What high performers know about rest and why science agrees
Sleep is often treated as expendable—something to trade for productivity or entertainment. But among those who rely on peak performance, from elite athletes to global business leaders, sleep is rarely optional. In fact, many of the world’s top performers don’t just value sleep, they prioritize it. And science continues to confirm the importance of that choice.
Train hard, sleep harder
For elite athletes, sleep is as essential as training itself. LeBron James has emphasized its importance, noting, “Sleep is the most important thing I can do for my body and mind.” He has even reported building extended sleep into his routine to support recovery and performance.
Similarly, Roger Federer has said, “If you don’t sleep well, you don’t play well.”
Science reinforces this perspective. During sleep, the body enters a state of repair where muscle recovery accelerates, energy stores are replenished, and reaction time improves. When sleep is cut short, performance declines, regardless of effort.
The billionaire sleep rule
Sleep doesn’t just support the body; it sharpens the mind. Jeff Bezos has shared, “I make better decisions with eight hours of sleep.” This habit has helped support the level of clarity required to build and lead one of the most successful companies in the world.
That aligns with research from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which shows sleep is critical for focus, memory, and cognitive processing. When sleep is reduced, decision-making declines and emotional reactivity increases.
Sleep deprivation also impairs judgment in ways that aren’t always obvious, including slower reaction times, increased risk-taking, and greater tendency toward impulsive choices. People often feel they are functioning normally, even as performance measurably drops.
The glow behind the glam
Jennifer Aniston is known for her youthful, radiant appearance and her commitment to holistic wellness routines that support long-term health. She has also been candid about her own sleep challenges, including insomnia and sleepwalking.
"It began as something that I would just accept and then all of a sudden you realize the effects of your lack of sleep and how it affects your day and your work and your mind function and your physique,” Aniston shared in an interview with People.
While celebrity wellness often focuses on diet and skincare, sleep plays a critical role behind the scenes. It regulates hormones that control hunger and fullness, supports immune function, and helps manage stress. When sleep is reduced, ghrelin—the hormone that signals hunger—increases, while leptin, which helps you feel satisfied, decreases.
Aniston has emphasized the importance of consistent, quality rest as part of her overall wellness approach.
"It used to be the last thing on the list, but you can't really abide by the three pillars of health — which are diet, exercise and sleep — if you can't really exercise, and you can't really eat right if you haven't slept well because your body clock is so completely thrown off," she said.
Her perspective reinforces an important point: even those with access to the best routines and resources recognize that sleep is essential.
Sleep > Hustle
Not long ago, sacrificing sleep was often seen as a sign of ambition. Today, that mindset is shifting. As sleep expert and author Arianna Huffington has said, “Sleep is a fundamental human need, not a luxury.”
Across industries, the message is increasingly clear: the people who perform at the highest levels don’t skip sleepthey protect it. Without sleep, performance, health, and overall well-being begin to erode. Sleep is a vital biological process that we all need to prioritize.