Sleep Intelligence - by Els Van Der Helm (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Sleep isn't passive rest, but a critical driver of performance.

In high-pressure environments, sleep is often the first thing to go. Long hours are treated as commitment. Pushing through is expected. But the cost builds, often in ways we don't immediately see, leading to distraction, poor decisions, emotional reactivity, and missed signals.

In this groundbreaking guide, sleep neuroscientist and executive advisor Els van der Helm, PhD, shows that sleep is not just a habit to optimize. It's a system to understand.

Blending cutting-edge research with real-world stories and interviews--from global executives to frontline professionals--Dr. van der Helm reframes sleep as a hidden driver of performance, resilience, and leadership. Her practical, science-backed six-principle framework reveals how we can

• Identify our chronotype and align our schedule with peak performance windows
• Use chronotherapy to align work, energy, and recovery across the day
• Understand how REM sleep supports emotional control, creativity, and decision-making--and how to protect it
• Use strategic napping to recover faster and sustain high performance
• Navigate periods of poor sleep, reducing the impact of bad nights and building long-term resilience
• Become a "sleep leader," rethinking how work and life are structured to make sustained performance possible, at work and at home

Perfect for leaders, ambitious professionals, and anyone operating in high-demand environments, Sleep Intelligence offers a new way of thinking about sleep--and how we work, lead, recover, and live as a result.

Review Quotes

Praise for Sleep Intelligence

"I have literally never had a big idea or breakthrough when tired...Sleep is not just for the tired. Sleep has magical powers. It drives performance more than anyone knew. Els van der Helm rests her case."--Jim Clifton, #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of It's the Manager, and Chairman of Gallup

"A sleep-deprived team is not productive. A sleep deprived leader often acts like a jerk. Packed with practical tips, Sleep Intelligence will show you how you can show up as your best self and exhibit sleep leadership so that everyone on your team can do their best work."--Kim Scott, New York Times bestselling author of Radical Candor

"Els van der Helm reveals sleep as the hidden lever of high performance--offering not just compelling science but actionable strategies to turn sleep into your competitive edge. This book will help you rethink your relationship with rest, empowering you to perform, lead, and live better."--Nir Eyal, bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable

"Els van der Helm has written a very powerful, primer on the importance of sleep for all of us (particularly those of us who may not think it's important for them). She offers evidence-based ideas for getting more and better sleep and challenges us to be sleep leaders in our own organizations. Should be required reading for the modern manager."--Gary Pinkus, former Chairman, McKinsey & Company in North America

About the Author

Els van der Helm, PhD, is a sleep neuroscientist who works with global organizations to improve performance through sleep. She conducted her research at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience and at Harvard Medical School, where she studied the effect of sleep on cognitive performance. As a Fulbright scholar, she studied the impact of sleep on the brain and performance while pursuing her PhD in psychology at UC Berkeley, before becoming a management consultant at McKinsey & Company. She has been named one of the world's top five sleep experts by Thrive Global.

Van der Helm's work has been covered in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, TIME, Forbes, and BBC. She is a frequent keynote speaker for organizations such as Meta, Novartis, Booking.com, L'Oréal, and PwC.