Gayle King’s alarm goes off at 3:24 a.m., but she hits snooze three times before getting out of bed. Years of morning television have not made that part of her workday any easier.
The 71-year-old “CBS Mornings” co-host described her weekday routine in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published October 19. Reporter Lane Florsheim asked how she manages the schedule.
King has been part of CBS’s morning lineup since the January 2012 launch of “CBS This Morning.” She stayed with the broadcast when it became “CBS Mornings” in September 2021, with its 7 a.m. Eastern start.
She still loves the job and goes out at least a couple of evenings each week. King credited her enthusiasm for life with keeping her active beyond her television duties.
Four to Five Hours of Sleep Is a Typical Night
King estimates that she sleeps four to five hours a night and monitors her rest with an Apple Watch. She said doctors respond with a lecture when she tells them her average.
“If I sleep six hours, I’m doing a fricking hula,” she said in the published interview. King acknowledged that getting more rest remains something she needs to work on.
A Bubble Bath Comes Before Her Caffeine-Free Drinks
Once she is up, King makes time for a hot bath with plenty of bubbles before heading to the studio. The habit travels with her. When booking a hotel, she asks for a room with a bathtub.
She doesn’t drink coffee or other caffeinated beverages. At the office, she might choose coconut water with pineapple, while her Starbucks order is a white hot chocolate made with skim milk and no whipped cream. She readily admitted to having a sweet tooth.
King said she isn’t hungry when she wakes and usually eats some fruit after arriving at work, before going on air, instead of having a full weekday breakfast.
Choosing an Outfit Is Her Biggest Morning Stress
King knows selecting her clothes the night before would help, but she rarely does it. The day’s interviews can influence her choice, with darker colors preferred for more serious conversations.
King skips weekday morning workouts because of how much earlier she would need to get up. She reserves harder sessions for weekends and exercises every day while on vacation.
King Describes Hot Flashes and Lessons From a New Menopause Book
In the same conversation, King discussed The Book of Menopause: Real Talk, Real Science, Real Strategies for Your Next Chapter. She is editor-at-large of Oprah Daily, whose editors compiled the guide, with an introduction by Oprah Winfrey.
Hearst Home published the book on October 13. It combines women’s personal experiences with contributions from health specialists, covering subjects including preparing for medical appointments and understanding options for managing symptoms.
King said she still experiences sudden hot flashes. As Entertainment Weekly reported in its October 20 coverage, she emphasized that menopause affects women differently and that advance knowledge can help them understand unfamiliar changes.
She had not previously associated foot pain or sensory overload with menopause. Learning about those experiences broadened her understanding beyond the symptoms she had heard discussed while growing up.
She Wants More Years and More Interviews
King has already lived longer than either of her parents, who died at 47 and 60. She remains grateful to be active at her age and said she now hopes to live to at least 90.
Her interview wish list includes country singer Ella Langley. King recalled spending years pursuing conversations with Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z and Michael Jordan, acknowledging that famous subjects can choose whether to sit down with her.
Before those conversations, she reads a guest’s book or watches their show, looking for an unexpected detail to ask about.