THAT MORNING CUP OF COFFEE COULD BE THE KEY TO A HAPPIER DAY, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS<\/a><\/p>\n In an in-person interview with Fox News Digital, Brooks broke down each of the six steps that set him up for a productive day, which he says have “dramatically improved” his life.<\/p>\n “You need to be disciplined, and you need to structure your day, and it turns out that what you do first thing in the morning really matters a lot,” he said. “I follow [this] almost every day.”<\/p>\n Behavioral scientist and happiness expert Arthur Brooks joins Fox News Digital for an interview. (Angelica Stabile; Fox News Digital)<\/p>\n 1. Wake up before dawn (4:30 a.m.)<\/p>\n Brooks said he was not a morning person for years, as he was a musician in his 20s who never woke up before sunrise and thought of himself as a “night owl.”<\/p>\n COFFEE CRAZE HITS HOME AS MORE AMERICANS EMBRACE IN-HOUSE CAF\u00c9 CULTURE<\/a><\/p>\n “The truth of the matter is, you can change your chronotype,” he said. “You can be more of a morning lark. It’s actually not that genetic<\/a>, and it’s a really worthwhile endeavor to try to change that.”<\/p>\n “If you get up before dawn, you’ve kind of won the day, but not just morally \u2014 you’ve won neuro-scientifically.”<\/p>\n Research suggests that waking up before dawn promotes better focus, creativity and mood. (iStock)<\/p>\n According to the “Office Hours” podcast host, research suggests that waking up before dawn promotes better focus, creativity and mood. This is rooted in an “ancient idea of Indian wisdom” called Brahma Muhurta, which means “creator\u2019s time” in Sanskrit.<\/p>\n “But it’s not just religion<\/a>. It really does have a lot of science behind it,” Brooks said. “I get up at 4:30 a.m. \u2014 it works for me; it works with my schedule. You\u2019ve got to figure out what yours is. But if you’re getting up when the sun is already warm, you’re already kind of behind the eight-ball.”<\/p>\n VIRAL MORNING WELLNESS ROUTINE PROMISES MORE ENERGY AND FOCUS BY NOON<\/a><\/p>\n Brooks noted that he uses a real alarm clock to wake up, as he keeps his phone out of the bedroom at night to avoid overexposure.<\/p>\n 2. Move your body (4:45 a.m.-5:45 a.m.)<\/p>\n Brooks begins his day with a workout<\/a> in his home gym, noting the importance of getting “real exercise” first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n Armed with an electrolyte drink, he typically does 75% resistance training and 15% Zone 2 cardio \u2014 \u00a0steady-state aerobic exercise that feels easy to moderate \u2014 for an hour.<\/p>\n For those who are just starting out with this new schedule, Brooks recommends light exercise, like walking. (iStock)<\/p>\n There are a variety of ways to exercise<\/a>, from endurance to yoga, Brooks noted. “If the first thing you do when you wake up is pick up heavy things and run around, you’re going to have a much better day,” he added.<\/p>\n TIKTOK\u2019S 50-JUMP RITUAL IS REDEFINING HOW PEOPLE WAKE UP AND WARM UP<\/a><\/p>\n For those who are just starting out with a fitness and early wake-up routine, Brooks recommends light exercise, like walking.<\/p>\n 3. Get metaphysical (6:30 a.m.)<\/p>\n After showering, Brooks heads out of the house for a 6:30 a.m. Catholic mass.<\/p>\n While not everyone is Catholic, or even religious, Brooks recommends participating in some type of “transcendent activity<\/a>” that connects the body and soul.<\/p>\n Worship and meditation are great for “de-focusing” yourself, Brooks said. (iStock)<\/p>\n “You need to do something to not focus on yourself,” he said. “Worship is great for that. Meditation is good for that. There are a lot of different ways you can actually undertake this, but the whole point is to zoom out and get little.”<\/p>\n \u2018GREAT LOCK-IN\u2019 BECOMES FALL\u2019S HOTTEST WELLNESS TREND \u2014 HERE\u2019S WHAT IT MEANS<\/a><\/p>\n “When I am on the road, which is about half the time, I stay in places where there’s a morning mass if I can possibly find it, such that I’m focusing on my soul just as much as I focus on my body.”<\/p>\n 4. Coffee (7:15 a.m.)<\/p>\n Most people who wake up before 5 a.m. will feel inclined to immediately head for the coffee machine<\/a>, but Brooks discouraged this impulse to reach for caffeine first thing in the morning.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP<\/a><\/p>\n Caffeine blocks a chemical in the brain called adenosine, which swarms the brain at night and makes you groggy in the morning. As a result, drinking it makes you feel more alert.<\/p>\n But Brooks said this is “not the best use” for coffee, as he instead recommends a morning workout to help clear any remaining adenosine.<\/p>\n Drinking coffee first thing in the morning is “not the best use” for max energy, according to Brooks. (iStock)<\/p>\n By the time coffee is introduced into the system, about an hour or two after waking, the brain is clear of adenosine, and the caffeine can focus on providing the body with energy.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n “You’re not going to wake up with caffeine, you’re going to focus with caffeine,” he said. “It’s going to vacuum dopamine into your prefrontal cortex, and you’ll be more creative, you’ll be more stimulated to come up with new ideas, and that means you’re setting yourself up for a brilliant workday.”<\/p>\n 5. Eat a high-protein breakfast (7:30 a.m.)<\/p>\n Protein is “critically important” for getting the most return from your morning workout, building strong muscles and shaping a balanced diet<\/a>, according to Brooks.<\/p>\n For breakfast, he prefers non-fat Greek yogurt, topped with walnuts for micronutrients, mixed berries for antioxidants, whey protein and sometimes stevia for sweetness.<\/p>\n Clean protein can help build strong muscles and boost mood, the expert said. (iStock)<\/p>\n “I get 60 grams of protein with less than 400 calories. And man, I am ready to go,” he said. “With that caffeine and that meal, I’m ready to work.”<\/p>\n These “clean protein” breakfast options also contain tryptophan, the chemical best known for its presence in turkey that can cause sleepiness. In smaller doses, tryptophan can improve mood<\/a> and mellow out the nervous system, Brooks noted.<\/p>\n 6. Enter a flow state (8:00 a.m.)<\/p>\n Between 8:00 a.m. and noon, Brooks said he gets four solid hours of productivity and creativity, “with a level of focus I was never able to get earlier in my life before I set up this morning protocol.”<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n He enters and remains in a “state of flow” during his morning work, uninterrupted by social media or phone notifications.<\/p>\n “I can do more in four hours than I used to be able to do in two days. And I’m happier when I do it,” Brooks said.<\/p>\n![\"Arthur](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/arthur-brooks.jpg\")
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