Longevity fanatic Bryan Johnson says 'sleep is the new coffee'

Some tech execs aren't starting their days anymore with a jolt of caffeine — they're betting on sleep instead.

• There's a new mantra in the corporate world: sleep > caffeine. 
• "Sleep is the new coffee," longevity enthusiast Bryan Johnson told the Journal.
• Experts say workers who sleep more are likely to be more productive and focused.

Some tech execs aren't starting their days anymore with a jolt of caffeine — they're betting on sleep instead.

"I think sleep is the new coffee," Bryan Johnson told The Wall Street Journal.

Johnson, who built his fortune founding companies like payments platform Braintree and neuroscience startup Kernel, is best known these days for his antiaging regimen. His doctors say it has helped him achieve the heart of a 37-year-old and the lung capacity of an 18-year-old — even though he's 46.

A good night's rest is a crucial component of his routine. Johnson has said that he is usually in bed by 8:30 p.m. and up before 6 a.m. He has his last meal by 11 a.m., so his resting heart rate is between 46 and 50 beats per minute when he goes to bed.

The notion that sleep can replace your morning coffee speaks to a growing focus on self-care in the corporate world. Workers are pushing back on the idea that they must get by on just a few hours of rest and work long, grueling days to climb the ladder.

"Now the pendulum is swinging the other way," Shane Health, the founder of Mud/Wtr, told the Journal. "How much are you taking care of yourself? Do you feel energized? Do you feel full of vitality?"

Mud/Wtr makes coffee alternatives from Ayurvedic herbs and adaptogenic mushrooms and recently opened its first non-coffee cafe in Santa Monica, where it sells smoothies and elixirs and offers yoga, breathwork classes, and cold plunge parties, the Journal reported.

And workers who prioritize their sleep and well-being are likely to be more productive, focused, and more articulate in their speech, experts say.