Eileen Gu’s sleep routine may be the secret weapon we all need

Many fans have asked just how the young Olympian has achieved so much in so short a time. Eileen has spoken openly about the “secret weapon” that has allowed her to go further than any female Olympic freestyle skier before: sleep.

“I do sport because I love doing it. But I have a secret weapon,” she told reporters at a press conference. “My secret weapon is that since childhood, I have every night had 10 hours of sleep. That’s how I grew up.”

“It’s sleep. It’s really sleep. Sleep stimulates body and brain growth,” she shared with Vogue. “But at the same time, sleep is also a time of revision. So I’ll just review everything that I learned that day. Actually, I usually do that when I sleep. I dream of skiing or class, what I did that day, so I can wake up the next morning and discover how to be better.”

Her mother, Yan Gu, shared that she always emphasized the importance of sleep when Eileen was growing up in San Francisco. “When she was a little girl, I would let her sleep up to 15 hours a day. Then 13 hours, when she was a primary school student. Now she sleeps 10 hours a day. Without adequate sleep, how can one have the energy to play?”

Getting enough sleep is incredibly important for athletes, as it allows them to be at their peak physically and mentally, and helps them regulate the bevy of emotions that come with competing at an elite level.

“I think that for me, especially as someone who competes in three events, it can be really tiring emotionally, going through those adrenaline peaks and crashes, even more so than physically,” Eileen told GQ. “That’s while training, and that goes to a whole other level while competing.”

The model added that in order to be at her best each day, she needs a lengthy amount of shut-eye. “The secret to time management is first, you have to sleep enough. Last night I spent 10 hours and 45 minutes in bed, so there’s that. And then after that, eat well.”  

Sleep is vital for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, as it helps the body flush out toxins, boosts the immune system, allows memories to be processed and prevents an array of health problems, as per the Mayo Clinic.

Lack of sleep can increase the risk of high blood pressure and high blood sugar, lead to a decline in brain function, and negatively affect mental health.