Sleep Intelligence

Sleep isn’t passive rest, but a critical driver of performance. In high-pressure environments, sleep is often the first thing to go. Long hours are treated as commitment. Pushing through is expected. But the cost builds, often in ways we don’t immediately see, leading to distraction, poor decisions, emotional reactivity and missed signals. In this groundbreaking guide, sleep neuroscientist and executive advisor Els van der Helm, PhD, shows that sleep is not just a habit to optimise. It’s a system to understand. Blending cutting-edge research with real-world stories and interviews — from global executives to frontline professionals — Dr van der Helm reframes sleep as a hidden driver of performance, resilience and leadership. Her practical, science-backed six-principle framework reveals how we can:Identify our chronotype and align our schedule with peak performance windowsUse chronotherapy to align work, energy and recovery across the dayUnderstand how REM sleep supports emotional control, creativity and decision-making – and how to protect itUse strategic napping to recover faster and sustain high performanceNavigate periods of poor sleep, reducing the impact of bad nights and building long-term resilienceBecome a ‘sleep leader,’ rethinking how work and life are structured to make sustained performance possiblePerfect for leaders, ambitious professionals and anyone operating in high-demand environments, Sleep Intelligence offers a new way of thinking about sleep – and how we work, recover and live as a result.