The CEO habit of a smart, focused, strategically productive brain. Before your ADHD self-diagnosis - check this.

I woke up on my birthday feeling almost drunk.

No, I haven’t touched alcohol in 25 years. But I’d stayed up late for a call with San Diego, and the next morning I leapt out of bed at 5am - thanks to that Huberman-induced cortisol cycle. (Damn it works.)

Something was off the whole day.

My thoughts were sluggish. Writing took 30 minutes longer than usual. If I’d had to record a solo podcast, it would’ve been a sloppy recording. 

It reminded me of something I read once: a lack of sleep can impair your brain as much as being legally drunk.

I don’t write about health and fitness all that often anymore, mostly because I’ve locked in the fundamentals, and with clients we work predominantly on implementing things, building systems - after that, the rest falls into place. But this day was a solid reminder:
If you don’t have your physical foundations in place, you’ll need a lot more “hacks” to function.

And sleep?
That’s the king of all health habits.

With many of my clients, sleep is the first place we start. It’s where your energy, clarity, focus, learning ability, mood, decision-making, emotional regulation, and empathetic leadership actually begin.

Here’s an empowering note:
You have far more control than you think over your sleep quality.

If your sleep isn’t solid, do a quick check-in to see if you are doing everything that can be done:

🧠 Science-backed checklist to get better sleep tonight:

  • Regularity is king. Same wake/sleep time every day = a synced melatonin–cortisol cycle.

  • Substances matter. Caffeine, alcohol, and late-night meals mess with your brain-body chemistry.

  • Move. Daily steps and exercise improve sleep quality across all populations.

  • Light management. Sunlight in the morning, minimal blue/bright light and screens at night. More time outdoors works wonders.

  • Micronutrients. Multivitamins and minerals like magnesium help your body and brain make the “sleep cocktail” they need.

  • Don’t overstimulate. Late-night workouts, stressful emails, or intense planning can keep your mind wired. Wind down. Try a hot shower as well.

Before you reach for ADHD meds, antidepressants, or wonder why your motivation’s for healthy eating, less scrolling or doing hard work tanked, or learning feels impossible:

Check your sleep.
Check your routines.
Start there.

How’s your sleep been lately?

PS If you want to work on your sleep habits together - find me, I'm a SSR-certified coach