In Conversation with Brand Ambassador Nicola Spirig

By Deluxe Sleep · Published on 28 July 2026

In Conversation with Brand Ambassador Nicola Spirig

She is a mother of three, an everyday high performer, a Swiss triathlete, and, since 2019, a brand ambassador for BICO – Nicola Spirig. The seven-time European champion and 2012 Olympic gold medallist balances career and family life every day and knows how valuable sleep is for making that possible. How she manages her daily routine, what connection performance and sleep have, and what Nicola's tricks and tips are – read about it in the following article.

Performance, Sleep, and Managing Everyday Life

When sleep is lacking, you are not only less focused – your performance also declines. The five-time Olympian knows this too. Anyone in elite sport who suffers from sleep deprivation gets too little recovery, which has a negative effect on the body, on training, and ultimately on competition as well. The risk of injury also rises. That is why Nicola Spirig pays particular attention to getting enough sleep. Not so easy, considering that her children are usually awake by 6 a.m. at the latest. Fortunately, she is an early riser. That helps her manage her schedule so that, whenever possible, she can get her training done early. Then, at 6 p.m. – that is, before dinner – she can wind down, cool off after training, settle herself, and afterwards go to bed. As she puts it: "After many full days, I'm actually always very tired. Tired in a good way, because I've been physically active, but often also because I had something on my mind that made me tired. So I'm tired, I can sleep well, I can fall asleep well."

The Right Sleep Climate Is Worth Its Weight in Gold

She knows that this is not always possible. "When I was still breastfeeding, sleep became very scarce." Travel can also affect her sleep through jet lag, or else when she has just been through a demanding competition. Then she needs a bit more sleep and also finds it a little harder to get up the next morning. To still manage to sleep well, she pays attention to an optimal sleep climate. To achieve this, she likes to sleep with the window open. That way, enough fresh air always comes in – and the room stays cool. She maintains the ideal bed temperature with a climate mattress and her duvet – creating perfect sleep conditions.

Nicola Spirig: her tricks for better sleep

Plan a regular bedtime

Especially on busy days, a regular bedtime is important. The seven-time European champion values this too. That is why her first priority is making sure the most important things are done, rather than continually pushing her bedtime further into the night. She has a helper in this: her sense of her own body. Especially after training, she notices when she is at her limit. Because that is when her body no longer delivers the performance she wants. That is why she sticks to her usual bedtime: 10 p.m.

Give yourself time to fall asleep and look forward to the day

Falling asleep: When a day is as full as Nicola Spirig's, it can sometimes take a while for the body to fully wind down. What matters here is giving yourself time to fall asleep and not putting yourself under pressure. She achieves this through a calm atmosphere, the right sleep climate, and clearing away thoughts that might disturb her. Anything important she wants to remember, she writes down so as not to think about it all night. Waking up: For anyone looking forward to the next day, waking up is considerably easier. To do this, Nicola Spirig lets the day pass through her mind and holds on to the positive moments.

Adopt a sleep ritual or a small mental boost

The triathlete does not have a proper ritual as such, but she will not go without a small dessert at eight in the evening. As she puts it herself: "I'm someone who needs a little dessert before going to bed, that is, after supper. I think it's more of a mental thing – it does me good." Sometimes a tea for relaxation follows, and by 10 p.m. at the latest, the light is switched off.

Conclusion

Elite sport requires periods of rest, since otherwise the desired performance can no longer be delivered. The risk of injury also rises. So that Nicola Spirig can still get enough sleep alongside her performances, she pays attention to a good sleep climate, a regular bedtime – during which she also winds down mentally – and a small sleep ritual.

Anyone who would like to be inspired by Nicola Spirig's tips and try a climate mattress from BICO for themselves is warmly welcome at our showroom in Bischofszell – we are happy to advise you in person.

Source: This article is based on a piece from the BICO sleep blog (bico.ch). The research findings, product developments, and test results mentioned in it come from BICO or from the respective third parties named. Nicola Spirig is a brand ambassador for BICO, not for Deluxe Sleep.