Dolly Parton Reveals the Surprising Time She Starts Her Extremely Early Morning Routine

Dolly Parton is waking up way early to make that 9 to 5 magic happen! The country music icon, 76, revealed in a new interview with Insider that she starts each day at 3 a.m., which is when she does some of her “best work.” Despite waking up so early, Parton assured her fans she’s getting plenty of sleep before embarking on her morning routine.

“I don’t need a whole lot of sleep,” Parton told the outlet. “I go to bed pretty early, but even if I’ve been up late – it’s just kind of like a little clock inside of me that says ‘it’s 3 o’clock!’” She continued, “I do some of my best work there, but I get enough sleep. I don’t require as much sleep as a lot of other people do, that’s kind of a Parton family trait.”

The Grammy winner starts her day with a skincare routine like many people but admitted she doesn’t “do any big rituals” with her skin. “I don’t think you have to pay a ton of money to have good products,” she said. “Most of the products that cost less are just as good, and sometimes better than the ones that cost a fortune. I don’t buy for fame. I just buy the ones that work for me.”

The “I Will Always Love You” singer noted that staying out of the sun when she was younger has been a key to her youthful appearance now. “I never got out in the sun,” Parton explained. “I don’t have a lot of the same problems that women my age do ’cause I never baked myself in the sun. I would’ve if I’d been able to tan but I couldn’t, so now I’m glad!”

Parton also stays fabulous all the time, telling RuPaul for a Marie Claire cover story in December 2020 that she always has her hair and makeup done. “I have to always stay ready – street ready, I always say,” Parton said. “I have to keep my makeup on and keep my hair done.” She joked that she has to be “ambulance-ready at all times, if I get sick or something,” but also loves the skin she’s in. “I’m comfortable in my own skin; I’m comfortable with my image,” she said. “I dress for myself more than I do for somebody else.”