| By: Julie Eibensteiner PT, DPT, CSCS Having trouble getting quicker, faster, stronger, or leaner despite doing “more”? Constantly battling injuries you can’t get away from? Are you dialing in your sleep habits as much as your training habits? ——————————- THE 3 BIG BENEFITS OF SLEEP 1. Helps Your Body Recover and Get Stronger When you train hard, your muscles get tiny tears, and sleep is when your body fixes them. Deep sleep, especially the slow-wave sleep (the really deep sleep), triggers the release of growth hormones (free performance enhancers) that help rebuild and repair your muscles. Without enough deep sleep, your body doesn’t have enough time to recover, which can lead to feeling tired, sore, or even injured.Put the phone away & schedule your bedtime – the odds are greater that you get 90 minutes of the valuable deep sleep if you sleep 7-9 hours. Exposure to blue light from screens, especially in the hour or two before bed, can reduce melatonin levels by as much as 50-60%. This can make it harder to fall asleep and delay the onset of sleep by 30-60 minutes or more. 2. Boosts Focus, Explosiveness, Speed, and Decision-Making Sprinting: Sleep deprivation (especially less than 6 hours) can decrease sprint performance by about 6-8%, with increased fatigue and slower acceleration. Jumping: Lack of sleep (less than 7-8 hours) can reduce vertical jump height by up to 3-4 cm, and extending sleep (an additional 2-3 hours) can improve jump height. Reaction Time: Sleep deprivation increases reaction time by about 100-150 milliseconds, leading to slower reflexes and poorer decision-making. Adequate sleep can improve reaction times by up to 12-15%. 3. Keeps Injury and Illness Away When you sleep, your immune system gets stronger, which helps you stay healthy and avoid getting sick. Sleep also helps control inflammation in your body, reducing your chances of getting injured or staying injured longer. 1.5 times higher injury risk for athletes sleeping less than 7 hours per night (British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2014). 30% higher risk of injury in athletes with poor sleep quality (Sleep Health, 2017). 40% higher likelihood of sports injuries in athletes with chronic sleep deprivation (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2014). 2.5 times more likely to suffer sports injuries in athletes with sleep disorders (Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2017). Athletes who sleep 9-10 hours per night tend to experience fewer injuries, have better performance, and show improved recovery (Journal of Sports Sciences, 2011). |
 Quick Recap Importance of adequate sleep 1. Muscle repair and growth – get stronger! 2. Keeps your nervous system sharp – better sprint times, jump times, reaction times, and decisions! 3. Keeps illness and injury away!3 Sleep Habits to form ASAP for sport performance 1. Consistently get 7-9 hours of sleep per night – PLAN AHEAD! 2. Put the phone away. 3. Reframe your mentality towards sleep – protect it and prioritize it! |