In this exciting episode of The Future is How, I am joined by Dr. Els van der Helm, a leading sleep neuroscientist and adjunct professor at IE Business School. Dr. Els is a trusted advisor to CEOs and organizations worldwide, helping them unlock better performance through improved sleep and well-being. In our conversation today, we do a deep dive into the science of sleep and its transformative effects on your life and work and discuss the following topics:

• Why skipping sleep won’t boost productivity

• Quality vs. quantity: What matters most

• How aging impacts your sleep

• Two strategies to break the sleep deprivation-stress cycle

• How to use gratitude to fall asleep faster

• Why your late-night brain might mislead you

• Morning routines that set the stage for a good night’s sleep

• Evening wind-down tips

• And much more!

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Where to find Dr. Els van der Helm:

• X: https://x.com/elsonsleep

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsvanderhelm/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drelsvanderhelm/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsvanderhelmconsulting/

• Website: https://www.elsvanderhelm.com/

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Where to find Frederik Pferdt

• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/fgpferdt/⁠

• YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/frederikgpferdt⁠

• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/frederikgpferdt/⁠

• Website: ⁠https://www.frederikgpferdt.com/⁠

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In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:40) Els’s next five years

(05:10) Why we aren’t sleeping enough and the importance of quality work over quantity

(10:30) The value of power naps and which areas suffer from inadequate sleep and rest

(15:00) The myth of too much sleep and an explanation of sleep debt

(17:50) How aging impacts sleep and what to do about it

(23:21) How sleep helps us process emotions, and tips for managing stress

(28:04) Why your brain is prone to catastrophizing late at night

(30:15) The power of novelty and how sleep helps you process a problem

(36:37) Practices for beginning and ending the workday

(38:15) Els’s bedtime rituals

(40:38) Tips for starting your day and get the most from your early waking time

(45:04) Adding a social element to waking and sleeping rituals

(47:00) A quick gratitude practice

(51:38) How prioritizing sleep and gratitude helped Els get through a stressful time

(55:27) Conclusion

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Music: Andreas Horchler

Art Design: Stefan Schuster, Dino Hohos, Flo Dietrich

Production: Jordan & Adam Bornstein