What Time Do Day Traders Wake Up?

As a professional day trader since 2005, I spend 0. 5 to 2 hours per day taking day trades. I typically take one to eight trades in a two-hour period (an average of four trades), with each trade lasting several minutes. Assume that you will need an additional three to four hours per week for review, planning, and practice.

I currently day trade the EURUSD on a 1-minute chart. Typically, I trade this market for around one 5 hours. I also day trade stocks. Typically, I trade this market for the first half hour following its opening.

I break down different scenarios of how many hours day traders work in this article. As a day trader, I have had multiple lives and worked both longer and shorter hours. Since the biggest and fastest moves in a trading day are usually contained within a few hours, I find that shorter hours tend to work best for me.

The life of a day trader is fast-paced and demanding, requiring a disciplined routine to stay ahead of the markets. One crucial aspect of this routine is waking up early to monitor market movements and prepare for the trading day

The Importance of Early Mornings for Day Traders

Day traders wake up early for several reasons:

Market Open: Most major stock exchanges open early in the morning, typically between 9:30 AM and 10:00 AM Eastern Time. By waking up early, day traders can monitor the opening bell and identify potential trading opportunities.
News and Events: Important economic news and events often occur before the market open, impacting market sentiment and volatility. Day traders need to be aware of these events and their potential impact on their trading strategies.
Pre-Market Activity: The pre-market trading session, which takes place before the official market open, provides valuable insights into market sentiment and potential price movements. Day traders can use this information to refine their trading plans and identify potential entry and exit points.
Mental Preparation: Day trading requires intense focus and concentration. Waking up early allows day traders to establish a calm and focused mindset before the market opens, improving their decision-making abilities.

Typical Wake-Up Times for Day Traders

While there is no set wake-up time for day traders, most tend to rise between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM Eastern Time. This allows them ample time to:

Review Market News: Day traders start their day by reviewing overnight news, economic data, and market-moving events to understand the current market landscape.
Analyze Charts and Technical Indicators: Day traders use technical analysis to identify potential trading opportunities based on price patterns, trends, and technical indicators.
Develop Trading Strategies: Based on their analysis, day traders develop trading strategies for the day, including entry and exit points, risk management parameters, and potential profit targets.
Prepare Trading Platform: Day traders ensure their trading platform is set up and ready to execute trades efficiently.

Individual Preferences and Market Conditions

The specific wake-up time for a day trader can vary depending on individual preferences, market conditions, and trading strategies. Some day traders may prefer to wake up earlier to capture pre-market opportunities, while others may start their day closer to the market open.

Early Birds: Day traders who prefer to wake up early (before 6:00 AM) often focus on pre-market trading and capturing early price movements.
Mid-Morning Starters: Day traders who wake up closer to the market open (around 7:00 AM) tend to focus on intraday trading opportunities and reacting to market events.
Market Volatility: During periods of high market volatility, day traders may wake up earlier to monitor the situation closely and adjust their trading strategies accordingly.

Waking up early is an essential part of a day trader’s routine, allowing them to stay ahead of the markets, prepare for the trading day, and make informed trading decisions. While the specific wake-up time can vary depending on individual preferences and market conditions, most day traders tend to rise between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM Eastern Time By establishing a consistent morning routine and staying informed about market developments, day traders can increase their chances of success in this fast-paced and competitive field

The 2-Hour Day Trading Work Day

1. 5 to 2 hours is my typical day trading workday. I trade the EURUSD day trade from 6 am to 7:30 or 8 am Mountain Time (MST) (8 to 10 am Eastern Time (EST)). If I’m done with my forex trading, I might then day trade stocks from 7:30 to 8 am (the first half hour after the open).

Here’s my typical day:

I get up a little after five in the morning, feed the fish, use the restroom, and then sit down to work on my computer.
I go through a morning day trading routine for five to ten minutes to help me get my mind in a neutral, peaceful state. Some days I have a clear head and am prepared to go in five minutes. On other days, if something is bothering me or diverting my attention, the routine might take ten or fifteen minutes. I vary this routine based on what I think I need on any given day to help me get in the right frame of mind. I try to clear my head before trading by doing whatever I can or must in order to avoid just going through the motions.
I launch my trading platform, select my charts (I use TradingView charts and execute trades in my brokerage account), and enter the balance of my current account into my position sizing tool to determine the size of my position when trading.
When day trading, my only objective is to stick to the trading plan, so I concentrate on looking for patterns that fit my plan and ignoring everything else. To assist with this, I go over each price bar that appears during the day. I call this “commentating. ”.
After about two hours, or whenever there’s a natural break, I call it quits. For instance, I stop trading if I have been trading for an hour and forty-five minutes and it doesn’t appear like a trade will set up soon. When a trade reaches the two-hour mark, I let it finish.
I review my chart after my trading session is over and make any additional notes about the day or my trading strategy. I go over my trades to make sure they’re legitimate or to see if there’s anything I missed. I compile my daily statistics and plot them on the graph. This usually only takes a few minutes.
After that, I usually post my chart on the TradeThatSwing Facebook page and on my Twitter profile.

Here’s an example:

That is it. I make breakfast, head to the trainer, or play golf after I finish trading. That is my day. Since I work in mountain time, my workday begins at six in the morning and ends at eight thirty. I usually arrive at my trainer by 9 am and spend between 11 am and noon on the golf course.

Here are some more tips on day trading and how to maximize your trading time via productivity and efficiency:

How to Make Day Trading More Efficient

Every day, I attempt to begin trading at the same time. Although it doesn’t always work out, I try to trade at the same time every day to maintain consistency. I don’t mind if I miss a trade at 5:58 if I start trading at 6 am every day; however, if I miss a trade at 6:02 because I wasn’t logged in, that was a mistake on my part.

I am concentrated for the two hours that I day trade. I make an effort not to become sidetracked and I don’t leave my desk until absolutely necessary. 2 hours go by pretty quickly.

My office door is closed so I’m not bothered. The ability to focus and remain disciplined for two hours (or more) requires practice and time. Even a one-second distraction during the setup of a trade could result in a missed or delayed entry, ruining the trading opportunity.

Since there is the most activity in my market (the EURUSD) during those two hours of the day, I trade for two hours every day.

I prefer to trade stocks from 9:30 to 10 a.m. EST, or possibly as late as 10:30 (730–8 or 830 my time). I enjoy trading the volatility immediately following the opening bell.

I only day trade one market at a time. I’ve attempted to day trade both stocks and the EURUSD simultaneously. I could have done it, but my profits didn’t really rise because I usually miss out on something in one market in order to have the opportunity to trade in another. However, I am permitted to trade one market after another. Thus, after the stock market opens, I might trade forex, quit, and then trade stocks.

To get better at trading, I also do some review work in addition to trading.

I will review my charts for the week over the weekend and total up all of the gains and losses, win percentage, number of trades, lost opportunities, errors, etc. I then post a weekly review (which I try to do publicly, though I don’t always have time to do so). The part at the bottom of this review where I discuss my priorities for the coming week is the most crucial. This is basically my homework for improvement. During the week, the review and “homework” could require an additional few hours.
I repeat the same action at the end of the month. I total everything for the month and then, after looking back over the whole month, I identify what I did well and what I still need to work on. This takes an additional hour or so, on top of the homework, which can take a few minutes every day or several hours every week.

I work 12 hours a week as a day trader, which includes trading, reviewing, and trading improvement exercises. If I’m having trouble with something, I’ll dedicate more time to improving.

Expect a higher number of hours if you are a novice day trader because you will need to dedicate more time to learning the ropes and improving your skills. The road to steady profits will take longer if you don’t put much effort into improving.

The EURUSD Day Trading Course covers my approach to day trading the EURUSD and has over 11 hours of content covering every facet of profitable day trading.

The 6AM Morning Trading Routine That Changed My Life

FAQ

What time is day traders most active?

The opening period (9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time) is often one of the best hours of the day for day trading, offering the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. A lot of professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m. because that is when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

What time should I wake up to trade?

Bottom Line. If you are looking to day trade stocks, the best time to do that may be in the morning, right after the market opens at 9:30 a.m. ET until about 11 a.m. ET. It’s when you will end up seeing the bulk of your gains.

What is the 11am rule in trading?

It is not a hard and fast rule, but rather a guideline that has been observed by many traders over the years. The logic behind this rule is that if the market has not reversed by 11 am EST, it is less likely to experience a significant trend reversal during the remainder of the trading day.

How many hours a day do day traders work?

Most independent day traders have short days, working two to five hours per day. Often they will practice making simulated trades for several months before beginning to make live trades.

Why do day traders wake up the next morning?

As a result, traders often wake up to see gaps in price movements the next morning. The markets open each morning with a level of chaos in reaction to news releases. While this might place extreme pressure on long-term traders, many successful day traders suggest this time as a prime opportunity in their personal trading tips.

Is it necessary to wake up early to be a day trader?

Nobody loves waking up early, but if you’re serious about becoming a successful day trader, waking up early is necessary. When you take on the life of a day trader, your job starts at 9:30AM EST and you need to be prepared. Just like any other job, you shouldn’t roll out of bed 10 minutes before work, clock in, and then get ready to start working.

What time does trading start & end?

Regular trading begins at 9:30 a.m. EST, so the hour ending at 10:30 a.m. EST is often the best trading time of the day. It offers the biggest moves in the shortest amount of time. Many professional day traders stop trading around 11:30 a.m., because that’s when volatility and volume tend to taper off.

What time does a day trader start?

When you take on the life of a day trader, your job starts at 9:30AM EST and you need to be prepared. Just like any other job, you shouldn’t roll out of bed 10 minutes before work, clock in, and then get ready to start working. You need to be prepared much earlier. Give yourself time to wake up and time to research what is going on in the market.