Peter Attia's Daily Routine

4:00 am

Peter Attia starting his daily routine by waking up

Wake-up

“It is not uncommon for me to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at 8 p.m.”

“Now, on a weekend I might push to 9 to 5, but no more than 10 to 6…I just find that golden time from 4 to 7 am to be the most productive hours of the day.”

Dr. Attia suggests prioritizing deep work (writing) in the morning, but he chooses to spend time with his kids instead and postpones work until later.

Dr. Attia’s Morning Hydration

He replenishes with Biosteel sports hydration mix, a sugar-free and caffeine-free option for rehydration.

Meditate

Morning Meditation

Dr. Attia on Morning Meditation

“If I meditate for 20 minutes in a day, I’m not meditating for those 20 minutes. I’m meditating for the other 23 hours and 40 minutes.”

“I like to get up early, and the first thing I want to do is sort of meditate so I use one of two apps very commonly 10% Happier and Waking Up”

"I usually like to do a lesson and a meditation together. So, you listen to a lesson, which will, in many ways, get you ready to think about the day, and then do a meditation."

If Dr. Attia’s approach to morning meditation inspires you, consider trying the Headspace or Yoga Wake Up app for a refreshing start. With guided sessions to ease you into mindfulness, they are great tools for building a morning meditation habit!

You can also read our Daily Meditation Routine article for more guidance.

Supplements

Dr. Peter Attia starting his supplement routine

Morning Supplements

Dr. Attia on AG1

"Longevity is predicated on five pillars, of which nutrition is an important one. The challenge is that it can be very difficult for people to get adequate and appropriate nutrition day in and day out. Therefore, having a foundational program like AG1 makes it easier to go on autopilot and get the important, essential nutrients that we want and need access to," said Dr. Attia. "I take a scoop of AG1 every day, regardless of what else I'm eating. I just know if I'm taking AG1, I'm getting exactly, if not probably a little bit more, than what I need.”

Dr. Attia's Daily Supplement Regimen:

1 scoop of AG1 Green Powder per day
2 tablets of SlowMag (Magnesium) in the morning.
Curcumin Extract (Theracurmin) (90-180 mg) for cognitive function

Omega-3 Fish Oil (2 grams per day)
Vitamin D to target a blood level of 40-60 ng/ml of 25-hydroxy vitamin D
Multiple types of magnesium throughout the day (up to 1 gram total), alternating between Now Mag Citrate and Carlson Mag Oxide
1 Baby Aspirin
Methylfolate and Methyl B-12
‍Vitamin B6
1 shake of Protein Powder per day

Dr. Attia is a big fan of AG1 by Athletic Greens

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Coffee

Morning Caffeine

Dr. Attia on his "Morning Coffee Ritual"

“My Favourite French Press Recipe

4 tablespoons of Zabar’s Coffee, Roaster fresh
½ tablespoon of Worldwide Botanicals French Chicory Root - Dark Roast
2-3 dashes of Organic Ground Cinnamon
Cap full of Pure Vanilla Extract by Simply Organic”

“Making a really good French Press is something I like to do”

Dr. Attia enjoys making a high-quality French press coffee for his wife.

Breakfast

Eats 8 eggs, including 4 whole eggs and 4 egg whites, with toast and butter.
Dr. Peter Attia recommends Magic Spoon, Cereal with high protein and 0g sugar - Keto friendly

Dr. Attia on Magic Spoon

“Did some heavy-duty cereal testing today. I’m looking at a new company’s cereal product “Magic Spoon”. I wanted to push the limits of consumption to assess glycemic response and overall gut impact. Plus I made all the kiddos try it. The verdict is pretty clear:

1) 2/3 kids loved it; one did not (likely the stevia taste)

2) Very little glycemic impact on me, even after 6 or 7 bowls of the stuff. When you can’t keep track of the number bowls, I’m pretty sure it’s a moot point. I peaked at 104 mg/dL.

3) Mouth feel very similar to regular junk food cereal; also perfect crunch and sogginess-resistance

4) About an hour after the last bowl I started to regret eating so much. Just felt like I pushed too hard which, admittedly, I did. I’ll repeat this “experiment” with 1-2 bowls later this week and suspect I won’t feel so bad.”

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Protein

Protein Shake

Drinks a protein shake made with 24 ounces of almond milk, 50 grams of Protein, and frozen fruit.
“One gram per pound of body weight per day (2.2 g/kg/day) is a good place to start,”
Dr. Attia uses a Continuous Glucose Monitor to check carbohydrate consumption in real time.

Dr. Attia on Maintaining Muscle Mass:

Consumes 1 gram of Protein per pound of body weight.
Maintains a daily calorie intake of 2700 - 2800.
Uses Layne Norton's app, Carbon, to track protein and calorie intake.
Distributes protein consumption into four meals, aiming for 45-50 grams per meal.

"One of the biggest things we certainly see here in the US, but I suspect that this is true across the world, is that people are not getting sufficient amounts of protein to preserve lean mass. And the consequences of this are actually devastating,"

Fasting

Dr. Attia on why he changed his mind about fasting

“If we are going to use a powerful tool like fasting, we must do so carefully and deliberately,”

“It's very difficult to measure what's happening cellularly, but my belief, at least, was that the benefits of that outweighed the downside. The downside of doing that, by the way, is you're going to lose a lot of muscle mass.”

“Over a period of about three years, I probably lost about 10 pounds of lean mass, and so today, I just don't feel that that trade-off is worthwhile, at least at that extreme level, that I was doing. And so, I don't. I haven't done a prolonged multi-day fast since the end of 2020.”

For those interested in exploring different fasting protocols, you can read more about these methods in our detailed articles on intermittent fasting, the 3-day fast, and the 5-day fast. These resources provide comprehensive guides and tips to help you implement fasting routines effectively.

Deep Work

4 am to 7 am, the "golden hours" of productivity.

Dr. Attia finishes all his deep work, including writing, during a specific time frame that he believes to be highly productive. As he puts it, "I just find that golden time from 4 to 7 am to be the most productive hours of the day."

7:30am

Fitness

Dr. Peter Attia recommends using a foam roller for soft tissue preparation.
His cardio regimen: Zone 2, Zone 5, and VO2 max sprint interval training using equipment like bikes or ellipticals.
Wears Smart cuffs for blood flow restriction, recommends KAATSU C3
Wears and recommends Xero Shoes
Uses a weighted vest of 50-60 lbs for 3-4 hours of rucking per week, primarily in the evening, and incorporates it into weight room workouts

Recommends the following books on fitness and nutrition

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss

Dr. Attia’s training regimen prioritizes four main areas:

Stability: Daily training dedicated to improving stability.

Strength: 3 days per week focused on building strength.

Aerobic Efficiency: 3 hours per week, split into 3-4 sessions, to boost aerobic capacity.

Anaerobic Performance: 2 sessions per week targeting anaerobic performance.

Workout Schedule

Monday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr lower body strength training.

Tuesday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr zone 2 cardio.

Wednesday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr upper body strength training.

Thursday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr zone 2 cardio.

Friday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr lower body strength training.

Saturday: 10 mins stability exercises + 1 hr zone 2 cardio + 30 mins zone 5 intensity.

Sunday: 10 minutes of stability exercises + 1 hr of zone 2 cardio+ 30 mins upper body strength training.

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Strength Training Routine

Recommends a Hex bar for deadlifts to reduce the risk of injury.

Dr. Attia’s two favorite Squat/Deadlift Sets

Warm-up: 7-10 sets, ascending in weight.
Main Set: 5x5 reps, 4x10 reps, 3x20 reps.
Test Sets: Ascending sets of 5 reps until failure, followed by two drops in weight.

Aerobic Efficiency & Anaerobic Performance Routine

20-30 minutes on an elliptical for zone 2 and zone 5
Tabata or boot-camp-style workouts
Uses Wahoo Kickr with Trainer Road.

“I love this so my Zone 5 is mostly done on my Stairmaster which is my absolute favorite piece of equipment, that's not a bicycle”

Lunch

Dr. Attia usually eats a chicken salad mixed with vegetables, dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Other Occasional Meal Choices

Seven hard-boiled eggs, an avocado and 2 oz of cheese.

Two liters of a homemade super starch shake, named "Peter Kaufman," made with heavy cream, zero-sugar almond milk, a package of chocolate super starch, 2 tbsp of almond butter, an additional 20 g of whey protein, and frozen strawberries.

Peter Attia recommends intermittent fasting, particularly the 16/8 fasting method, for longevity proponents.

Alcohol

Alcohol consumption

Recommends that if you are going to drink, drink at least three hours before bed.
Peter uses his Oura ring to monitor his sleep quality and has found that his sleep quality suffers if he has more than one drink too close to bedtime.
“I'm keeping a tally, and I've set a personal limit of not exceeding around seven drinks per week.”
He discourages excessive drinking, says, “If you’re going to drink, make it really fricking worthwhile. Like, do it for a reason. Don’t just do it because the alcohol is there.”

‍Dr. Peter Attia on Alcohol

“I love tequila. I love Mezcal. I love really good wine. And I love really dark Belgian beer. I'm not deluded to think that any of those are healthy.”

“Mostly, where I focused in is on how much am I going to drink, how close is it going to be to bed, and what's the total tally per week. I never exceed a certain tally in a given day”

“Alcohol serves no nutritional or health purpose but is a purely hedonistic pleasure that needs to be managed. If you drink, try to be mindful about it. You’ll enjoy it more and suffer fewer consequences.”

Dr. Attia on the effects of consuming 3-4 drinks on his body during sleep.

“Well, I see a higher resting heart rate period and a lower heart rate variability for sure, and a higher body temperature. I don’t know the last time I had two drinks in a night, but definitely, it’s one to two is also a really big step up”

5:00pm

Dinner

Dr. Attia’s dinner varies, but he tracks it with an app to meet his goals.

One option is a huge salad with one pound of salmon, and berries for dessert.
He also enjoys an omelet with six eggs, cheddar, veggies, steamed broccoli, and almond butter.
Curry stir-fry with tofu, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, and squash is another favorite.
Steak or salmon with a meat-free salad is on his dinner list too.
Occasionally, he savors seaweed salads, sashimi, a California roll, and specialty rolls.

Dr. Attia’s Snacks:

Occasionally snacks on macadamia nuts, or an apple with nut butter.

8:30pm

Reads

Books on Dr. Attia’s bedside table:

1- Historical Nonfiction:

‍ Red Notice by Bill Browder.

2- Self-Improvement:The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

1) Historical Nonfiction:

‍Red Notice by Bill Browder.
“I’m always reading about something that happened. Reading about remarkable events, things that we can’t really fathom could happen until they do, is a constant reminder to think outside my comfort zone and contemplate possibilities that many might dismiss as impossible. The current book I’m reading is Red Notice by Bill Browder.”

2) Self-Improvement:

“I’m usually reading something to make me better. The current book is The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I’m wired in such a way that I can’t help but try to know more each day. I’m always working on how to efficiently and effectively share knowledge and its limitations, and the books in this category help sharpen the saw.”

Supplements

Dr. Attia’s Sleep Supplements

Dr. Peter Attia has developed a supplement cocktail to enhance sleep quality. However, he does not take all of these supplements every night, except for magnesium. He customizes his intake based on his specific sleep needs each night.

Daily supplements:

Glycine – 2 grams prior to sleep
Ashwagandha – 600 mg prior to sleep
Magnesium L-Threonate – 2 capsules prior to sleep

Magnesium aids in quicker sleep onset by activating calming neurotransmitters in the mind and body. It not only facilitates faster sleep but also promotes deep and restful sleep by acting on the central nervous system.

Dr. Attia suggests taking Magnesium L-Threonate as a supplement to enhance sleep. L-Threonate acts as a magnesium transporter, aiding its absorption by crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Occasional supplements to sleep early

Melatonin – 2 to 5 mg
Phosphatidylserine 600 mg

“I keep a few sleep aids by my bed to use when needed. I occasionally take phosphatidylserine, to lower adrenal output and to supply some of the commonly deficient nutrients associated with sleep.”

Scientific research has demonstrated the effectiveness of phosphatidylserine in reducing cortisol levels. If you encounter difficulty in managing stress before bedtime, incorporating a phosphatidylserine supplement could be beneficial.

Dr. Peter Attia’s Jet-Lag Routine and supplements

Dr. Attia recommends quickly adjusting to the destination's time zone upon boarding the plane to mitigate jet lag.
His jet-lag protocol includes specific products to counteract disruptions to the natural sleep-wake cycle caused by travel.

Phosphatidylserine (Jarrow PS100) 30 minutes before boarding.
Kirk Parsley’s Sleep Remedy – 1 Capsule
Alaska Bear Sleep Mask.
Dr. Attia delays sleep until the desired time in the destination city and takes 200 mg of Modafinil to aid wakefulness.

8:00pm

Sleep

Dr. Attia prioritizes 8 hours of sleep each night for optimal well-being.
His effective sleep routine involves targeted supplements and sleep protocols.
He utilizes the OOLER Sleep System (Alternative) and uses Gunnar Blue-Light Blocking Glasses to enhance sleep quality.
Dr. Attia relies on the Alaska Bear Sleep Mask for complete darkness during sleep.
Hydration is key, and Dr. Attia recommends a Hydro Flask bottle by his side.
To track and improve sleep, he suggests using the Oura Ring.

Dr. Attia's Gunnar Blue-Light Blocking Glass

“Something else I read this month pertains to my obsession with stressing the importance of slow wave sleep (SWS) in our patients…and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve it. Here’s some evidence that the efforts, such as blue light reduction before bed: I use a pair of computer glasses from Gunnars, are worth it.”

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Dr. Attia on OOLER Sleep System

“Indeed, I am a big fan and now own 3 to be sure I can have a cool sleep almost every night. Game Changer in NYC where it's hard to control room temperature in the old buildings.”

With the OOLER Sleep system, you can ensure precise temperature control for your mattress throughout the night, regardless of any fluctuations in the room temperature.

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Dr. Attia on Alaska Bear Sleep Mask

“Incredible darkness in the actual room at night or using, I use this thing called the Alaska Bear Eye Shade. It’s like you can buy it on Amazon. It’s like this little silky Alaska Bear. It’s the stupidest name ever. I don’t know why. I love it though. I have 20 Alaska Bears because I have them everywhere, so I’m never without one.”

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Dr. Attia on ChiliPad Cube

“While the ChiliPad Cube itself may not be on my bedside table, the unit that attaches to the pad is on the table, and together all this gear allows me to regulate the surface temperature of my mattress. I keep it at about 56 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowering of our body temperatures at night is a cue for our brains that it’s time to go to sleep and increases the proportion of time we’re in delta-wave (translation: deep) sleep.”

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Dr. Attia on Hydro Flask bottle

“I like to keep water by my side, in a Hydro Flask bottle, for replenishment and to wash down the occasional supplements before bed.”

A Hydro Flask will help keep the water cool all night long.

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Dr. Attia on Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM System

“My phone is nearby, but not visible, to sync with the Dexcom G5 Mobile CGM System. This device continuously monitors my blood glucose and provides streaming feedback on my health interventions.”

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Dr. Attia on Sleep Tech - Oura Ring

“Quality of sleep may be just as important as quantity, and the Oura Ring claims it can tell you how much deep sleep, REM sleep, and light sleep you’re getting, along with a bunch of other variables and data points, like how much time you’re awake, heart rate variability, body temperature, pulse, and more.”