Non-binding request for Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith helps leaders prevent burnout and sustain high performance through her groundbreaking 7 Types of Rest® framework.
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Why book Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith for your next event
- Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith delivers practical, research-driven tools that help leaders prevent burnout and sustain clarity, focus, and performance.
- Her 7 Types of Rest® framework transforms how organizations approach productivity, resilience, and long-term success in demanding environments.
- She connects science, leadership, and real-life application in compelling keynotes that create lasting behavioral change.
Non-binding request for Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Physician, bestselling author, and global voice on rest, resilience, and leadership well-being
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a board-certified internal medicine physician, award-winning author, and internationally recognized thought leader on resilience, burnout prevention, and leadership well-being. She is the creator of the 7 Types of Rest® framework, a research-based model that reshapes how individuals and organizations understand productivity and sustainable performance. Through her keynotes, Dr. Dalton-Smith equips high-achieving professionals with actionable strategies to restore energy, sharpen focus, and lead with greater clarity in high-pressure environments.
Who Is Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith combines medical expertise with deep insight into human performance and leadership. As a board-certified internal medicine physician, she brings a science-backed perspective to conversations about stress, fatigue, and productivity. Her work focuses on helping high-performing individuals recognize that exhaustion is not a badge of honor, but a signal that something essential is missing.
She is also an award-winning author whose writing has reached a global audience. Her ability to translate complex research into clear, relatable language has made her a trusted voice for leaders, organizations, and professionals seeking sustainable success without sacrificing well-being.
The 7 Types of Rest® Framework
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is the creator of the widely recognized 7 Types of Rest® framework, a model that challenges the idea that sleep alone is enough to recover from exhaustion. The framework identifies seven distinct types of rest needed for optimal functioning, including physical, mental, emotional, social, sensory, creative, and spiritual rest.
This research-driven approach has transformed how leaders and organizations address burnout, focus erosion, and performance decline. More than 250,000 people have identified their personal rest deficits using her assessment, gaining clarity on why they feel depleted and how to recover effectively. The framework offers a practical roadmap for restoring energy, improving decision-making, and sustaining high performance over time.
Bestselling Author and Thought Leader
Dr. Dalton-Smith is the author of several books, including the international bestseller Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity. In this influential work, she outlines the seven types of rest needed to optimize productivity, increase happiness, and overcome burnout. The book has helped professionals across industries rethink how they approach work, rest, and success.
Her thought leadership has been featured in respected media outlets such as Fast Company, Prevention, CNN Health, Inc., and TED.com. Through these platforms, she continues to shape global conversations around resilience, leadership well-being, and the future of work.
Keynote Topics and Speaking Style
As a keynote speaker, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith delivers compelling, actionable presentations tailored to the realities of modern work. Her talks address challenges such as change fatigue, emotional overload, burnout, and declining focus. She speaks to corporate audiences, associations, healthcare systems, and leadership conferences worldwide.
Known for her engaging and relatable style, she connects evidence-based insights with real-world examples that resonate with leaders and teams alike. Her presentations do more than inspire; they provide clear strategies audiences can implement immediately to improve energy, clarity, and performance.
Book Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith for Your Event
When you book Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith for your event, you bring a speaker who understands both the science of health and the pressures of leadership. Her work empowers organizations to move beyond short-term productivity toward sustainable high performance.
Dr. Dalton-Smith helps audiences recognize the hidden causes of burnout and equips them with tools to restore balance, resilience, and purpose. Her keynotes leave leaders with a renewed perspective on rest, success, and what it truly means to perform at their best over the long term.
Customer Reviews
5 of 5
Dr Saundra was incredible - very calm and collected and with great stage presence and charisma. She knew how to get the audience to listen to her and to resonate with her message. Very well received by client and audience alike
INVNT Group
5 of 5
Dr. Dalton-Smith was the keynote speaker at our CE/CME Grand Rounds in August. Dr. Dalton-Smith delivered an inspirational presentation laced with honesty and hope to understand life's demands to help live a happier, healthier life. Through sharing her knowledge and life experiences Dr. Dalton-Smith showed the audience ways to reverse burnout and stress in their personal life. Great speaker and presentation!
LISA DAVISASCENSION CE MANAGER, ST. VINCENT'S HEALTH SYSTEM
5 of 5
Dr. Dalton-Smith is incredible. She arrived early and prepared for our event. She is a joy to work with and a pleasure to know! She gave 2 wonderfully genuine sessions to our group. We would love to have her back!
HEATHER HOPKINSEVENT PLANNER, TANNEHILL VALLEY WOMEN'S GROUP
5 of 5
Dr. Dalton-Smith earned the highest score of the day on our survey—4.92 overall satisfaction on a 5.0 scale. I have no doubt that one customer's simple yet direct survey remark, 'I loved this!' is indicative of the positive response everyone in attendance had to the presentation. We will definitely consider Dr. Dalton-Smith as we plan future seminars and webinars.
TANA PHELPSMARKETING MANAGER CASSLING
Rated 5.00/5 based on 4 customer reviews
Keynotes
Keynote by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith:
The Capacity Crisis: Rebuilding Energy in an Always-On Culture
Many are experiencing rising exhaustion, a lack of concentration, and reduced effectiveness. Productivity is no longer a motivation issue. It is a capacity issue. In this keynote, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith explains how understanding restorative practices improves mental, emotional, and creative energy. Drawing on her medical background and her 7 Types of Rest® framework, she shares a practical, research-based approach to restoring energy, improving focus, and preventing chronic depletion so people can perform at their best.
Objectives:
· Understand why energy, not time, is now the primary limiter of performance.
· Identify the types of rest people lack that lead to reduced capacity.
· Learn how to protect cognitive and emotional capacity in daily work.
· Create a simple plan for sustaining high performance without burnout.
Keynote by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith:
Managing The Emotional Load: Leading Well in High-Stress Environments
Today’s leaders and teams are carrying increasing emotional strain from constant change, uncertainty, and pressure to perform. This emotional overload quietly impacts communication, clarity, and effectiveness. In this keynote, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith explores how emotional fatigue undermines leadership and performance. Using insights from her medical background and the 7 Types of Rest® framework, she provides practical tools for restoring emotional clarity, responding rather than reacting under pressure, and leading with strength in demanding environments.
Objectives:
· Understand how emotional fatigue affects leadership presence and decision-making.
· Identify hidden sources of emotional overload that impact performance.
· Learn strategies to restore emotional clarity using the 7 Types of Rest®.
· Develop an approach to leading with composure, empathy, and strength under pressure.
Keynote by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith:
The Focus Advantage: Protecting Attention in a Distracted World
Loss of focus, decision fatigue, and digital overload are major threats to peace and performance. In this keynote, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith explains how mental overload undermines clarity, productivity, and innovation. She introduces a research-based framework for restoring focus, reducing errors, and improving decision-making, so teams can operate more effectively in fast-paced, high-expectation settings.
Objectives:
· Understand how mental fatigue impacts judgment and productivity.
· Identify common sources of cognitive overload in daily work.
· Learn practical strategies to restore focus without sacrificing results.
· Create habits that support clear thinking and sustainable execution.
Keynote by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith:
Sustainable High Performance: How to Lead Without Burning Out Your Best People
Many leaders are driving results while unintentionally exhausting the people they rely on most. In this keynote, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith challenges the belief that success must come at the cost of well-being. Drawing on her experience as a physician and leadership strategist, she shares how to recognize early signs of overload, realign expectations, and apply the 7 Types of Rest® framework to build strong, effective, and sustainable performance.
Objectives:
· Recognize leadership patterns that contribute to burnout.
· Learn how to align performance goals with energy-sustaining practices.
· Understand how the 7 Types of Rest® support leadership effectiveness.
· Develop a leadership approach that delivers results without sacrificing people.
The real reason why we are tired and what to do about it | Saundra Dalton-Smith | TEDxAtlanta
Watch Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith in action!
