Rest, Recharge, and Rise: The Power of Sleep
😴 World Sleep Day 2025
Written by Paul Smith, Managing Director
Today is World Sleep Day 2025, as a poor sleeper myself, I've taken the time to explore some tips today for improving. As part of some engagement on this article, I would love to know what works for you. Feel free to provide your tips below.
As we celebrate World Sleep Day, let's take a moment to reflect on our sleep, it’s easy to push it to the bottom of our priority list (I know I do), especially when life gets busy. But the truth is, how we sleep shapes how we feel, think, and function each day (even with hourly caffeine fixes).
We often treat sleep as a luxury rather than a necessity. Late nights, early mornings, and endless to-do lists can make it feel like there’s just no time for proper rest. But what if we flipped the script? What if we started seeing sleep as the foundation for everything we want to achieve? More sleep provides more energy, and more energy provides greater productivity. I often ask the following question in my productivity workshops when I teach chronotypes and energy management:
'What will provide the greatest results: 1 hour working on low energy or 20 minutes working on high energy?'
Whether it comes to you as a surprise, working a third of the time with high energy will produce more output than working long hours with a low battery. Granted, we need to factor in pace and endurance, but as a rule of thumb, high energy is a bigger input than length of time.
Good sleep isn’t just about the number of hours we spend in bed—it’s about quality too. Last year I started tracking the quality of my sleep on a smart watch, which is a great awareness tool for learning how we sleep. Tossing and turning all night or waking up groggy tells us that our bodies and minds aren’t getting the rest they need. We deserve better! When we sleep well, we wake up refreshed, more focused, and ready to tackle the day with energy.
So, how can we improve our sleep? The standard tips are:
Set a routine: Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps our bodies get into a rhythm.
Create a calming environment: A quiet, dark, and cool space makes it easier for us to drift off peacefully.
Unplug before bed: The blue light from screens can trick our brains into staying alert. Let’s give ourselves time to wind down.
Be mindful of what we consume: Caffeine and heavy meals late at night can disrupt our rest.
Move our bodies: Regular physical activity can help us sleep better, but try to avoid intense workouts right before bedtime.
My personal tips that have worked:
A hot foot bath. Placing your feet in a bucket of hot water with some lavender bath gel or other scent.
Drinking a chrysenthamum tea with a tranquil meditation.
No caffeine after 3pm.
Phone fasting. No mobile device after 9pm.
CBD oil drops. (don't worry they don't get you high.)
All of the above have proven to work for me; the part that I've struggled with is consistency in applying them. I'm sure we have all been there. For those interested in exploring more, here is a link with resources, talks, and ideas:
https://worldsleepday.org/
So for those coaches who are like me, please remember, sleep isn’t just about resting—it’s about recharging. When we prioritise good sleep, we show up as our best selves in work, relationships, and life.
This World Sleep Day, let’s make a commitment to take our rest seriously. Because when we sleep well, we live well.
Action: Remind your clients of the importance of sleep.
Sweet dreams!