What Your Body Isn't Saying - But Should Be

Hello Leader,

Let’s be real: stress isn’t a temporary glitch in the system anymore—it’s part of the operating environment. Since 2020, the number of people who say they feel very stressed has more than doubled. And for high-performing professionals, especially women in leadership, that load often runs silently in the background—until it doesn’t. 

 
We talk a lot about performance. But what if the real edge came from knowing how well we’re recovering? 
 
Remember When We Slept More? 
 
Back in the early days of remote work, many of us actually slept more. That surprise boost in rest gave our bodies space to recalibrate. 
 
But now? That window has closed. Average sleep duration has fallen again, and only about two-thirds of working-age people are getting the recommended amount. More concerning: over 20% are showing signs of inadequate recovery across a 24-hour cycle—not just tiredness, but deep physiological depletion. 
 
Stress, Recovery & Gender: A Closer Look 
 
Here’s what the data tells us—and it’s eye-opening: 
  • On average, women get more recovery during waking hours than men.
  • But during sleep, men recover better.
  • Women also report feeling more stressed, more often.
  • And as we age, our ability to recover deteriorates, with women more likely to face challenges around restoring energy and bouncing back.
This isn’t just about who’s more stressed. It’s about how recovery works differently for different people—and why understanding that matters for leadership, resilience, and long-term wellbeing.
Leadership Insight: Is Recovery Your Blind Spot? 
Elite leadership today isn’t just about being driven—it’s about being deeply aware of what fuels (or drains) your capacity.
We’re now working with leaders who are starting to ask a more sophisticated question:​
Not “How do I feel?” but “What does the data say about how I’m recovering?” 
And that’s the game-changer.
Because metrics like heart rate variability, sleep quality, and energy dips aren’t things you can track by instinct. They require specialised tools and expert interpretation, and once leaders get that insight, the ripple effect is powerful. Decision-making sharpens. Communication shifts. Stress becomes something they can manage, not just mask.
A Thought to Reflect On 
What if we stopped measuring success by how busy we are, and started measuring it by how well we bounce back?
For female leaders especially, this conversation isn’t just timely—it’s long overdue. Because the cost of carrying invisible stress is real. And the most effective, inspiring leaders we see today aren’t the ones sprinting the hardest. They’re the ones who understand that recovery is a strength strategy.
So, as we move through June, here’s a question worth sitting with:
“How are you really recovering?” 
Not just sleeping. Not just powering through. But truly restoring?
We’re here to help you find the answer—because elite leadership starts with elite self-care.
Select data and insights in this edition are based on physiological research from Firstbeat Life, a leading provider of science-backed wellbeing analytics. Learn more at firstbeat.com.
Let's Talk
BHI Business Health Institute stress Workplace Wellbeing