Sleep is paramount for performance. It’s when the body and mind regenerate and strengthen. It’s when the previous day’s memories consolidate, and when the immune system recharges to fend off disease. However, modernity has severely distorted humanity’s sleeping patterns - with factors such as artificial illumination and a limitless source for work-life unbalance.
The physical and mental impairments caused by a single night of poor sleep can significantly hinder creative, cognitive, and athletic performance. Moreover, Matthew Walker, in his recent book “Why We Sleep,” points out that “the human mind cannot accurately sense how sleep-deprived it is when sleep-deprived.” Cue the sleep trackers.
Consumer-facing sleep trackers in the form of phone apps, wristband/watches, and rings increasingly offer actionable health insights. Understanding one’s sleep patterns and its relationship to lifestyle factors can assist in making lifestyle and training decisions to set up for peak performance. Derived insights can optimize (and gamify) sleep, and even help determine if one’s morning is primed for intense activity or if it might be better to stay in and recharge.