Taught by: Ryo Kakutani (Sleep Coach)
For working people, the most important thing is to be able to work in the best possible condition. In order to maximize performance, the key is how you get enough sleep. There are several types of sleep, such as "short sleep," "long sleep," "two-part sleep," "multiple-part sleep," and "flexible sleep," and I believe that the optimal sleep method varies depending on each person's work and life phase.
Many hard-working, productive business people tend to sleep less at certain times in order to focus on their work, and then sleep longer once they get back on track. While we often hear that eight hours is ideal, the optimal amount of sleep varies from person to person, and there's no universal answer.
What all top athletes have in common is that they explore their own sleep characteristics, taking into account the season, age, diet, and daily activity level, and establish their own "good sleep style." They also view sleep as a means to improve performance, so they have a clear goal of "why they want to sleep well." This makes it easier to develop good sleep habits.
Once you have a routine, you can get support from those around you by telling them about it, which will make it easier to follow. For those who want to perform well on a short amount of sleep, splitting your sleep into smaller increments is recommended. Sleeping for 90 minutes after returning home will clear your mind, allowing you to focus on your late-night hobbies or side jobs.
Bill Gates
Boldly change your sleep habits to suit your life stage
When Microsoft was founded, staying up all night was the norm. However, in recent years, his thinking has changed completely. He is an avid reader of Matthew Walker's book "Sleep is the Best Solution," and has worked to improve his environment for better quality sleep. He has practiced various rituals, such as replacing the light bulbs in his bedroom with ones that do not emit blue light, keeping the room temperature 1-2 degrees Celsius lower before going to bed, and limiting his alcohol intake (*1).
"When you're busy, you strategically shorten your sleep, and when you have more free time, you sleep longer. This is the classic pattern of aiming for the most comfortable sleep possible. It's a good example of successfully changing your sleep style depending on your life phase and goals." (Kadotani, same below)
Arianna Huffington
A style that seeks balance between work and life to make work more enjoyable
Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post, once collapsed from overwork after working 18 hours a day, seven days a week. Since then, she has made a strict effort to get eight hours of sleep a night, and published a book explaining the benefits of sleep, "Sleep Revolution: The Ultimate Guide to Optimizing Your Work." In order to ensure she has time to sleep even in her busy schedule, she frequently reprioritizes her work. She also manages her time by setting an end time for her work and postponing any unfinished to-do items until the next day (*2).
"These days, happiness at work and mental health are of paramount importance. This article on how to achieve work-life balance with sleep as the core is very helpful."
Sam Altman
Use gadgets to find the best sleep style for you
Having gained attention through ChatGPT, he openly declares that "sleep is the most important factor in increasing productivity." He is currently searching for the optimal sleeping method, trying out various methods such as changing his mattress and food intake, and measuring his sleep with Emfit QS (a bed mattress sensor that scores his sleep every day). He also uses a Tempur-Pedic mattress, which adjusts its shape based on his body temperature, and a cooling pad in hot seasons. When he travels for work, he creates the perfect sleeping environment with earplugs and an eye mask (*3).
"It's good to not be swayed by general opinions and instead seek out the style that's best for you. Sleep trackers are useful for learning about your own characteristics. They're recommended by academic societies and medical settings."
Mark Zuckerberg
No matter how busy you are, stick to your sleep routine
He founded Facebook and is involved in the operation of global social networking services such as Instagram. No matter how busy he was, he always maintained a regular sleep routine, waking up at 8am, having dinner at 6pm, exercising and spending time with his family from 7pm, then working from 10pm to 3am before going to bed. After his business settled down, he made it a habit to stick to his 8-hour sleep schedule and lead a luxurious sleep-free life (*4).
"Many top leaders work late into the night to support their subordinates who are busy in the morning. I think this unique sleep style was arrived at through trial and error with various patterns to maximize performance with as little sleep as possible."
Nathan Chen
The strict routine of Olympic athletes who prioritize sleep
Nathan Chen, who is studying statistics at Yale University while competing in the Olympics, balances his studies with athletics. He places such importance on the amount of sleep he gets that he says he wants to study the mechanisms of sleep. His routine involves sleeping 10 hours a day and waking up at the same time. Before bed, he keeps his smartphone away from him to avoid exposure to blue light, and relaxes by drinking chamomile tea. After lying down, he thinks about the happiest thing that happened that day and then falls asleep (*5).
"It's important to have a routine that keeps you in a good state of mind and find a sleep cycle that works for you. Drinking herbal tea before bed can also help."
Cristiano Ronaldo
90 minutes of sleep, 5 times a day. A surprising secret devised by a world-renowned sleep coach
While playing for Real Madrid, he apparently adopted an unusual sleep method under the guidance of his sleep coach at the time, Nick Littlehales. This was a "segmented sleep" system, where he would sleep for five 90-minute periods per day, based on a 90-minute cycle. He believed that the timing of meals affected the quality of his sleep, and had strict rules for ensuring good quality sleep, such as always finishing dinner three hours before going to bed (*6).
"This is a very unique sleep method. Setting aside the question of whether it's easy for the general public to follow, it's true that what you eat has a big impact on the quality of your sleep. It's best to finish eating at least three hours before going to bed and to avoid alcohol."
Sota Fujii
Increase your happiness by taking a second nap and unleash your energy
Souta Fujii, the eight-time world champion, has achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first player in history to win all eight titles. His favorite way to relax is to sleep. In order to be in top condition for the title matches that continue day after day, he focuses on getting seven hours of sleep rather than preparing for the games. On his days off, he sometimes takes a second nap at home and ends up sleeping for 10 hours (*7).
"When you take a second nap, hormones that make you feel happy are released, putting you into a sort of meditative state. It has been proven to have a stress-relieving effect. The key is to limit the length of your second nap to a maximum of 20 minutes. Anything longer than that will decrease the amount of hormones released, which can have the opposite effect, so be careful."
