This episode of Let’s Talk with USA Lacrosse explores sleep hygiene and its impact on athletic performance, recovery, and overall wellbeing. Host Fran Argentieri is joined by Dr. Emily Clark, senior psychological services provider for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, who works in mental performance and behavioral sleep medicine with elite athletes.

The conversation unpacks why sleep is foundational for athletes, influencing reaction time, decision-making, mood, and physical recovery. Dr. Clark also challenges common misconceptions—like treating sleep as a strict performance metric or assuming one bad night will derail performance—emphasizing instead the importance of long-term sleep patterns over isolated nights.

They discuss frequent challenges athletes face, including travel, early training schedules, academic demands, and stress, along with common sleep mistakes such as inconsistent routines and over-fixating on sleep targets. Dr. Clark introduces practical behavioral strategies to support better sleep, including stabilizing routines, managing stress before bed, and understanding individual sleep needs.

Fran also shares her experience competing with the U.S. U20 team in Hong Kong, highlighting how structured sleep routines and team support helped manage a major time zone shift—and how difficult it was to readjust afterward.

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding that sleep is less about perfection and more about consistency, awareness, and building habits that support performance over time.