Ideas keep circling in my head. I remember a promise I made in the afternoon that got pushed aside by other things. Next week’s work moves forward in little clicks; insights emerge. I remember something frustrating. The more closely I think about it, the more it begins to bother me. Sleep does not come. For many leaders, lying awake at night is all too familiar.
Some of us cannot fall asleep, while others wake in the early hours. The brain keeps working; it does not rest, and it does not let us rest either. The advice for protecting our sleep is already familiar to everyone: a regular sleep schedule, no screens in the evening, no alcohol, and so on. But then what?
Three ways of trying to find rest and recovery
1. Solving the symptoms
Stopping your thoughts in the middle of the night is nearly impossible, so it is understandable that some leaders turn to considering how to resolve the symptoms. Google and AI are at their beck and call, and many leaders end up making searches like these:
- How can I maintain a high energy level throughout the workday?
- What should I eat so I do not crash after lunch?
- How can I stay sharp even in evening meetings?
2. Concrete solutions
Others look for concrete solutions that would quickly put their sleep difficulties to rest.
- Does melatonin work?
- Which supplements best support sleep?
- How much sleep does a person need?
3. Maybe it does not matter?
Rationalizing the situation and explaining it away is the third way of approaching sleep and the rest we need—or rather, turning away from the goal of sleep altogether.
- If sleep quality is good, is five hours a night enough?
- Can I learn to need less sleep?
- How do successful CEOs manage with little sleep?
- Can exercise make up for poor sleep?
Leaders look for solutions on their own
Leaders are more inclined than average to seek some kind of solution to their own challenges. They look for it independently, by themselves. They do not want to talk about their problems with others, as asking for help can be difficult. In many areas, this is an outdated remnant, but the ethos of coping still remains strong. Sometimes the peer group in which these matters could be discussed is so locked into its thinking that everyone believes melatonin and AI are sufficient solutions. And if they do not help, you simply have to live with it.
The consequences of ongoing sleep deprivation are visible to everyone around you
Repeatedly sleeping too little leads to many consequences that become visible to the organisation. And they are visible at home too. Typical consequences of sleep deprivation can appear quickly and have long-lasting effects.
Typical signs of sleep deprivation include:
- Cognitive, or thinking-related, effects—which can be seen after just one poorly slept night
- Reduced working memory and processing speed
- A reduced ability to assess matters and situations, especially in uncertain and/or ambiguous circumstances
- Less creativity in thinking, leading to a more formulaic approach to problem-solving
Sleep deprivation also affects emotions and the body
Research shows that leaders experience feelings of anger more often than others, and sleep deprivation may be one factor explaining this. Sleep deprivation reduces the ability to tolerate frustration and intensifies emotional reactions. In difficult conversations, this means emotions are stronger and more easily visible to the other person. Sleep deprivation also reduces the ability and willingness to feel empathy, narrowing one’s capacity for leadership.
The physical effects are also serious. Prolonged sleep deprivation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, weakens the immune system, affects metabolism, and accelerates cognitive aging.
Perhaps the worst part is that, as sleep deprivation continues, it weakens—or even eliminates—our ability to recognise and assess its effects on ourselves. People become accustomed to sleep deprivation, just as they do to any other permanent change, and begin to regard this level of performance—or should we call it survival—as normal. They no longer recognize what they are missing out on or what no longer works.
How can a leader let their brain rest?
To find a solution, we must move from searching for solutions to searching for root causes. What are the sources of the situation? What is going on in my life right now? How am I doing? Where am I heading?
There are many ways to examine and reflect on yourself. You could, for example, seek sleep therapy or occupational health services. To my own surprise, I have seen how Operation Juuriharja has helped leaders who have grown accustomed to living with sleep deprivation. Others besides those who have received help have surely suffered from sleep deprivation too—and Operation Juuriharja is certainly not a sleep school or sleep therapy—but it is a place to pause and attend to yourself, your leadership, and your life as a whole. Operation Juuriharja creates a space where we do not optimise, but instead examine, stay present with ourselves and others, and pause. Operation Juuriharja is also a way to step away for a moment.
If you want to face yourself, book a time in my calendar—and let us consider together whether Operation Juuriharja coaching could help you on your path toward greater resilience and sharper leadership.
