How reducing room temperature played a part in D Gukesh becoming World Chess Champion

Mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton has said that a minor tweak in room temperature helped D Gukesh overcome fatigue on his way to winning the World Chess Championship in 2024.

India's Gukesh defeated China's Ding Liren in a thrilling 14-game battle in Singapore to be crowned the youngest World Champion at 18. Upton was part of Gukesh's team, which helped him overcome challenges related to his game and mental well-being.

In a post titled 'The Winning Mindset' on his website, Upton listed five practical examples from his experience working with Gukesh. One of that involved making 'small adjustments' leading to big wins. "As the tournament dragged into its final days, fatigue became as much of a factor as skill," Upton wrote in his post.

"One small adjustment made a difference. Gukesh mentioned he was taking longer than usual to fall asleep, leaving him a little less rested the next day.

"We revisited his 15-point sleep hygiene plan and found one area of improvement—reducing his hotel room's temperature from 24 degrees C to 22 degrees C. This minor change worked and left his mind and body fresh for when it mattered most," Upton wrote.

According to the famous mental coach, 'high performance isn't always about chasing massive breakthroughs' but regularly refining small details. Upton worked with the Indian men's cricket team in the past, helping M S Dhoni's superstars to win the 2011 ICC World Cup.