It's the Brian Lair Show on WNYC. I'm Bridget Bergen filling in for Brian today.

Listeners, how do you start your day? Do you have a set routine, a list of things you must do in order to feel your best self throughout the day?

The numbers 212-433 WNYC. That's 212-433-9692. I was reading Arthur C. Brooks's newsletter in the Atlantic, How to Build a Life, when we came across his protocol for a happy start to the day.

He actually realized that he tends to feel the most negative early in the morning, so his routine is optimized to build up as much positive energy as possible during the first few hours of his day. And whoa, does he start

his day early? He rises at 4.30 a.m. According to Brooks, Hindus refer to this time as the

creator's time, precisely an hour and 36 minutes before the sun rises. This period in the day is considered to have

powerful properties when the mind is most receptive to spiritual awakening, he wrote. Although this

concept isn't necessarily backed by science, he notes that evidence have shown that waking up before

dawn can lead to more attentiveness and better recall throughout the day.

So are you a pre-dawn riser either by choice or out of necessity? What do you do in those

first few hours of the morning when the world is seemingly still asleep? Have you figured out

your optimal wake-up time? Give us a call 212-4433 W-N-Y-C. That's 212-433-9-6-9-2. Now, Brooks, he hits the gym for some

heavy lifting and cardio almost immediately after waking up, and then after an hour of exercise,

he gets cleaned up and heads to a Catholic Mass with his wife every day.

He recommends prayer or some sort of meditation in the mornings to help with emotional self-management.

It's only after all of these steps that he has his first cup of coffee and what he calls a protein-rich breakfast.

So, listeners, what do you do in the morning to keep

your body and spirit healthy? Are you one of those people in the gym at the crack of dawn?

Maybe you cook for yourself, an elaborate breakfast or get morning stretches in. Do you leave some

time for a contemplation about the day ahead? Why is this better than just like rolling out of bed to get to work right away?

The number's 2-1-2-433-W-N-YC.

That's 2-2-433-969-2.

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