When You Can’t Turn Off: How Coaches Can Beat Sleep Issues After Games

Coaching isn’t a 9-to-5 job.

It’s intense, emotional, and high-stakes. And when the final whistle blows, your brain doesn’t just flip a switch and shut off.

A lot of coaches struggle with sleep, especially after games. Even when they try all the usual sleep tips: 

✅ Cool room temperature. 

✅ No screens before bed. 

✅ Meditation or breathing exercises. 

✅ Journaling.

But nothing seems to work.

👉 So, what’s really going on? And how can you actually solve it?

🎯 Why Coaches Struggle to Sleep After Games

It’s not just that you’re wired from the adrenaline of competition. It’s deeper than that.

Here’s what’s happening:

1. Cognitive Overload

Your mind is replaying everything that happened during the game. Decisions you made. Mistakes you noticed. Calls that went against you.

Your brain is on overdrive. And it’s trying to process and analyze everything long after it should be resting.

2. Emotional Residue

Whether you won or lost, emotions are still running high. Anger, frustration, excitement, relief — these emotions don’t just disappear because the game is over.

They stay with you, activating your nervous system and making it hard to relax.

3. Anticipatory Anxiety

You’re not just thinking about the past. You’re worrying about the future.

What does this game mean for your season? What adjustments do you need to make? What will your players, fans, or management think?

All these concerns pile up and create a mental storm that keeps you awake.

4. Hyperarousal

After a game, your nervous system is still in fight-or-flight mode. Even if you feel tired, your body is too wired to allow you to actually relax.

5. Perfectionism and Overthinking

Most coaches are perfectionists. You’re used to being in control. But when things don’t go perfectly, your mind gets stuck on every little detail.

You can’t let go of the mistakes — even when they’re minor.

🔑 Why The Usual Sleep Tips Aren’t Working

Here’s the thing: The sleep tips you’ve heard — cool room, no screens, breathing exercises — they’re all good advice.

But they only address the surface level of the problem.

Your issue isn’t just about your sleep environment or bedtime routine. It’s about what’s happening in your mind and nervous system.

And if you don’t address the mental and emotional overload, nothing will change.

📌 What To Do Instead (What Actually Works)

Here’s how to get your mind and body to actually switch off.

1. Process the Game Consciously (Before Bed)

The problem isn’t that you’re thinking about the game. The problem is that you’re doing it unconsciously when you’re trying to sleep.

📌 What To Do:

• Set a Time Limit: Before you even try to go to bed, spend 20 minutes going through the game in your head — on purpose.

• Write It Down: Write out everything you’re replaying in your mind. Decisions, mistakes, frustrations — get it all on paper.

• Close the File: When you’re done, tell yourself: “I’ll revisit this tomorrow. Tonight is for rest.”

💬 “You can’t process the game if you’re not doing it intentionally.”

2. Use a Physiological Sigh (Not Just Regular Breathing)

Most breathing exercises are great for relaxation. But there’s one technique that’s specifically designed to help your nervous system calm down.

📌 What To Do:

• Take a deep inhale through your nose.

• Take a second, shorter inhale (also through your nose) right on top of the first.

• Exhale slowly and fully through your mouth.

• Repeat 2-3 times.

💡 This technique — known as the physiological sigh — helps release carbon dioxide from your lungs and slows down your heart rate, activating your body’s natural calming mechanism.

💬 “This isn’t just about breathing — it’s about resetting your nervous system.”

3. Create a Buffer Zone

Going straight from the court to your bed is like trying to go from 100 mph to 0 in an instant. You need a cool-down period for your mind.

📌 What To Do:

• After games, give yourself at least 60 minutes of low-stimulation activity.

• This can be stretching, listening to calm music, taking a warm shower, or having a light conversation.

• Avoid anything that will trigger more emotional or cognitive activation (like watching game tape or arguing with staff).

💬 “Just like your players need a cool-down, so do you.”

4. Anchor Your Mind to the Present

Ruminating over the game is your brain’s way of trying to solve problems. But you can’t solve everything in one night.

📌 What To Do:

• Use a grounding exercise to bring your mind back to the present.

• Focus on what you can feel, hear, and see around you.

• Repeat to yourself: “Right now, my job is to rest. I’ll deal with everything else tomorrow.”

💬 “The future can wait. So can the past. Right now is for recovery.”

5. Shift Your Perspective

A lot of coaches stay up because they’re trying to find the perfect solution to a problem. But sometimes, the most productive thing you can do is rest.

📌 What To Do:

• Remind yourself that sleep is part of the process.

• A well-rested mind will give you better clarity tomorrow.

• Tell yourself: “Resting now will make me a better coach tomorrow.”

💬 “Rest isn’t a weakness. It’s part of high performance.”

🧠 Take These With You:

❤️ “If you can’t turn it off, it’s because you haven’t processed it.” 

❤️ “Your mind needs a cool-down just like your body.” 

❤️ “Sleep is part of your coaching game plan. Treat it like training.” 

❤️ “Resting now is what makes you sharp tomorrow.”