Matteo Franceschetti

Matteo is the CEO & Co-Founder of Eight Sleep, the world's leading sleep enhancement company. Backed by Founders Fund, Khosla Ventures, Craft Ventures, Y Combinator, and 8VC, Matteo has raised over $65 million to date.

On his morning routine.

Most days I’m up between 6 and 6:30. 

I immediately run through email and check revenue performance from the previous day. Then I’ll have an espresso shot followed by a regimented shower. 

During my shower I switch between hot and cold about 10 times, holding each temp for 30 seconds. This technique works for me, and similar to a workout, it gets my heart rate up.

Before I start work, I go for a brief walk.

If my wife comes along, we mainly just chat and take in some fresh air. If I go alone, I like to listen to podcasts - mainly from people in tech. 

Finally, I’ll jump into work around 8 or 8:30.

On intermittent fasting.

Ideally, I’m fasting between 16 to 23 hours a day. 

A few times a week I’ll do a full 23 hour fast. It feels great.

I don’t usually fast on the weekends because my wife and I love to go out, and we normally get brunch. If I do eat, I tend to eat right before I train.

I use Levels, a terrific continuous glucose monitoring app, to pay attention to what goes into my body and its correlating metabolic effects.

I’ve been on a keto diet for a couple of years now and Levels has been incredibly useful.

On going sober.

I stopped drinking in April of 2018. 

My wife and I went on a trip to Europe where we drank a bottle of wine every night for a week. When we came back, we were absolutely disgusted.

We just felt terrible. So, we decided to go on a cleanse for about a week, and after that, we just never got back into drinking.

There are so many cognitive benefits associated with not drinking. If you look at your biometrics, whether using Eight Sleep or Levels, you’ll immediately see benefits from not consuming alcohol.

You’re not only improving REM sleep, but you’re also cutting calories and sugar. Whenever I used to drink, I would feel heavy after.

It slowed down my digestion and made me feel sluggish. To help ease the transition after work, we make non-alcoholic cocktails.

Most recently we reinvented a gin and tonic using Recess mixed with lime. It tastes great and is incredibly helpful for transitioning into our evening routine.

On high-intensity training.

Pre-COVID I’d exercised before work.

Now I’ll workout midday, primarily HIIT training. 

I start with high-intensity cardio for 30 to 40 minutes, either on my Peloton or an exercise app, followed by a 30 min strength training session. 

After working out, I take a cold shower followed by a 20-minute power nap to accelerate my recovery.

Then I’ll drink a quick espresso and I’m ready to get back to work.

On excelling under pressure.

At a startup, you’re continuously under pressure. 

You’re always putting out a fire.

I compare my job to being the “doctor” of my company. Nobody needs me when things are running smoothly, but they immediately give me a call when problems arise. Problem-solving comes down to being resourceful, resilient, and positive. 

Good habits like getting regular sleep, exercising, and eating properly help me immensely in managing the stress of running a startup.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

On striking a balance.

Everybody is different. While we try our best to practice healthy habits, it’s difficult to maintain a regimen 365 days per year. It’s about finding balance. 

You might train really well one day, but lose out on a healthy diet. Life events come up that can make it hard to maintain a regimented lifestyle.

I’m no exception to that.

I will say nutrition has been quite difficult to uphold. While I avoid carbs on keto, which can adversely affect my mood, it’s important to have a controlled number of cheat days. I’m Italian so it can be tough when I’m in the mood for pasta and bread.

Sleep can also be quite hard to maintain because I frequently travel to the Bay Area. The jet lag builds up over time.

This is where it becomes crucial to maintain a sleep schedule. 

Waking up and going to sleep at the same fixed time brings back regularity and creates a sense of structure. Despite launching Eight Sleep, even I have difficulty sleeping sometimes.

On his evening routine.

The lights in my house are automated. They switch to orange around 7:30 PM and gradually dim before completely shutting off at 9:30. 

Around that time I’ll take melatonin and magnesium which help with my restless leg syndrome. I often find myself waking up a few times a night due to severe leg cramps.

An hour before bed, I use my NormaTec compression boots to relax, followed by some stretching for my hips. All the products in my bedroom are from Eight Sleep. 

I also spray lavender on my pillow to help me relax. Scent is a fascinating next frontier for sleep. Lastly, I turn off all work-related electronics at least 30 minutes before bed. 

I enjoy reading non-fiction books on my Kindle before finally going to bed.