General
Visit Mallory Franklin in her very own Dreams sleep sanctuary, where she explores why her bedroom is such a sacred place, how it’s evolved over time, and what a good night’s rest means to her.
3 Min Read
Last Modified 10 July 2024 First Added 12 July 2024
A bedroom is more than a place for great sleep. For Mallory Franklin, it’s a space to reflect, recharge and make time for self-care, which couldn’t be more important as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games approach.
In this exclusive article, Mallory shares how she finds time to prioritise her own wellbeing and enjoy the comforting embrace of a sleep sanctuary, a welcome respite from the pressure of world-class performance.
Watch now:
‘My earliest Olympic dream was probably from London 2012. Watching the canoe slalom, being able to be there and watch it all, acknowledging and realising that I could go and be part of that.’
‘My childhood bedroom was pretty plain – black and white! – but it was nice to have the blank canvas to just exist, have my own space and be able to be me.
‘It was like my little haven, as I think it is for a lot of kids.’
‘My bedroom is important in the sense that it’s definitely where you go and have the space and time to just switch off. I’ve got cats, and they’re generally not allowed in my bedroom! So it [my bedroom] probably still replicates what I had as a kid; that space to be able to relax and be completely on my own.’
‘My current bedroom replicates my childhood bedroom – there isn’t a lot of colour in it! We have a purple ceiling now, which is a bit rogue, but it’s still pretty plain.
‘I share it with my husband now, so there’s a little bit more of both of us in it, as well as photos, and things that are just elements of who I was and who I am. I’ve got a whole house now, so I spread myself out a bit more!’
‘When I go to sleep it’s generally doors shut, keep the cats out, and as dark as it can be – as natural as possible, basically.
‘For me, going to bed is more about the literal last 30 minutes. I’m generally pretty relaxed until that point, but I put on my sleep light which slowly dims so it just creates that kind of atmosphere. Then I try and read a book for a bit, and have 30 minutes just to switch off, calm down and allow myself to just go to sleep.’
‘I use sleep casts to go to sleep, just to try and help me switch off my brain.
‘They’re little stories that are designed to help you slowly drift off by focusing the mind onto one thing and helping to draw away all other noise. For me, that really helps me fall asleep, and I get sleep a lot quicker.’
‘I think having a good night’s sleep is probably one of the key things for mental health. I generally find that when I’m tired, I just reach a point where I’m really mopey and sad, it’s really easy to make me cry, and then it’s really hard to engage in my training.
‘Having a good night’s sleep allows you to come at it [training] and have all the capacity to be able to take in all the information so you’re able to perform. Especially in my sport, with it being so reactive, having access to those elements of your ability makes it loads better!’
3 min read
Latest Articles
9 min read
