Chris Barrow
Apr 161 min
Updated: Apr 18
My Whoop arrived during Christmas 2022 and I'm now in my 15th month of daily monitoring.
What I have learned is that there is one measure of wellbeing that stands head and shoulders above all others in determining how I feel on a day to day basis.
Sleep.
The time I go to bed and the time I wake are the single biggest determinant of my performance.
So in the SNEF stakes:
Sleep
Nutrition
Exercise
Fun
It's the sleep that score the most points - and the cumulative sleep debt that can cause the most harm.
I'm still careful about what I eat (and when).
I plan plenty of exercise.
We have loads of fun (all work and no play is not allowed).
But if I miss my bedtime by an hour, the damage is almost impossible to avoid.
So this morning, another gentle reminder (following a conversation with a friend on this topic) of two essential books to read:
Why we sleep : the new science of sleep and dreams - Matthew Walker
Outlive : The science and art of longevity - Dr. Peter Attia