The Importance of Sleep for Performance - Part 2: How to Achieve High-Quality Sleep to Boost Your Performance
As a high-performing executive, business leader, and ambitious individual, we know your time is priceless. But what I often hear talking to other leaders is they often find themselves not being able to always make the most of their working hours. Have you also experienced those moments when exhaustion sets in, and your mind feels like it's running on empty? Perhaps you find it increasingly challenging to maintain the razor-sharp focus and clarity needed to lead your team with confidence. Or maybe you've noticed a decline in your ability to make quick and effective decisions, leaving you second-guessing your own instincts. – Certainly I have recognised such issues from time to time myself.
These are the hidden obstacles that many CEOs, high-performing executives, and business leaders however face on a daily basis. The relentless pursuit of success often comes at a cost—neglected sleep. But fear not, for there is a key to unlock your true potential and propelling you to new heights of performance.
At DRYM Health, we understand the unique challenges faced by CEOs, high-performing executives, and business leaders like yourself. We have dedicated ourselves to studying the science of sleep and its direct impact on performance, ensuring that we can provide you with the solutions you need to excel in both your professional and personal life.
In order to heighten the pinnacle of your success, it's crucial to recognise the growth in slowing down to speed up — as counterintuitive as that may seem. We think the biggest return of the investment you can make (in slowing down to speed up) is to prioritise your sleep. The truth is, sleep QUALITY is often overlooked as the single most important and reliable means of making the most of your waking hours to push the envelope even further. While you can try to sleep longer, we’re here to show you how to sleep better and make the most of as many hours as you can afford.
In the following sections, we will dive deep into the fascinating world of sleep and explore the undeniable connection between quality sleep and optimal performance. We will provide you with practical strategies, backed by scientific research, to help you optimise your sleep habits and unleash your leadership potential. But before we delve into the solutions, let's first understand why sleep is the secret ingredient that has been undervaluation on your journey towards peak performance.
Why Sleep is the Foundation of Peak Performance
Your demanding role as a leader comes with unique challenges: Long work hours, high-stakes decision-making, and the constant pressure to perform at your best can take a toll on your mind and body. But did you know that sleep holds the key to unlocking your true potential?
Quality sleep acts as a catalyst for your cognitive abilities. It is the secret ingredient that boosts cognitive function, creativity, and decision-making: [1, 2] Thereby it enhances your focus, attention, and problem-solving skills. Imagine waking up with a clear mind, ready to tackle complex business challenges head-on – How would that make you feel?
Besides, leadership is not just about business acumen; it's also about understanding and connecting with people on an emotional level. Sleep plays a vital role in regulating your emotions and boosting your emotional intelligence. [3] When well-rested, you can navigate conflicts, inspire your team, and build strong relationships with stakeholders.
Quality sleep is not a luxury but a necessity for high-performing individuals like yourself. On the following graphic Chartest and Grandner [2020] [4] summarised some aspect about, how poor sleep and sleep deprivation can negatively impact (athletic) performance:
Graph: Charest J, Grandner MA. Sleep and Athletic Performance: Impacts on Physical Performance, Mental Performance, Injury Risk and Recovery, and Mental Health. Sleep Med Clin. 2020;15(1):41-57
And as you as a high performing professional are sort of in a similar position as high performance athletes – heavy workload, high stress situations, fast decision making – drawing similar conclusions from the scientific literature seems reasonable. In fact, in field-studies in athletes have shown that sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function, decrease reaction time, and thereby reduce endurance and strength.
Over time, developing issues such as insomnia can even have more detrimental health risks. Insomnia (chronically) as one of the most common diseases related to sleep, is the most important risk for anxiety and depressive disorders, but also for somatic (physical) diseases.
To make matters worse, certain cultures appear to idealise the ability to function with minimal sleep. [2] Among high-performing CEOs and executives, the high prevalence of insomnia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and mood swings are not surprising, but the lack of resources to help them achieve better sleep indeed is!
Remember:
Sleep empowers you to make better decisions, think creatively, and stay ahead of the competition. It also helps you regulate your emotions better by boosting not only your IQ but EQ!
Strategies We Use at DRYM to Optimise Your Sleep
We have identified scientific-based approaches that will give you guidance on how to change your setup and modify your lifestyle in order to achieve best quality sleep possible. Here are some examples we would implement with our clients:
First things first: Your sleep environment sets the stage for a restful night. From the right mattress and pillows to controlling light and noise, every detail matters. Generally speaking, a dark, quiet, and more cold room will do best. We'll explore how to design a sleep sanctuary that promotes deep relaxation and which tools to utilise for quality sleep.
Consistency is key when it comes to sleep. We'll delve into the importance of a regular sleep schedule to be in sync with your circadian rhythm and provide tips for winding down before bed. Discover how simple habits and rituals can signal your body and mind that it's time to recharge and recover.
Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, and gentle stretching, can calm your mind and prepare your body for sleep. We'll guide you through simple practices that help you release stress and tension, ensuring a peaceful transition to sleep.
Beyond creating a soothing atmosphere, there are other factors that impact your sleep quality. We'll discuss the effects of caffeine, food, alcohol, and electronic devices on sleep, offering practical tips for minimising their interference and maximising your sleep potential.
As a high-performing executive, you may face specific sleep challenges, such as jet lag or late work. We'll address these issues head-on, providing targeted strategies to overcome sleep obstacles and ensure you consistently get the rest you need.
We will explore supplements, teas and tinctures that might be suitable to optimise your sleep.
Now, let me give you an overview of how we implement this in our program:
To begin with, we will holistically assess your current circumstances and do an in-depth analysis of your Sleep Health with our triage of transformation: test, track, and transform. The execution of this would work in this fashion:
Through interviewing and questionnaires, plus potentially additional medical testing, we will holistically assess your status quo.
From there on, we will track and monitor your sleep with the use of wearable technology. With all this data, we will be able to identify critical points and then come up with a personalised approach to tackle such.
In the transformation phase we will provide you with individual action steps and guide you through the process with our team of experts and coaches to optimise your sleep.
By understanding the undeniable connection between sleep and performance, you have taken the first step toward elevating your leadership potential. With practical strategies for optimising your sleep, you can become a more focused, decisive, innovative, and emotionally intelligent leader.
And remember: Sleep is not a luxury reserved for the weak! It is a powerful weapon for CEOs, high-performing executives, and business leaders who dare to excel. Embrace the power of sleep and unleash your true leadership potential.