Why You’re Not Sleeping as Well as You Think (and How to Fix It) with Sleep Scientist Dr. Wendy Troxel

What if the one skill you think you're doing "well enough"… is actually the thing silently sabotaging your performance, your relationships, and your wellbeing?

In this episode, I sit down with world-renowned sleep scientist Dr. Wendy Troxel to uncover the truth about the one behavior most of us think we've mastered — but absolutely haven't. We dive into why sleep is far more than a nightly routine, why high-performers struggle with it most, and how the noise of social media "sleep hacks" is leading so many people astray. I ask Wendy the questions we're all too embarrassed to ask — from middle-of-the-night wakeups and racing thoughts to travel schedules, workout soreness, grief, and the myth that effort alone can make us good sleepers.

You'll hear Wendy break down the science in a way that's shockingly practical — and sometimes surprisingly counterintuitive. She explains why trying harder actually makes sleep worse, how to reset your internal clock without overhauling your life, and why one mindset shift could change everything. If you think you're an "okay" sleeper… this episode might change your mind in the best possible way.

 

Topics We Cover in This Episode: 

• The one reason most people dramatically overestimate their sleep skills

• Why high achievers struggle most with sleep — and why "grinding harder" backfires

• The simple daily practice Wendy calls the non-negotiable circadian reset

• The surprising pre-bed ritual that can reduce middle-of-the-night wakeups

• What to do when your brain starts problem-solving at 3 a.m.

• How soreness, pain, or heavy training days really impact sleep

• What grief and emotional overwhelm do to sleep — and the permission you actually need

• Wendy's science-based jet lag strategy (including exactly what not to do)

 

If this episode opened your eyes to how sleep is shaping your performance, your mood, and your daily life more than you realized, share it with someone who needs to hear it too.

 

Resources Mentioned:

Order your copy of Give to Grow

Get the Supplemental materials for Give to Grow

Get a copy of your GrowBIG Playbook today!

Order your copy of Sharing the Covers

Connect with Wendy on LinkedIn