Training and Nutrition
July 2017 | 39
The importance of sleep to improve performance
By Health & Fitness expert James Crossley , who is working on his ‘ Fit at Forty ’ Campaign .
For more information , check out @ MrJamesCrossley on Twitter or Instagram or visit www . MrJamesCrossley . com .
Training places stress and overload on nearly all of our body ’ s systems , including the musculoskeletal , cardiovascular , cardiorespiratory and nervous systems . Everytime we train , we ’ re telling our body it needs to adapt to these new demands ; it will only do so if it ’ s able to recover .
Sleep is often overlooked in the world of endurance sports , with athletes often shortening their sleep so they are able to complete early morning or two-daily training sessions . The problem is that sleep is an essential part of the recovery process and is incredibly important when it comes to maximising your performance .
How much sleep someone needs depends not only on the amount of training being undertaken , but also the demands on life outside of training . On average , most adults require around six to eight hours of sleep per night but we often fall short of this target . Athletes looking to optimise their performance may look for as much as ten hours of quality sleep daily , totalled from both night time and daily power naps .
How sleep can help your cycling performance
Physical Performance – Your sympathetic ( stimulatory ) nervous system will be in a better state of readiness following a good night ’ s sleep , giving you the chance to train at a higher intensity . A lack of sleep will also elevate your cortisol levels , your body ’ s natural stress hormone , which will in turn lessen your overall response to training .
Mental Performance – If you ’ re tired , this added fatigue will lessen your mental focus along with your motivation and mood . If you sleep well , you ’ re more likely to bring your A-game when the session gets tough . You will also find your concentration will improve , which could lessen the risk of making bad decisions out on the road or trail .
Reducing injuries and illness – A lack of sleep is proven to put you at a greater risk of getting ill and injured . If you ’ re not allowing your body time to heal and repair , as it does so efficiently when you sleep , you�ll certainly be working in a less-than-optimal state . This has been shown to supress your immune system and lessens your ability to adapt to training .
There is nothing more frustrating than experiencing poorquality sleep or simply not being able to sleep . Here are a few tips to help :
� . Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed . �epending on your sensitivity , caffeine may stop you getting to sleep and whilst alcohol may initially make you feel tired , it is scientifically proven to disturb your natural sleep patterns resulting in a night of lesser quality rest .
� . Avoid blue-light emitting screens before bed . Blue light found in the display of your smartphones , laptop and tablets actually stimulates your body to stay awake in the same way as the sun . Try turning off your electronic devices along with your T� at least ��-�� minutes before going to bed to create a calm restful environment in your home . It also helps if your bedroom is clutter-free and dark .
3 . Partake in relaxing activities before you go to bed . An epsom salt bath will calm the body and relax the muscles and is full of magnesium which has been proven to aid sleep .
4 . Quiet the mind . Have a notebook by your bed to write down anything you suddenly remember or may want to do tomorrow . A �To-�o� list is a way to prioritise and de-stress a busy mind before falling asleep . To further calm the mind , try some light meditation or some diaphragmatic breathing exercises .
� . �eep your bedroom cool to keep in-sync with your body�s natural circadian rhythm . Our body temperatures naturally peak around 7pm then continue to decline through the course of the day , reaching their lowest around 4am . A cool bedroom can help our bodies maintain this natural pattern minimising the risk of a disrupted night ’ s sleep .
As well as training , lifestyle , job and family commitments can be factors that lead to an individual ’ s limited or poor sleep . Some of these factors are harder to control than others . It ’ s absolutely vital we appreciate the power of sleep , especially if you have a big race coming up or simply want to get the best from your training .
Catching up on rest is also a good idea if you have busy weekdays but fewer commitments at weekends . Treat yourself to a well-deserved lie-in or Sunday afternoon power nap and don ’ t feel guilty about it !
Sweet Dreams !