Startup CEO Coach Blog

How much sleep do I need as a founder?

Chronic five-hour nights quietly erode a founder’s judgment, creativity, emotional regulation, and ability to make high-leverage decisions. Research shows that partial sleep deprivation impairs risk assessment, slows cognition, and narrows strategic thinking- often without the founder noticing the decline. Treating sleep as cognitive infrastructure, not a luxury, is one of the most reliable ways to improve leadership performance and protect your startup from avoidable mistakes.