Mastering Sleep Hygiene and Performance Optimization

Welcome to Our Level Up Onsite Training

Hello Team,

Welcome to our Level Up onsite training. A very warm welcome to our guests: Anna, Karsten, Nicole, and Prof. Ohme.

If I am not mistaken, this is our first Level Up onsite—at least during my tenure—so how did this come about?

The Origin of Our Training Session

Let me start at the beginning. When I met Karsten in Bonn, sometime at the end of January, you already got me excited when you offered Level Up training onsite. I am a big fan; approximately 40% of my trainings are Level Up. While my schedule sometimes gets hijacked, I prioritize these sessions whenever possible.

I immediately said yes and asked Martina and Barbora to handle the details. I became truly excited when I received the first debrief on our topics. Let me explain why, based on a personal story.

Lessons from Extreme Challenges

Some of you might know that I am a trained dynamiter. No worries—that was a long time ago, my licenses have expired, and I was only allowed to blow up small things. However, there was a qualification exercise involved—a three-day challenge with barely any sleep. We had instruction sessions in the evening and consistent tests to measure our performance.

• Day 1: Woken up at 2:00 AM for a 20 km walk.
• Day 2: Abseiling exercises at 5:00 AM.

I can tell you that my performance dropped by more than 40% due to sleep deprivation. I learned at a young age the importance of sleep and the impact of sleep deprivation. That is why you will usually see me leaving any event around 10:00 PM.

Adapting to the Digital Age

When I was 20, we had no mobile phones—I didn't get my first one until I was 24. The internet was loud, and I had to pull a cable across to my parents' house to connect to the telephone box, which meant they couldn't make phone calls. Obviously, there was not much need for digital detoxing back then.

Things have changed, and I don't need to tell you how! Since I started working in Kosice, I have become a bit addicted to podcasts, blue light exposure late at night, and late-night commuting. Honestly, as I get older, I am struggling with my sleep patterns.

Prioritizing Rest for Better Results

Now, I am one of those people who uses a Fitbit to track my sleep, puts my phone away, and barely drinks alcohol in the evening. Speaking of alcohol, it is not great for sleep, so we have provided you with some famous Tatra tea from Slovakia—the same for Prof. Ohme.

It is great to have you here. I am looking forward to another informative learning session. Thank you for your attention.