Send us Fan Mail

Sleep is essential for high performance and well-being, yet it’s often overlooked.

This week, we’re joined by Kristen Rainey, sleep expert and consultant, to discuss how quality rest can transform your health, productivity, and life. Kristen shares her journey from battling burnout to becoming an advocate for the power of sleep, explaining how it’s the foundation for optimal performance in both work and life.

In this conversation, we go into the importance of sleep routines, the impact of habits like screen time and alcohol, and how to create an environment conducive to rest. Kristen highlights how many people believe they’re getting good sleep, only to discover they’re missing key components for truly restorative rest. Whether you’re struggling to get quality sleep or want to optimize your rest for better focus and resilience, this episode offers valuable tips to help you achieve a healthier, more productive lifestyle.

NOTE: Our conversation on sleep got so intense that the building’s electrical grid decided to take a nap. The lights got cut near the end, but the mics stayed awake to bring you this unintentional ASMR session in the dark. After all, the show must go on!

What you’ll learn:

• How sleep impacts performance, productivity, and overall well-being
• Key habits that affect your sleep quality and how to improve them
• Why creating a consistent sleep routine is essential for peak performance

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:21) Meet Kristen Rainey

(06:18) Kristen’s career running food at Google

(07:39) Burnout, the battery metaphor, and hitting the wall

(11:25) Why sleep is the missing piece

(13:22) Nighttime dos and don’ts for better sleep

(15:53) How alcohol and REM sleep affect resilience connection

(20:22) What works and doesn’t in sleep tracking technology

(25:43) Sleep deprivation as a badge of honor and the cost of “getting by”

(30:15) How poor sleep changes what you crave and why

(38:02) Morning light, circadian rhythm, and the snooze button problem

(40:58) The highest-leverage changes you can make starting tonight

Connect with Kristen Rainey: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristenrainey/ 

Check out Kristen’s website: https://kristenrainey.com/ 

Check out Arcadia: https://www.BeArcadia.com  

Connect with Sam Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-yarborough/ 

Connect with Jason Yarborough: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yarby/ 

Produced in partnership with Share Your Genius

https://www.shareyourgenius.com