Rise and Thrive: The CEO Who Wakes Up Naturally Before Dawn Shares His 11 Sleep Hacks

As the CEO and co-founder of HubKonnect, an innovative AI platform which provides data-driven tactics that has gained significant success, Michael Koch has learned the importance of maintaining peak performance in the fast-paced tech industry. To achieve this, Koch has developed a meticulous nighttime routine aimed at optimizing his sleep and ensuring his body and mind are in the best possible state for each day’s challenges. In this article, we delve into Koch’s unique sleep hacks that have contributed to his success.

He believes that sleep is not just for a period of resting, but an essential time for healing and cognitive recovery. After he started to recognize its significance he treats his sleep schedule with the same level of importance as any high-priority meeting. To make use the benefits of quality sleep, Koch has incorporated these eleven sleep hacks into his night time routine:

1. 3 minute, 3-degree Celsius Ice Bath Before Sleeping

The ice bath that he took for three minutes has always been a challenge for him, so he uses Navy box breathing. He must take four seconds of breath in, hold on for four seconds, breath out slowly for four seconds and hold on for another four seconds. While it is always a shock for him, he puts on reminder that it will prepare him to sleep. He also diligently doing almost the same routine when staying in a hotel, but different. He said that adding ice to sink full of water and put his whole face into the cold water is as effective as the full body of ice bath. This practice helps him to reduce the temperature of his body core and release the melatonin hormone, which helps us to fall asleep better.

2. 10-Minute Red-Light Session

The red-light session is another practice that he done before going to sleep which lasted for ten minutes. He uses the four medical-grade red-light panels and stand in front of it both in the front and at the back for five minutes. The purpose of the red-light therapy body unit is to increase the sleep hormone, melatonin in the brain. The release of the hormone will balance the circadian rhythm and feel more refreshed during waking hours.

3. Wear Blue Blocker Glasses Before Sleep

Due to receiving a lot of screentime by sitting too long in front of the computer when doing his business, he uses the blue blocker glass to block out any blue light radiation from getting into his eyes. He mentioned that those artificial light will keep the body awake during the night time so when the blue light is blocked, his natural circadian rhythm would not be activated. This helps him to sleep naturally.

4. No Drinking Water at 5 P.M.

While he always make sure that he will drink his water enough daily, which is about 4.3 liters that is almost equivalent to 17 cups per day, he will always make sure to have a glass of water so he would not wake up dehydrated. He said that not drinking before going to sleep helps him to not go to the restroom and he will able to stay in REM sleep for a deeper sleeping.

5. No Caffeine After 3 P.M.

He found out that after not drinking caffeine after 3 p.m., he was able to slow down his pace so that his sleep will improve in quality, a lot of rest and recovery. However, he sometimes break the rule whenever he had to keep his eyes awake for an all-nighter or a meeting online with the development team. Even if he breaks the rule, he give himself a rest that it is fine and give himself a forgiveness.

6. Room Temperature Set at 18 Degrees Celsius

In order to maintain the body core temperature, the optimal temperature for his bedroom will always be set at 18 degree Celsius. Hence, he must use the air conditioner to set it to a cooler temperature to give his heart rate a rest to get into a deeper state of sleep.

7. Use Bed Cooling Device

The cooling pad and a blanket that he put over his bed has cold water running through it and the temperature can always be adjusted. Both of the pad and blanket helps him sleep alongside with the 18 degree Celsius of the room temperature.

8. No Devices in the Bedroom

There will be no phone or devices will enter his bedroom for total silence and darkness. The devices are put in the living room to be charged. If he is at the hotel, he will unplug every devices to fill the room with darkness which will produce the melatonin hormone. The electrical devices also includes Wi-Fi since it emits blue light or electromagnetic fields.

9. Use Blackout Curtains

A dark environment helps him to sleep better and quicker that helps him relax. He will also make use of the blackout curtain to take a nap when the sun is still up in the middle of the day.

10. Focus on Sleep Optimization, Not Length of Sleep

He have a great understanding that a two hours of REM sleep and two hours of deep sleep equals to a perfect amount of night sleep. His goal is to achieve the 2:2 ratio so that he gets to sleep in six hours for a perfect sleep with the environment that has been created.

11. Monitor Sleep Behavior

As someone who is involve with AI, he tried various of devices such as the Oura Ring, providing him data about his REM, deep sleep, light sleep and also heart rate to give him his daily summary. The ring worked the best for him to monitor his daily sleep routine.

After he tried and implemented many of these sleep hacks into his sleeping routine, he has optimized his sleep so much that he can now wakes up naturally. This means that the body is recovered fully from getting enough sleep and results him with a healthier mood to start on his day.