How To Do And Be Your Best: A Psychologist’s Guide To Unlocking Peak Performance Through The Power Of SleepWe often think of sleep in terms of rest, but it is much more than that. The power of sleep can open us to a lot of opportunities, especially in attaining our peak performance. Unlocking our peak performance in the fast-paced society in which we live can be the way to reach our true potential. In many endeavours like academics, professional success, athletic milestones, people keep looking for new ways to optimize performance. Interestingly, one of the most ignored yet valuable factors in unlocking peak performance is a simple key: good quality sleep.
There have been several studies that have proved the connection between sleep and performance, specifically the factors of cognitive function, memory consolidation, decision-making, and reaction time (Walker, 2017). Through the use of sleep, the cognitive processes such as attention, creativity, problem-solving, and learning can be significantly improved. These are the basic elements of improving performance, no matter which domain you belong to.
Another aspect that improves performance is the power of memory. When you go to sleep, the brain undergoes crucial processes of memory consolidation, where newly acquired information is processed, integrated, and stored for future retrieval (Diekelmann & Born, 2010). In simpler terms, this means that a good night’s sleep helps you to remember and recall information, it can also increase your speed in learning new things. For people interested in academic pursuits, this is a critical aspect of achieving peak performance.
But what happens when you don’t sleep properly? It can severely affect your performance as a lack of sleep has been proven to cause many problems. The ability to understand, make decisions, accuracy while doing things and the self-control to engage in risky behaviour is drastically reduced due to decreased sleep (Killgore, 2010). In domains like competitive sports, business negotiations, emergency response situations or even our everyday interactions, we depend on our decision-making skills.
Unlocking the Secrets of Better Sleep: A Psychologist’s Guide to Better Sleep Hygiene
A lack of sleep would hinder them and also create a negative impact on our physical performance. When you go to sleep, your body chooses this time to rest. It is also through sleep that you can attain muscle repair, hormone regulation, and energy restoration. While these are extremely crucial for athletes working towards peak performance (Fullagar et al., 2015), people belonging to other domains also can seek the benefits of sleep. Without sleep, there can be a decrease in physical performance, increased injury risk, and prolonged recovery times. (Milewski et al., 2014).
These points clearly indicate that we need to develop healthy sleep habits to unlock our true potential. You can do that by sticking to a consistent sleep-wake schedule, even on your free days, to regulate your body’s internal clock. Make the atmosphere in your bedroom cozy and quiet. You can use dim lights to induce sleep. It would be a good idea to Invest in a comfortable mattress and pillows to promote restful sleep. While this seems an obvious one, we keep scrolling through our phones before bedtime. You need to turn off your electronic devices one or two hours before you sleep. Drinking coffee or alcohol or eating meals before bedtime is a no-no. A few breathing and stretching exercises can certainly aid you in soothing your mind and body to sleep.
All of us dream to give our full efforts to accomplish our dreams. In order to do that, we often do so many things but forget the most important point: quality sleep is a non-negotiable component. We must understand the role of sleep in cognitive function, decision-making, and physical performance and prioritize sleep hygiene. Through the power of sleep, we can do our best and achieve great successes.
(Henna Ayoob is a highly regarded Consultant Psychologist and entrepreneur in Calicut, Kerala, specialises in psychological well-being. With a focus on sleep science, she is known for her expertise in guiding individuals toward optimal mental health. Henna is committed to fostering a healthier and more balanced lifestyle for her clients.)