This 48-year-old CEO wakes up at 4:15 a.m. for a daily workout and meditation routine. Here’s why he deserves credit for his success

“I’m an early riser on purpose,” says Nedelman, from LA Wealth. “I’ve been up before sunrise for 20 years or more.”

Nedelman, CEO of Pressed Juicery, a cold-pressed juice shop and wellness brand, likes to be awake in the dark hours of the morning when the rest of the world feels shut down. “Mornings are just magical to me. You own the city,” he says.

It allows him to slowly enjoy a 5 oz. Americano, a glass of water, a five-minute meditation, and most importantly, a rigorous sweat session. It’s all been a staple of the 48-year-old’s morning routine for most of his adult life, which he credits for his good health and entrepreneurial success — not to mention being a factor that helped him reach the 13,000-meter peak of Acatenango. volcano in Guatemala by hiking and mountain biking last year.

“I don’t know how you could ever run a wellness brand without pursuing health every day — mentally, physically, spiritually, whatever it is,” he says.

I wake up early for my morning sweats

Having plenty of time for exercise is a major plus for Nedelman’s early risers. His morning sweats, where Nedelman incorporates strength training, a weight vest and a jump rope, are his non-negotiables.

There is a case to be made that the early bird catches the worm. Waking up early can give people time to exercise, eat a nutritious breakfast, and reduce the stress that comes with rushing outside, all pillars of a long and healthy life. It allows Nedelman to set an intention for the day—a habit that can boost confidence and performance.

Although most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night to protect their physical and mental health, Nedelman goes to bed between 10 and 11 p.m., getting about six hours of shut-eye. However, he admits that he will naturally wake up at four o’clock, even if he returns home after midnight from a red-eye flight or late night work.

“If I only have three hours, I have three hours. Sometimes I get six or seven,” he says, adding that a “sleep in” until 5:30 happens every two to three weeks.

He says he doesn’t seem to need as much sleep as the average person, whether it’s down to a “clean diet,” daily exercise, or luck. Nedelman also limits himself to one cup of coffee at 4:45 a.m., which can help with the quality of his sleep, or how well he falls and falls asleep.

Nedelman doesn’t give up all social plans to adhere to a rigid bedtime. When he started his corporate career, he stayed out late, went to business meetings and sacrificed a little sleep. Now, as a father of two, he admits that he thinks a lot more about the balance between work, family and well-being, and encourages others to think about optimizing their time.

“Since I started my professional career, it’s always been impossible to keep fit and work hard and have a social life unless you’ve been super disciplined with your time,” he says. “When I realized all of this, I had to go to the gym with the 5am club and I had to be intentional about going out really late, knowing the impact.”

While it may not appeal or be feasible for all achievers, some form of Nedelman’s routine might, such as having enough time for a morning routine.

Routines are individualized for a reason, and not everyone can wake up in the dark and feel on fire. However, Nedelman hopes to spread a message that wellness is more than his job—and much more about his passion for extending the span of health.

“I hope to be like this for the rest of my life,” he says. “It’s kind of like a live long, die fast mentality, as opposed to live long and die slowly for the last 10 years, which would be really challenging.”

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