#139 - Sleep Like a Champion: How Rest Fuels Peak Performance with Lori Oliver & Jill MacRae

Coaching Mind's Podcast: Perform at your best!

In this episode of The Coaching Minds Podcast, we flip the script on performance by focusing on the other 12 hours of the day—rest and recovery. Ben Carnes sits down with Lori Oliver and Jill MacRae, co-founders of The Inactive Company and creators of the Inactivator Sleep Mask, to explore the science of sleep and why most people are doing it wrong.

With powerhouse careers at Spanx, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks, Lori and Jill know what it’s like to push limits—and what it costs when rest is ignored. They share research-backed strategies, from small weekly sleep tweaks to blackout environments, and explain why better sleep can unlock creativity, decision-making, and game-day performance.

If you’re a coach, athlete, or high-performer who wants to recover faster, think sharper, and win more, this conversation will change the way you think about rest.

Highlights:

• Why elite athletes and teams are making sleep a top priority
• The Sleep 7 Playbook: small changes that make a big impact
• How blackout & temperature regulation can transform recovery
• Why “sleep is a workout” is the message every teenager needs to hear
• Tools for coaches to integrate sleep into performance culture

Resources Mentioned:

• The Inactive Company: inactiveco.com
• Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker: amzn.to/4lsqDKy

🎧 Listen now: mentaltrainingplan.com/podcast

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mentaltrainingplan.com/athletes
Are you a COACH looking for an affordable year-round mental performance training program? Check out the MTP Academy available through our website:
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فصول

1. Introduction to Sleep and Performance (00:00:00)

2. From Corporate Leaders to Sleep Advocates (00:02:13)

3. The Misconception About Rest and Recovery (00:06:23)

4. Sleep Research and Elite Performance (00:10:32)

5. Creating the Inactivator Sleep Mask (00:14:49)

6. The Sleep 7 Playbook Strategies (00:19:09)

7. Making Sleep a Priority for Athletes (00:23:41)