Sleep is important for everyone, but it is especially important for athletes. The average person needs seven to nine hours of sleep every night. Athletes on the other hand need an extra hour of sleep to aid in recovery. With the proper amount of sleep, “studies show that good sleep can improve speed, accuracy, and reaction time in athletes.”2 Athletes put their bodies through extreme wear and tear while training and exercising. “Exercise depletes energy, fluids, and breaks down muscle. Hydration and the right fuel are only part of training and recovery. What athletes do in the moments during and immediately after competition also determines how quickly their bodies rebuild muscle and replenish nutrients.”2 Sleep is a big part of recovery. Individuals need all the sleep they can get, to get the proper amount of recovery time. With sleep you not only recover from the workout you just put your body through but, also prepare your body for the next one. Sleep will also improve your attitude and make you a happier person, instead of feeling tired and drained.
Athletes looking to improve their sleeping habits can take 4 simple steps, to improve their performance.
- Get on a regular schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day.
- When you travel, give yourself time to get used to your new setting. If you're traveling for an athletic competition, it's a good idea to get there a few days early -- or even weeks -- Stoler says. That way, your body can adjust and you have time to get on a normal sleep schedule.
- Avoid sleep medication. "Unless a doctor has prescribed it, don't take any sleep medications," Thornton says. Over-the-counter sleep aids are likely to disturb the quality of your sleep and your performance the next day. Relying on natural relaxation techniques before bed -- such as deep breathing -- is a better approach, he says.
Resources:
1Griffin, R. (n.d.). Can Sleep Improve Your Athletic Performance? Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/sleep-athletic-performance
2Sleep, Athletic Performance, and Recovery. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2014, from http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/sleep-athletic-performance-and-recovery
This is a very overlooked topic. Sleep is so important, the body is not going to function to its full potential without proper rest. As a previous college athlete, our coach always made sure we were properly rested before tournaments. It definitely affects the body physically and mentally as well.
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting topic because most adolescent and college athletes do not get enough sleep. Working late night jobs and having 5 a.m. practice is common for a young athlete trying to pay the bills and keep up with school. I would be curious to see what specifically the average sleep schedule is like for different demographics.
ReplyDeleteThis topic is very true. I know when I played sports in high school, sleep was a big thing for me. Like this blog says, without the right amounts of sleep your body doesn't work to its best ability. When playing sports, you want your body at its best.
ReplyDeleteSleep plays a major role to an athlete when it comes to overtraining. Overtraining occurs when the body is unable to recover enough between stress induced bouts of exercise. Without adequate sleep and food, an athlete is never going to perform at the best of their abilities and will begin to experience diminishing returns.
ReplyDeleteI feel that as long as you get the sleep in it doesn't matter what time you sleep. In the past I use to sleep around 7 in the morning because I worked the night-shift at a convenient store and i got off at 6 in the morning. when I slept at 7am i would wake up around 3 in the afternoon and i would get my workout in and go throughout my day then my night job and i still felt great. just an input on that.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree with this article more. I know I feel like I can't shake the stiffness and get the motor running sometimes and I know its from accumulated lack of sleep throughout the week. It can creep up on you sometimes if you aren't paying attention to your sleep habits.
ReplyDeleteSleep is definitely a major factor for athletes! I love how you broke it down into 4 simple steps, easy to follow. I completely agree with this article. I think athletes often forget how much sleep is required in the recovery process.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this article its funny that it reminded me of my dad. He always told me to get enough sleep so I can be healthy and be able to perform at my top level.
ReplyDeleteSleeping really is important and this article is great about saying how much it can help you and what you can do for all athletes sleep should be one of the most important things I agree with this article completely.
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