Rob Lowe gets an 'embarrassing amount' of sleep: Here are his tips to stay youthful

In a new series, USA TODAY’s The Essentials, celebrities share what fuels their lives.

After nearly 45 years in Hollywood, Rob Lowe, 59, somehow looks youthful enough to have just walked off the set of 1985's "St. Elmo's Fire," while carrying a packed work schedule to rival any of his fellow "Brat Pack" members.

Lowe has a top podcast, "Literally! With Rob Lowe," while splitting time starring as Capt. Owen Strand on Fox's "9-1-1: Lone Star" (Season 5 coming this fall) and as tech billionaire Ellis Dragon in Netflix's workplace comedy "Unstable" (Season 2 coming this fall). To top off his current streak, Lowe is bringing his eternal good looks back to presenting as the host and producer "The Floor." The Fox game show (airing Tuesdays at 9 p.m. EST/PST) features contestants battling over trivia for control over squares on a giant LED board floor.

Lowe shares his essentials to surviving Hollywood — while looking so darn good doing it.

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Sleep is essential for 'The Floor' game show host Rob Lowe — even in his Cadillac Escalade

The science backs it up: Good sleep is vital for health. Lowe cites his shut-eye schedule as crucial to maintaining his fresh-faced appearance.

"I get tons of sleep. Like, an embarrassing amount," says Lowe, who declines to give the number. "I don't want people to think something is wrong with me. It's a lot of sleep, not 12 hours. But if there's ever 12 (hours) to be had, I'm taking it."

Rest is so necessary that Lowe's black Cadillac Escalade SUV serves as both transport and sanctum shuttling between projects.

"The seats recline all the way down, so I can sleep between the various sets.

"I have it down to a science. The eye mask, the Bose noise-cancelling headphones. And I'm gone."

Is too much sleep a bad thing?Dakota Johnson says she sleeps up to 14 hours per night.

Rob Lowe diet includes cutting back on carbohydrates

Lowe started to learn in his 30s that he couldn't eat what he used to while staying fit. That's why he embraced the low-carbohydrate, high-protein Atkins diet.

"I've been doing it ever since," says Lowe, who has been the Atkins brand spokesperson since 2018. "It makes a big difference. You're only as good as what you eat."

He misses carb-filled indulgences.

"It bums me out. Believe me, I'd love to eat nothing but pies and milkshakes. And I would love to eat like a 15-year-old. But I can't."

Lowe, who celebrated 33 years of sobriety in May, is thankful for the people who have put him on the path of his "grateful journey" in life. And his health is enhanced by avoiding alcohol.

"I haven't had a drink in 33 years. That's a huge thing, even beyond recovery," says Lowe. "When you think about the calories and the bloat you're missing. That just adds up. So that's super helpful."

Lowe needs his 'crazy' hair to get into his 'Unstable' character

Lowe has a hairy method of stepping into his "Unstable" tech titan Ellis Dragon role alongside his son John Owen Lowe. The actor slowly, unnoticeably grew out his 'do while filming his clean-cut firefighter on "9-1-1 Lone Star." By the end, Lowe was ready to step into the hairstyle known as "The Ellis," which is critical for his performance.

"I literally have to schedule the growth of my hair," says Lowe. "I am so booked that I have this hair window, and I've got to make it. I don't want to wear a wig. I need the crazy hair."

It takes tactical tress planning, but it's worth it.

"That ('Unstable') hair is like Bradley Cooper in 'Maestro.'"

Rob Lowe keeps his positive perspective with a daily gratitude list

Lowe starts each day with a prayer and a gratitude list to remind himself of life's many blessings. Some items never change on the list.

"It's my family, our health, my sobriety," says Lowe. "Then I go into my four dogs (Daisy, Oscar, Owen, and Bella) and the ability to do a job I love. And I try to get the list going as long as I can. Some days it's longer, some days it's shorter."

Find the right partner (but roses help when you go wrong)

Lowe has been married to Sheryl Berkoff for 31 years. That's an impressive feat anywhere, but especially in Hollywood. The key starts from the top: picking the right partner.

"It's sort of won and lost right there," says Lowe. "Sheryl was always and remains my best friend. No matter what. There are good days and bad days. But no matter what, you've chosen your best friend."

Whatever happens in life and Hollywood, Berkoff is his rock.

"It's through thick and thin. But at the end of the day, you're hoping for way more thick. We've been lucky to have that."

When Lowe finds himself "in the doghouse" at home, he reaches for a poignant card or long-stemmed red roses.

"It's so simple, but flowers work. That's the reason they're cliches. Because they work."

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.