This article is part of a series that is inspired by the recent event on Leadership & Health with Longevity Expert Ellen Nagel we hosted at Alive School. We talked about the four longevity pillars: nutrition, sleep, movement and mental health — and why they directly influence leadership capacity.
Sleep is one of the most talked-about pillars of health and performance. We read about optimal sleep cycles, deep sleep percentages, sleep scores, and evening routines. Yet for many of us, good sleep is not something that simply happens. For me, improving sleep has been a very personal learning journey—full of small experiments, adjustments, and insights.
My Sleep Challenges
Like many people, I face a few challenges when it comes to sleep.
First: I am not a naturally good sleeper. Some people fall asleep within minutes and wake up eight hours later feeling refreshed. My nights look different. I tend to wake up during the night, and my deep sleep phases are not always as long as they could—or should—be.
Second: there is the question of when to go to bed. As a father, my children usually fall asleep around 9 pm. After that, I finally have some time for myself: spending time with my wife, going out with the dog, or simply enjoying a quiet moment. The problem is that if I don’t keep an eye on the clock, it can easily become 11:30 pm or midnight—which is simply too late.
And there is another complication: I am not a morning person. In a perfect world, I would get up around 7:00 or 7:30 am. With school-age children in the house, however, that is not exactly realistic. So the challenge became clear: how could I improve my sleep without giving up the little bit of evening time that I truly enjoy?
What Actually Made a Difference
There are many recommendations for better sleep: No social media two hours before bedtime; A completely dark bedroom; A cool sleeping environment; Blue light filters on screens, Etc. All of these can help and they also helped me. But through my own experimentation, I discovered that three factors had by far the biggest impact on my sleep:
- A Consistent Bedtime
The single most powerful change was surprisingly simple – going to bed at roughly the same time every night. For me, that means aiming for 10:30–10:45 pm on weekdays and not shifting too much on weekends—maybe 11:00 or 11:30 pm at the latest. Consistency seems to matter more than perfection. Once my body started to expect sleep at a similar time each night, falling asleep became easier and my nights more stable.
- Changing My Mindset About Sleep
Another shift was psychological. For a long time, I treated sleep as something I had to do—almost like a task on a to-do list. But sleep works much better when we see it differently. Today I try to think of sleep as something I want to do, because it contributes so much to my energy, my mental clarity, and my overall wellbeing. This small change in perspective made going to bed feel less like a sacrifice and more like an investment.
- Eating Light in the Evening
The third lesson was about food. I realized that heavy dinners affect my sleep more than I expected. When I eat too much or very rich food late in the evening, my sleep becomes lighter and more fragmented. Keeping dinner lighter and not too late noticeably improves how I sleep.
My Bottom Line
After many experiments, one thing has become clear to me: Sleep is essential for energy—and for feeling truly alive. But there is another important insight. Today, many people track their sleep with devices and apps. Data can be interesting, but it can also create unnecessary pressure. So my personal advice is:
- Don’t put data or scores above your actual experience. Performance pressure can easily make sleep worse.
- Trust your subjective experience. If you wake up feeling refreshed and have energy throughout the day, your sleep is probably good enough.
- Sleep does not have to be perfect. It just needs to support your life.
Reflect on Your Own Sleep
If you want to explore your own sleep habits, here are a few simple questions to reflect on:
- How is you current energy level in the morning and throughout the day?
- Which evening habits noticeably improve or worsen your sleep quality?
- What small change could help you create a more consistent sleep routine?
And if you feel like it: Share your own sleep experience. Often, the most valuable insights about sleep come not from theories—but from real life. 🌙
Looking for a Leadership or Business Coaching in Berlin?
In my coaching studio in Berlin-Charlottenburg, as well as through online/remote coaching, I support my clients in exploring their unique leadership style. Leadership coaching and business coaching are effective, scientifically proven ways to improve performance as a leader. To ensure the quality of my coaching, I am a member of the DBVC, Germany’s largest professional coaching association.