Everyday Warrior Podcast Episode 79: Kristen Holmes

In episode 78, Kristen Holmes sounds off on sleep, the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug.

The Men’s Journal’s Everyday Warrior Podcast With Mike Sarraille is a podcast that inspires individuals to live more fulfilling lives by having conversations with disrupters and high performers from all walks of life. In episode 79, we spoke with Kristen Holmes, a psycho-physiologist who specializes in sleep, recovery, and training behaviors in athletes. Formerly, she was a member of the U.S. National Field Hockey Team and NCAA Champion Coach, and currently serves as the VP of Performance at WHOOP.

In the episode, Holmes shares her journey from playing to coaching; what it was like merging psychology and physiology in a groundbreaking performance education platform; and discusses the importance of sleep, circadian rhythms, and synchronized behaviors in maximizing performance. 

Listen to the full podcast above and see a timestamped overview of the interview below.

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[00:01:09] Robust infrastructure attracting high-performance student athletes.

[00:06:52] CEO study with McKinsey links sleep and safety.

[00:11:07] Overtraining, volume and intensity, individualized coaching.

[00:12:33] Individual response and adaptation to stimuli matter.

[00:17:57] Sufficient time in bed and stable sleep-wake time important for quality sleep and circadian rhythms.

[00:21:51] Circadian rhythm: light, meal, sleep tips.

[00:27:04] Sleep: the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug.

[00:29:01] Created technology to track athletes' readiness levels. Joined WHOOP after discovering similar product.

[00:34:12] Baking in health optimization into the experience.

[00:36:55] Sleep, time-restricted eating, alcohol's effects, hydration, exercise.

[00:41:13] Exertion levels impact psychological well-being, heart strain.

[00:46:42] WHOOP analyzes sleep data, improves performance.