'A conversation with James Wilson(AKA The Sleep Geek' - Supporting our children to sleep well for competitive sport

In this episode sleep expert James Wilson(AKA The Sleep Geek) joins Gordon MacLelland to discuss supporting our children to sleep well for competitive sport. We are all too aware as sports parents of the many challenges that we face when it comes to sleep with our own children.

James does a great job in dispelling a few myths and helping us all feel better about the challenges we face as well as giving us a few tips to point us in the right direction.

During the conversation they discuss amongst other things:

• The importance of quality sleep and embedding it across whole sporting environments
• The benefits of higher quality sleep as opposed to focussing on the quantity of sleep
• Trying not to be too prescriptive when discussing sleep with our children
• Understanding that sleep is a feeling rather than a number
• Setting a sleep time that fits with our children's body rhythm 
• Setting a realistic and thought out bedtime routine with our children rather than enforcing strict rules
• Having compassionate conversations and recognising that our teenagers may need to go to bed later than us
• Using light boxes and sunshine alarm clocks to help our children have effective wake ups 
• Working towards a consistency of sleep
• Using 'naps' in a positive way
• Effective tools for setting up a healthy bedtime routine
• Helping our children not to get too stressed if their sleep the night before and after competition is not as effective as the rest of the week 
• The importance of effective mattresses, pillows and duvets as well as thinking about our body positions when sleeping

James Wilson (AKA The Sleep Geek) is the Founder and CEO of Kip Mate, a company that helps organisations, sports teams and poor sleepers get better kip, through realistic and simple advice, delivered via seminars, webinars, one on sessions and via their digital tool.

 As a sleep expert, he is  geared towards helping people understand their sleep, and helps crate cultures that support people’s sleep.  with the likes of Coca Cola Hellenic, Red Bull, Zurich Insurance, Pret A Manger, Stagecoach, the NHS and Ernst and Young amongst his clients. In sport he is Sports Aid’s sleep expert and has spent the last 5 years working in football with the like of Lincoln City, Rotherham United and Sheffield United and this season is continuing his partnership with West Ham, supporting the Men’s and Women’s teams and also the rest of the club.

 To find our more about how Kip Mate can help you sleep better go to www.kipmate,com and for more information on James’ work go to www.thesleepgeek.co.uk