The most powerful recovery tool known to science is… Getting enough and quality sleep!
Optimal duration : 7-9 h for adults, 8-10 h for adolescents (count individual variations in)
Quality : Sleep onset latency, sleep cycle progression, nightime awakenings defines it.
Time spent in deep sleep matters the most for athletes in which growth hormon is released to help muscle recovery and growth, thus avoids injuries.
Sleep deprived athletes risk losing their accuracy, vigor, aerobic endurance and strength, leading to a poor performance. 1 more hour in sleep was associated with a 43% decrease in risk of injury the next day.
Nick Littlehales, sleep coach of Real Madrid ve Manchester United, known as the man who showed Cristiano Ronaldo how to sleep.
Overtraining , travel , performance stress , blue light , over use of caffeine , academic/work demands may disturb your sleep pattern.
These tips can help maximizing quality and consistency of your sleep – in turn your overall physical & mental health and athletic performance:
- Set your bedroom up to be a cave: DARK, COOL, QUIET!
Get blackout shades, wear eye mask, use ear plugs, cool down your room between 16-18°C.
- Get your circadian rhythm – your biological clock – to work for you
Get exposed to sunlight in the morning. Exercise outdoors. If geography doesn’t permit, a daylight lamp can help.
Technology off 2h before your bedtime. If this sounds unreasonable – use night shift function of your devices and get a blue light blocking google.
- Mind your sleeping cycles
We sleep in 90-min long cycles. Set a regular bedtime and wake-up time, that incorporates ideally 5 sleep cycles, 7.5 hours.
You missed out cycles – it happens. Then get a max 20 min power nap before 2 pm. Having few sips of coffee before your nap may help you waking up less groggy.
- Moderate your caffeine intake
Caffeine is a great ergogenic, which has a half life of ∼6 hours and interferes with your body’s sleep signals.
Say no to caffeine intake beyond 2 pm so it doesn’t affect your ability to initiate and maintain sleep.
Contact me to optimize your sleep duration and quality, follow me on Instagram or listen to The Performance Prescription Lab Podcast to learn more about this topic.
Disclaimer: The information shared on this page is for educational purposes only. If you have any health issues or are taking any medications, consult your doctor or pharmacist.