There's probably little to add here, but since I've been doing a 5am coding period each morning for the last year. First, I am 42, married with 1 kid, so that

There's probably little to add here, but since I've been doing a 5am coding period each morning for the last year. First, I am 42, married with 1 kid, so that may explain some of it. ;) Some keys: 1) Coffee maker on autobrew, but not immediately upon waking. Give yourself and your stomach time to wake up. 2) Eat and/or drink something easy upon waking. I go for the MixOne protein shakes, or OJ. 3) A clear goal of what to accomplish that morning. 4) Get enough sleep or you will burn out and have to stop for a time period of recovery. I go to sleep or rather, my body & mind collapse, at 9PM. Asleep by 9:30. I am able to get 7-8 hours of sleep every night. More than plenty. 5) Don't use anything with a screen (except maybe an e-ink Kindle) before bed. Reading helps me to get right to sleep. Due to having a kid in preschool, I generally am limited to 1-1.5 hours in the morning. Which is just enough time to do one task and very little else, hence the need to focus on something.