Oct 18, 2026 · 24 min
Gayle King finds energy before dawn through enthusiasm and curiosity
My Monday Morning: Gayle King
Gayle King’s routine offers a candid counterpoint to optimized mornings while connecting sleep, menopause, aging, friendship, and journalism.
- 1King starts work at 3:24 a.m. with little sleep, relying on enthusiasm rather than caffeine or alcohol to stay energized.
- 2She advocates open conversation about menopause while describing aging as a source of gratitude and unexpected benefits.
- 3Her journalism rests on curiosity, empathy, and making interview subjects feel respected, even during defining news events.
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King explains how she sustains a 3:24 a.m. schedule with four to five hours of sleep by drawing energy from enthusiasm for life and work.
The brief
Gayle King describes waking at 3:24 a.m. for CBS Mornings, getting four to five hours of sleep, and staying energized through enthusiasm rather than caffeine or alcohol.
Her morning is deliberately unoptimized: a bath, no breakfast, a white hot chocolate from Starbucks, and no weekday workout before going on air.
King connects her menopause advocacy with a grateful view of aging, saying symptoms vary widely and that growing older has brought unexpected benefits.
She describes Oprah Winfrey as a trusted best friend, then turns to journalism’s demands: curiosity, empathy, persistence, and respect for people facing hard questions.
The episode’s clearest throughline is that King’s energy comes less from a perfect routine than from genuine interest in work, people, food, and life.
Books & mentions
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