In medicine, sleep deprivation is often treated as a badge of honor. Our training reinforces it. The culture normalizes it. Our healthcare system still expects it. Yet sleep remains one of the most powerful drivers of performance, emotional regulation, cognitive sharpness, and long-term career sustainability. We counsel patients about the importance of sleep while routinely ignoring our own advice.
In a recent New York Times piece: 5 Sleep Habits to Steal From Winter Olympians, performance coach Jim Doorley discussed sleep practices used by Olympic athletes and what high performers can learn from them. His perspective is especially relevant for physicians, who operate in demanding, unpredictable environments.
Dr. Doorley writes:
“Sleep is a (mostly) involuntary bodily function. Like other bodily functions, trying harder rarely yields better results. I certainly have experienced this in sleep and in other areas of life. Counting sheep works if you lose track, not if you’re trying to beat the Guinness World Record for Most Sheep Counted before Falling Asleep. If you are sleepy, and have the opportunity to do so, then sleep. If not, don’t. Start trusting that your brain will deliver you the sleep you need in the long run, and if the right conditions are in place, it will.” – Jim Doorley
What stands out most for physicians is the phrase “the right conditions.” In the world of medicine, conditions are often anything but ideal.
Maybe you’re coming off a high-adrenaline shift and your nervous system hasn’t caught up to your schedule. Maybe you relied on caffeine to stay sharp. Or perhaps you’re simply carrying the same mental load as everyone else, dealing with family responsibilities, financial pressures, unfinished charts, and other worries that surface the moment the room goes quiet.
The reality is that many of us don’t control our schedules, but we can influence our approach to set ourselves up for success. One of the key distinctions Jim highlights is the difference between forcing and experimenting.
Trying harder to sleep is not the same as thoughtfully testing what actually works for you. The goal shouldn’t be perfection. Rather, we need to focus on personalization.
Instead of asking, “Why can’t I sleep?” consider asking:
- “What are the right conditions for me right now?”
- “What will they be tomorrow?”
- “What might change next week?”
Elite athletes are deliberate about recovery because their performance depends on it, but their circumstances differ from ours. Olympic athletes are often able to control their environments in ways physicians cannot.
While the sleep practices of an elite athlete might not be right for us, the principle applies to physicians: treat sleep as a strategic investment, not an afterthought.
For physicians, this might mean:
- Building deliberate wind-down rituals that help your nervous system shift gears after a stimulating shift.
- Being realistic about caffeine timing.
- Creating the best possible sleep environment within the constraints you have.
- Letting go of the anxiety about “getting enough” and trusting that your body will recalibrate over time.
Most importantly, it means adopting a coaching mindset rooted in curiosity rather than judgment. Instead of criticizing yourself for not sleeping “correctly,” experiment. Reflect, adjust, and notice patterns. Identify what genuinely supports your clarity, mood, and stamina, and make intentional adjustments.