Lots of athletes have trouble sleeping. Oleksandra Merkushyna is a Ukrainian biathlete who overcame her sleep problems. In this, the latest BIU podcast interview we speak to Oleksandra about how her problems started and what she did to address them.

Oleksandra begins by describing how she got into biathlon, and her proudest moment in the sport so far, before going on to explain how sleeping problems began to affect her. While she continued to perform well at junior events (she was 15 when the problem began), she felt emotionally drained, with no energy, and could not properly engage with or enjoy her experiences. Eventually, sleeping became such an issue that she seriously considered quitting the sport.

So how did she address those problems? After one unsuccessful experience with a therapist, she worked with another who had been assigned to the Ukrainian team and who taught her that the key to sleeping well, for her, was to recognise that she feared not the race itself, but not being able to sleep before the race. Through working on this fear, gradually Oleksandra’s sleep improved.

From talking to other athletes, Oleksandra believes that many of them struggle with sleeping issues. So if you’re having trouble sleeping, this one’s for you!

Click here to listen to the full interview.