'Terrible for health': Bryan Johnson slams Indian coder's viral 4 am hustle post

Bryan Johnson responded with a strong warning about the serious health implications of such work habits.

US tech entrepreneur and anti-ageing advocate Bryan Johnson sharply criticised a viral social media post by an Indian web developer that appeared to glorify working through the night, warning that such a lifestyle was “terrible for health” and should not be seen as “heroic.”

The post in question was shared by web developer Priyanshu Tiwari, who posted a photo of a group of young tech workers coding late into the night. Alongside the image, Tiwari wrote, “It’s 4 AM guys, but builders are building. What’s your excuse.” The post quickly gained traction on X (formerly Twitter), amassing thousands of views and comments, with many users praising the dedication and work ethic of the young developers.

However, Bryan Johnson—known for his extreme longevity experiments and multimillion-dollar anti-ageing regimen—responded with a strong warning about the serious health implications of such work habits.

“It may feel heroic but you’re spending down your human capacity. That posture reduces brain oxygen by 30%,” Johnson wrote, referring to the image of young professionals hunched over their laptops.

It may feel heroic but you're spending down your human capacity. That posture reduces brain oxygen by 30%. The blue light suppress melatonin, fragments deep-sleep, blunts next-day insulin sensitivity. The missed sleep raises cortisol, increases visceral-fat and decays memory.
Bryan Johnson (@bryan_johnson) May 25, 2025

He elaborated further on the physiological consequences of prolonged screen time and irregular sleep patterns: “The blue light suppress[es] melatonin, fragments deep-sleep, blunts next-day insulin sensitivity. The missed sleep raises cortisol, increases visceral-fat and decays memory.”

Johnson’s remarks, though supported by research around sleep deprivation and stress, drew mixed reactions from users online. Some agreed with the entrepreneur’s stance, while others criticised him for being out of touch with the realities of building a career in the tech industry.

“Fair, but you’re only able to make this comment from the comfort of your longevity maxed-out Venice villa because you did the same at one point,” one user replied, pointing out Johnson’s own journey as a founder of Braintree before he sold it to PayPal for $800 million.

Another user commented: “If prolonged, sure, but that’s not realistic. Just like it’s not realistic to expect that you will never do anything that will ever be in some capacity slightly unhealthy.”

A third X user weighed in with a personal perspective: “Savage response! But true! At 31, I can confirm. Every hour of missed sleep puts a layer of fog on my brain for the next day! Sleep is super important!”

Johnson, who follows a strict daily routine that includes carefully measured nutrition, monitored sleep, and medical interventions aimed at slowing ageing, has frequently spoken out about the need to rethink traditional work habits and prioritise health and longevity over hustle culture.