Our ability to perform at our peak each day is very much affected by how we sleep at night. This is not just about how many hours of sleep we get, but how refreshed we feel in the morning and how much mental energy we have for our work in the daytime.
In this video, I talk you through the 5 top ways that sleep impacts peak performance, both positively and negatively.
When you are sleeping well at night consistently, you know that you can perform really well during the day.
1. Physical Health
The first way that sleep affects peak performance is through our health and physical energy.
I’m sure you have experienced one of those mornings where you have had to drag yourself out of bed.
When we are this low on energy it impacts the whole 24 hours of our day, and beyond. We will be hungrier and make poorer food choices. Over time our ability to maintain a healthy weight is impeded, as is our ability to age well.
2. Mental Performance
Mental clarity, focus and decision-making ability are all reduced when we are tired.
We all get distracted sometimes of course, but it’s our ability to refocus that makes the difference. When we are getting better sleep, we can recover our focus faster and be more efficient.
3. Emotional Stability
We’ve all had days when we weren’t as patient, perhaps we snap a little sometimes. Being tired from a night of poor sleep makes us more prone to this.
Our ability to get the best out of our day requires us to handle the emotions of the day too. This is much easier when we have slept well.
One of the most common concerns I hear from people with insomnia is that they worry they won’t be able to handle the emotional demands of the day. Their concerns might be about supporting their team at work, or it may be just about dealing with their own emotions when stressful situations arise.
4. Peaceful Mind
The way that bad sleep affects your mental peace is a vicious cycle. When we have slept badly, we won’t be as productive with our day.
When the end of the day comes, we will likely be dissatisfied with how our day went and what we achieved – or didn’t achieve. This in turn leads to difficulty unwinding at night to go to sleep.
5. Confidence
The opposite of the vicious cycle mentioned above is the confidence that comes from being a consistently good sleeper.
When you know that you have the ability to get good sleep, night after night, then you know that you can perform better during the day.
These 5 points when added up make a huge difference to your ability to peak perform every single day.
Sleep better with Beatrix Schmidt’s online course, 10 Day Sleep Challenge.
