep does Ben Greenfield get?

Ben Greenfield aims for 7-9 hours of sleep a night.

What productivity tools does Ben Greenfield use?

Ben Greenfield uses a mix of productivity systems and tools to manage his time and stay focused.

How does Ben Greenfield manage stress?

Ben Greenfield manages stress with meditation, exercise, time in nature and planned recovery periods.

What books does Ben Greenfield recommend?

Ben Greenfield often shares book recommendations on personal development, business, health and philosophy.

Can I follow Ben Greenfield's routine exactly?

Needs differ from person to person, so adapt the ideas to your life. Start with 1-2 practices and talk to a healthcare provider before making major changes.

Research sources

Articles, interviews and references used to build this routine.

  1. Ben Greenfield's Current Morning, Afternoon & Evening Routines bengreenfieldlife.com (opens in a new tab)
  2. Ben Greenfield's Morning Routine bengreenfieldlife.com (opens in a new tab)
  3. How To Systematize Your Life & Ben Greenfield's Fully Updated Daily Habits bengreenfieldlife.com (opens in a new tab)
  4. Biohack Your Diet For Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Better Sleep & More bengreenfieldlife.com (opens in a new tab)

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