ROOTED Weekly | Why Sleep Is the Leadership Superpower You’re Overlooking

Hi ,

Hope your week’s going well.

As promised, here’s your weekly dose of ROOTED inspiration. This time, we’re shining the light on one of the most overlooked drivers of performance: sleep.

It’s something I’ve personally struggled with and studied deeply (read my story here). What I’ve learned is this: poor sleep impacts your health as much as smoking or a sedentary lifestyle. It affects everything from focus and metabolism to emotional resilience and decision-making.

And yet, so many high performers still struggle to get truly restorative rest.

That’s why Sleep Optimization is a foundational pillar of The ROOTED Way and a key focus of our Executive Reset Retreat this fall.

We’re thrilled to be partnering with Maša Nobilo from Restful Sleep, a former insomniac turned sleep coach whose science-backed approach helps leaders repair their relationship with rest.

Ahead of the fall retreat, Maša will guide each guest through a 1:1 sleep assessment, so recovery begins long before your feet touch the island.

🌱 Planting the Seed: inspiring the change

“Sleep is the Swiss Army knife of health; when sleep is deficient, there is disease, and when sleep is abundant, there is vitality.”

— Dr. Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and author

🌱 Watering the Soil: ROOTED habits to reset your rhythm

• Rethink the 3pm slump: Instead of caffeine in the afternoon, try a guided 10-minute meditation, a tall glass of water, or a crisp apple.

• Set the sleep scene: Keep your bedroom dark, cool (around 18°C / 64°F), and screen-free.

• Support with natural aids: GABA, valerian root, lemon balm, and magnesium can ease you into sleep, without grogginess. Try a weighted blanket or guided body scan to calm the nervous system. See the curated-ROOTED list here

• Keep a journal bedside: Offload racing thoughts or creative ideas before bed – give your mind permission to rest.

• Stick to a rhythm: Consistency with wake-up time (even on weekends) stabilizes your circadian clock.

• Explore the science: Dial in to listen to the experts Dr. Matt Walker and Dr. Andrew Huberman discuss the science and impact of sleep

  

🌱 Pruning the Weeds: watch out for these pesky disruptors

Glutamate-Based Flavor Enhancers

Common in processed foods and restaurant meals, these additives overstimulate the nervous system and suppress GABA, your brain’s calming neurotransmitter. The result? Restlessness and racing thoughts before bed.

Blue Light Exposure

You’ve heard it before, but it matters: phones, laptops, and TVs emit high-frequency blue light, which mimics daylight and tells your brain to stay alert. This suppresses melatonin and delays sleep. 📵 Start a screen-free wind-down 60 minutes before bed.

🔍 Coming Up Next Week... redefining oneself

In our recent conversations with leaders navigating burnout, one theme keeps surfacing: the deepest exhaustion often doesn’t come from overwork; but from misalignment. From pouring energy into a path that no longer fits, and not knowing how to change course.

Next week, Ashley will share her own story of reaching that very crossroads, and what it took to step out of misalignment and into something more authentic. We’ll also introduce a Harvard-trained Executive Coach and INSEAD alum helping high performers redefine success and design their next chapter with clarity and conviction.

Until then, root down, rest well, and lead from within.

— The ROOTED Way