In the inaugural episode of the Sleep On Podcast, host Squash Falconer, an esteemed mountaineer and mindset coach, shares insights into her adventures and the crucial role of sleep in high-performance environments.
She discusses how her early experiences on a farm fostered her confidence, leading to her remarkable achievements, including being the first British woman to paraglide from Mont Blanc and summiting Mount Everest in 2011. She now works as a mindset coach:
I guess that my ultimate aim really is to, through sharing my stories, is to inspire every individual to unlock the potential that I believe is inside all of us.
Squash emphasizes the impact of sleep quality on decision-making during expeditions, illustrating the dangers of sleep deprivation in high-stakes situations.
..what I've learned is to be as disciplined as I can and get the best quality sleep I can because it's essential for my performance and recovery. But also I know through the things that I've done that when it isn't possible, things like adrenaline will push you through.
Squash also explained that the presence of social media probably creates more pressure now than in her earlier days of adventure:
..if I say I'm going to do something, a lot more people know about it. So the stress is higher, the stakes are higher almost.
I asked Squash if she had any recommendations for how to cope in high pressure situations:
I think a lot of us, we can be like scatterguns. And actually what you have to do is you have to prioritise, focus on what's important and concentrate on that. It's almost like you have to train yourself to shut that outside noise out where possible. Remind yourself why you're doing what you're doing and know the steps that you're taking to get there. So I think once you're clear on that, you can always bring yourself back to that and remind yourself, you know, even if it's as simple as writing those things down.
Squash suggested a simple tick list to remind people to wind down before bed, switch off technology, read before bed.. whatever the habits they are they want to adopt.
She also mentioned the importance of getting tiredness and sleep problems out into the open - acknowledging how they are affecting people - is really important when you're part of a team. Saying yes, we're all tired, if someone snaps, just normalises it and defuses conflict.
Once, in her early days of climbing, she explains that she was so tired, she curled up on the side of the mountain as if about to have a nap.. which could have led to hypothermia. Fortunately one of her team was there to keep her going. She acknowledges now that sometimes it's better to ask her team what they think about keeping going vs. trusting her own view in isolation. When we're sleep deprived, we may not be able to trust our instincts.
Squash candidly recounts her postpartum challenges with sleep after her daughter's premature birth, when she was only able to snatch sleep in small doses, for 6 weeks at a time. She learned the importance of self-care and support.
Squash shares a number of powerful tools for building resilience, and focusing on the here and now:
She starts the day with a '10, 20, 30, 40' morning routine. She does 10 pushes ups, 20 dips, 30 squats, 40 sit ups and has a cold shower before her daughter wakes up. "It's less than 10 minutes, but allows me to feel like I've already won the day. It kind of sets my mind and it shows me that I, I can do the hard thing."
She also discusses her clean knickers philosophy.. starting your day with clean knickers (and good preparation) dramatically increases your odds of a good day.
At stressful moments..
I take a breath, and when I take that breath, I literally lift my shoulders up and I drop them as I exhale. And in that moment, it just brings me to my feet. It triggers me to remember who I am and know who I am and just assess where I'm at. And just to be really honest with where I'm at and what I need and what's going to help me get through. And maybe to ask others for help..
Squash repeatedly reminds herself: "You will not have this moment again.. what do you want to do with it?" I think this is a great way of remaining focused on the present, and making the most of opportunities that present themselves.
You can catch up on the episode here:
Comments