Dr. Michael Gervais is a high performance psychologist who works with the world’s top performers - from the Super Bowl winning NFL teams and Olympic medalists to elite military units, internationally acclaimed artists, and Fortune 50 CEOs - but you don’t have to be a professional athlete or the CEO of a top company to want to improve your performance. We sat down with Dr. Gervais to talk about all things performance, his recommendations for getting the most out of the Apollo wearable, and more.
“If you want to change your life, it starts with changing your mind.” - Dr. Michael Gervais
Dr. Gervais, could you start by sharing how psychological recovery techniques complement physical recovery methods in high-performance sports?
While we can talk about psychological and physical recovery separately, in practice, they are deeply interconnected. The mind can significantly influence the body’s ability to recover. Practices such as mindfulness, mental imagery, focusing on what’s in one’s control, cognitive reframing directly influence an athlete's ability to regulate emotions and manage stress. These practices foster a mindset that supports physiological healing—reducing cortisol levels, promoting better sleep patterns, and optimizing an athlete's overall recovery process.
In your experience, how critical is HRV as a metric for assessing an athlete's readiness and recovery state? Can you elaborate on how athletes can effectively use HRV data to enhance their training schedules?
Heart rate variability (HRV) is one of a small handful of important metrics for understanding an athlete's physiological readiness and overall autonomic nervous system balance. It gives us insights into how well they are recovering (or not). By integrating HRV monitoring into daily routines, athletes and coaches can make data-informed decisions about training intensity, duration, and recovery needs. For instance, a lower HRV can indicate a need for reduced training intensity or increased recovery efforts, while a higher HRV may suggest readiness to handle more strenuous workouts. Regular HRV monitoring allows for dynamic adjustments to training schedules, which are vital to maximizing performance and preventing overtraining. All that being said, when it’s game day, I advise athletes to not look at any external indicators of readiness. At that point, their job is to bring everything they have to the competition.
As someone deeply involved in performance psychology, how have you personally integrated the Apollo wearable into your daily routine?
Integrating the Apollo wearable into my daily routine has been a game changer, particularly in managing daily stress and enhancing my sleep quality. I primarily use it to help down-regulate my body. The two most consistent ways I use it are right before bed and right after anything that requires high output. Everyday I’m working to find the right balance between high stress and intelligent recovery.
From psycho-physiological perspective, human performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point – and decreases when we become over activated. The device’s gentle, tactile vibrations help me find my activation sweet spot. This neuromodulation is beneficial for “switching on” (preparing for intense mental and physical tasks) and dialing down so the body doesn’t stay in a heightened state of readiness and tension which can deplete us. By engaging the body's natural relaxation response, Apollo helps to maintain a balance of energy and calm throughout the day, which is invaluable for anyone engaged in high-stakes environments.
Can you share insights on the role of technology like the Apollo wearable in helping athletes manage stress and anxiety, especially leading up to major competitions like the 2024 Olympics?
In the realm of high-performance sports, athletes (and coaches) are required to manage stress and anxiety. Psychological skills sit right at the center of being able to work well within high stress environments. And – technologies like the Apollo wearable are instrumental in this process. Apollo is like getting a spot in the gym – but in this case is a recovery spot, or an activation spot. It helps to modulate the nervous systems on demand. This ability to actively manage physiological stress responses can make or break an athlete’s Olympic dream.
From your extensive work with elite athletes, what are some of the common sleep challenges they face? How do you recommend they use tools or techniques to improve sleep quality for better recovery?
Elite athletes often face unique sleep challenges, including irregular schedules, pre-competition anxiety, and physiological arousal from intense training. Poor sleep can significantly impair recovery and subsequent performance. I recommend a combination of psychological, behavioral and technological strategies to address these issues. Pre-sleep routines, reducing sugary foods and refined carbs, hydrating during the day (not right before bed), and mindfulness practices can significantly enhance sleep quality. Additionally, tools like the Apollo wearable can help regulate the sleep-wake cycle, supporting deeper, more restorative sleep. It's about creating an ecosystem of recovery that respects the complex interplay between mind and body.
Considering the diverse challenges athletes face, how have you seen the Apollo wearable specifically aid in their mental and physical recovery processes?
The Apollo wearable has shown remarkable efficacy in aiding both mental and physical recovery for athletes. Its use of touch therapy through gentle vibrations helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is essential for recovery. Athletes report feeling more balanced, less reactive to stress, and more capable of achieving deep, restorative states of rest. This tool not only aids in quicker recovery post-competition but also enhances overall well-being and readiness, which are critical for sustained high performance.
Looking towards the 2024 Olympics, what guidance would you give to athletes and coaches on prioritizing recovery in their preparation?
As we approach the 2024 Olympics and Paralympic Games, I encourage athletes and coaches to prioritize recovery well before they even arrive at the Olympic Village. We want them to commit with the same precision as they have done for years. Recovery is best served as a proactive, not reactive strategy. Utilizing technology that supports this, like the Apollo wearable, alongside traditional recovery modalities, can provide a competitive edge. Recovery is where the real gains are made—it's where the body and mind repair, adapt, and improve. It’s essential for longevity and high performance.
Can you discuss any recent advancements or trends in the field of sports psychology that you find particularly exciting or promising for athlete performance and well-being?
The field of sports psychology is currently experiencing exciting advancements, particularly in the area of biofeedback and neurofeedback technologies. These tools allow us to quantify and optimize mental states, bridging the gap between mental training and measurable outcomes. This data-driven approach to mental training is revolutionizing how we prepare athletes for performance, offering new ways to harness the power of the mind. The integration of these technologies into daily training and recovery routines allows athletes to not only perform at their best but also sustain their well-being throughout their careers.
Finally, what are you looking forward to most in this year’s Paris Olympics?
Five-time Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin and I will be hosting a daily audio and video series called. The Game Inside The Games. The series – streamed directly from Paris – unlocks the psychology of pivotal, often unseen, moments during the Olympic Games that can make or break an athlete’s Olympic dream. We will pull back the curtain on how the world's best use their mind to unlock their potential.
Having worked with 30 gold medalists, I will put a psychological lens on the challenges an athlete faces at each stage of the Olympic experience, while Nastia provides the first-hand experience of someone who has been in the amphitheater. The Game Inside the Games gives the audience a fresh view into what it’s like to perform on sport’s biggest stage, how these athletes use their mind to "be great", and how you can do the same in your own life.
We are really excited about this series and the opportunity to pull back the curtain on a new perspective about the Olympics that has yet to be told.
You can check it out and stay up to date by subscribing to the Finding Mastery Podcast and newsletter. We hope you’ll check it out!
