Kači Týcová, devoted to squash since childhood, is now a successful professional athlete at 23, competing in European and World Championships and, since 2021, also in the PSA World Tour, the women’s squash tournament series.
Kači discovered her love for squash at the age of seven and switched from tennis to this sport. Her ambition and talent already allowed her to participate in a tournament at seven years old. Since then, squash has shaped her life. After a brief break during school, she quickly returned to squash. She now also trains at the Oberhaching Sports School and is very successful as a sports soldier in the German Armed Forces. Her mother and her father, the former Czech professional footballer Roman Týce, have always supported her on her journey.
Like many other professional athletes, we support Kači with sleep products and coaching to further optimize her sleep and thus her athletic performance. That’s why we conducted an exciting interview with Kači about sleep and competitive sports:
Kači, is sleep only very important to you now, or has it always been an issue?
Kači: My dad always told me, Kači, if you’re tired, lie down for 20 minutes, then you’ll feel better. I know many people who say that a 20-minute power nap doesn’t help at all. I can only say that for me personally, it’s an absolute lifesaver because I really feel like I need a 20-minute timeout and afterwards I’m like a new person – completely refreshed. And that’s when I realized how important sleep really is.
If I didn’t take this power nap, I don’t think I would ever have performed so well in training. And I definitely notice that in all the tournaments.
But I still believe that sleep at night is much more important than a power nap. At night, I can of course regenerate much better.
We have already provided you with some of our products, including the AERO all-season blanket, our Re-Charge pillow, and melatonin. What is your feedback for us?
Kači: I only sleep with the Third of Life blanket. Everything stays exactly where it should. And I have to say, it’s not too hot but also not too cold, even though it’s so light. I already use the pillow and it feels really good. My next tournaments are coming up: CAS International in Pakistan and the Australian Open. I have a few hours of flying ahead of me, and the pillow will definitely be my companion. I’m convinced it will help me. I will definitely take the melatonin with me to counteract jet lag. I have already used melatonin and have to say that on an eight-hour flight I slept for five hours. My body was able to recover, and when I arrived in Germany, I was relatively fit and not constantly tired.
It’s certainly hard when you have to start right away the next day after a long trip across different time zones, for your body to be fully recovered and able to perform at 100%, right?
Kači: Yes, definitely. The first time I used melatonin, I was so impressed because it really helped me. That’s why I believe it’s a great support for the body’s regeneration. So it can simply recover and build up new energy.
Where have you gotten information related to sleep so far?
Kači: I have read quite a bit about it and also learned about it during my economics studies. But coaches who told me specifically what I could optimize about my sleep never approached me.
Then we are definitely your partner! Our sleep coaching includes 7 tips that can be implemented step by step and show results quite quickly.
Now a question about your role in the Bundeswehr. How did it come about that you became a sports soldier?
Kači: I joined the sports promotion group of the Bundeswehr on the recommendation of the national coach. From that point on, you’re a professional athlete and travel a lot accordingly. Still, after military training, you are first and foremost a soldier in the Bundeswehr. However, the focus is on sports, which is financially supported by the Bundeswehr. Basic training is shorter for sports soldiers so they don’t miss too many tournaments.
You are now a participant in the PSA World Tour and travel a lot. How important is sleep to you in this context?
Kači: I practice squash, a niche sport that not many people know about. But what’s important in a sport that might not be very well known is that you enjoy it. And that’s what I want to tell young people too. Do what you enjoy the most. That’s how you’ll be the most successful.
Sleep is very important here and is often underestimated by young people. When you’re well rested, you have more energy and are in a good mood. I think when you don’t get enough sleep, you’re just in a bad mood and don’t feel like doing anything.
That’s why I also want to improve my sleep to be even more efficient. From a sports perspective, I want to soon secure a spot in the top 100 of the world rankings. The next goal would be the top 50, and then I’d say the top 20. And of course, I definitely want to win the German Championship title someday.
We are happy to continue supporting you with everything related to sleep. We create individual sleep plans, collaborate with sleep experts on our products, and offer consultations on the topic of sleep. We wish you all the best and every success you have set as your goal.
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