Sleep - The Best Performance Enhancer Most People Aren’t Getting Enough Of

We all know sleep is important for feeling well, recovering from tough bouts of training, and performing at our best. Yet, many of us don’t prioritize it.

When is the last time you averaged 7 hours of sleep a night? Many people aren’t meeting this number, and that’s the minimum amount of sleep you should be getting. Adults should be aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.   There is an abundance of research suggesting that sleep is the most important aspect of recovery for both the body and the brain.   

Athletic Performance 

Sleep makes a huge difference in the gym, on the court, and in the field.  Research shows increased sleep was shown to improve the accuracy of tennis serves, free throw accuracy, 3 point accuracy, and sprint speed both on land and in the pool.  Athletes also have had decreased reports of fatigue and muscle soreness when increasing their sleep. 

Injury Risk

Did you know there’s an enormous increase in injury rates among those lacking sleep? One study showed athletes sleeping less than 8 hours per night were 170% more likely to experience a musculoskeletal injury than those sleeping 8 or more hours. If you are training hard in the gym and not focusing on your sleep, you’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle. 

Sleeping and Death

Still not convinced that you should prioritize sleep?  Sleep deprivation correlates to premature telomere shortening which has been linked to earlier mortality. Yes, lack of sleep literally leads to earlier death.  

Many of us feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get the right amount of sleep, get to the gym, and go to work.  But, if you prioritize your sleep, you can be more efficient during your work day. You may be surprised how much time you waste when you are tired!

Okay you convinced me! Now what should I do to improve my sleep?

-Wake up and go to bed at consistent times. This is important for maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm.

-Keep the room cold. As cold as 60-65 degrees. Colder rooms = deeper sleep!

-Keep the room dark. Black out curtains are great for deep sleep.

-Find some light in the morning! Exposing yourself to bright light upon waking adds increased depth to your sleep reflex.

-Avoid screen time before bed.

-Don’t watch TV or do work in your bedroom.

-Don’t exercise within 4 hours of your bedtime.

-Avoid caffeine after noon. The half-life of caffeine is 7 hours so you want to make sure it is out of your system when you’re going to bed. 

-Don’t use naps to make up for missing sleep at night. Napping increases performance IF you are getting 7 hours of sleep or more per night. But they shouldn’t be used all the time to make up for a poor night’s sleep.