Mamearth Founder Ghazal Alagh took to LinkedIn to give a reality check on the viral morning routine of rising as early as 4 AM. She shared that waking up at 4 AM left her burnt out and did more harm than good.
She elaborated on the effects waking up at 4 AM did on her physical and mental health and why she doesn’t advise it to anyone.
“4 AM wake-up routine almost burned me out”: Ghazal Alagh
There’s a reason why the saying—‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise’—was hammered into our heads right from childhood. While the proverb holds true in most cases, we often neglect the fact that waking up early also means you have to go to bed early.
Also, social media influencers and productivity and management gurus incessantly chant about the positive effects of starting your day as early as 4 AM. While waking up early definitely has a lot of upsides, Mamaeath Founder Ghazal shared a different perspective that proved waking up at 4 AM may not be as beneficial as touted to be.
Ghazal, in a long LinkedIn post, shared that waking up at 4 AM left her almost burnt out. It had severe effects on her physical and mental health and that she doesn’t recommend it to anyone, especially women.
She added that waking up at 4 AM left her irritable, sleep-deprived and less productive. She also said that she realised the importance of sleeping for seven to nine hours for optimum productivity.
She wrote, “The 4 AM wake-up routine almost burned me out.. and I don’t advise it to anyone, especially the women. A few years ago, I pushed myself to wake up at 4 AM every day, thinking it would make me more productive. Instead, it led to sleep deprivation, irritability, burnout and impacted my physical health. The lesson I learned is that 7-9 hours of sleep is critical for a healthy physical body and sacrificing sleep does more harm than good.”
Ghazal Alagh’s realistic morning routine
Ghazal Alagh also shared her realistic morning routine now that has helped her boost productivity and manage her time better. She also emphasised that waking up early doesn’t matter. What matters is sleeping for adequate hours, making time for family, exercising and learning.
She added that productivity must not take a toll on your health and managing time is more important than waking up early.
She wrote, “Now, I wake up early, but in a way that actually works for me. I follow my own “6 to 9 before 9 to 6” routine, making time for what matters without running on empty.
Here’s how I use my mornings:
✅ Movement – A workout, yoga, or a walk to set the tone for the day.
✅ Mindset Reset – Structuring my thoughts or self talk or deep focus time.
✅ Skill-Building – Reading, upskilling, or prioritising.
✅ Family Time – Slowing down and spending time with my kids before the pace of the day takes over.
Productivity shouldn’t come at the expense of health. I truly believe sleep isn’t optional and time management matters more than waking up at a specific hour. It’s not about when you start your day, it’s about how you use the 24 hours of the day most efficiently.”
Social and lead images credits: Instagram/ghazalalagh
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