Are principals really tireless? Conceptualizing the role of sleep in school leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to highlight the impacts of psychological and biological health on the principalship, particularly as it relates to sleep. Job-related stress, heavy workloads, and unpredictable work schedules can impact principals’ mental health, diet, and consumptive behaviors, which can disrupt the much-needed restorative sleep for healthy cognition, physiological functioning, and efficacious leadership. We turn the field's attention towards the importance of quality sleep and how it impacts personal health and occupational performance. We provide a robust interdisciplinary review of literature on precursors and outcomes of poor sleep quality as it pertains to school leaders both personally and professionally. Empirical recommendations for improving sleep quality along with recommendations for preparation programs and the field of educational leadership are discussed.