Sleep When You’re Dead? That’s Not a Thing Anymore

For most of my 20+ years-long career, I lived by the unspoken rule that “sleep is optional.” The corporate world rewarded long hours, late-night flights, and being the first one in the office. Sleep was seen as a luxury—or worse, a weakness.

But here’s the truth I’ve come to embrace, and what science continues to prove: sleep is not optional. For high-performing executives and athletes alike, sleep is the most undervalued competitive advantage we have. In fact, it’s the only human performance factor that you can’t cheat, fake, or replace. You can’t take a pill or supplement for it, or get an infusion for it -  your body has to actually sleep.

Think about it: no CEO would risk making multimillion-dollar decisions while drunk (well, most anyway). Yet operating on four or five hours of sleep creates a cognitive impairment similar to intoxication. The brain fog, slower reaction times, and poor judgment caused by sleep deprivation cost companies billions each year, and cost athletes peak performance in crucial moments.

Elite athletes understand this better than most. LeBron James reportedly sleeps 12 hours a night. Roger Federer and Tom Brady have built their longevity on recovery routines anchored in quality sleep. Their careers prove what many of us in business have been slow to acknowledge: performance isn’t just about training harder or working longer. It’s about recovery.

As executives, business owners, and entrepreneurs, we are no different. Leading a company, negotiating deals, or motivating teams requires mental clarity, emotional balance, and physical energy. Sleep is the foundation of all three. When I shifted my own mindset around sleep, it was quite literally a wakeup call! My leadership skills improved, I was sharper in meetings, I was sharper in meetings, more patient in conflict, more resilient in high-stakes situations, and even my tennis game

That’s why I co-founded The Inactive Company with Lori Oliver – after working and traveling around the world nonstop, we were exhausted and searching for a better solution. We met and strategized with  top sleep scientists and experts who helped us recognize that If we want to lead at our best, innovate at our best, and compete at our best, we also have to sleep at our best. Sleep is not passive downtime. It’s active performance training for your brain and body.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” remind them: lack of sleep doesn’t make you stronger, smarter, or more successful. It makes you weaker. The future of leadership and peak performance isn’t about pushing through exhaustion—it’s about mastering recovery.

Sleep isn’t what you do when the work is done. Sleep is the work.