Why Sleep Is A Must For Elite Athletes
To excel in sport, you must train hard, eat diligently and complete top pre-season conditioning to make sure that you're at peak performance
...but what about sleep?
Studies by the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance have shown the key to excellence in sports performance is sleep. Elite athletes should prepare for the tough season ahead with a solid routine that incorporates consistent sleep patterns. Sleep is widely considered to be a major contributor to athletic recovery and performance, with evidence indicating that sleep disruption negatively affects psychological and physiological performance measures. Eight hours' minimum sleep per night for adults is essential to enhance better performance, muscle recovery and overall health.
Some of the UK's top performing football coaches understand this and have started to implement sleep therapy, clinics and sleep boot camps into their player's training regimes.
Swansea City Football Club have taken it one step further, before the start of the season they installed 30 'Snoozeboxes' - sleep - ing pods pitch-side - at their Landore training ground. These inflatable pods can fit a double bed and allow players to train, sleep and recommence training after a rest. The club also monitor their player's sleep patterns at home, measuring and comparing these under scrutiny as much as any footage or game statistic. The belief in sleep for elite performance is so ingrained in elite football, that there's even specialist sleep coaches employed within top football circles. Former Manchester United players Gary Pallister and Ryan Giggs were famously prescribed speciality mattresses', to help reduce their respective back and hamstring problems.
If athletes experience poor sleep, the ongoing cycles of effort and recovery are diminished and fatigue related injuries become more likely. Short term sleep deprivation can also cause negative impacts on cognitive function, decision making and response times. One notable study has looked at how Real Madrid and Wales footballing superstar Gareth Bale changed his life off the field and performances on the pitch drastically for the better, all thanks to changes in his daily sleep and rest process.
And it's not only footballers, it turns out that high quality sleep has a positive effect on your abilities, whichever sport you're competing in, the global stars feel the benefits – whether it's high intensity sports like Basketball (LeBron James), American Football (Larry Fitzgerald), Sprinting (Usain Bolt), Tennis (Roger Federer), Swimming (Michael Phelps), Nascar Racing (Kurt Busch) or Skiing (Lindsey Vonn) or lower intensity sports like Golf (Michelle Wie) & Dressage.
The good news is that quality sleep can be achieved; after all, sleep is one of the most natural human behaviours.
If you are struggling to get into a good routine, it's worth examining your sleep environment. Light, (including blue light from phones, tablets and laptops) noise and mattress type can all prove disruptive. It's worth starting your bedroom audit with your mattress. Many people claim that the best option for uninterrupted sleep is with the use of a memory foam mattress. These type of mattresses allow sleepers to fit within their mattress space naturally, provide a naturally cooler material to sleep on and support the comfort for a natural foetal position, best for an adult's sleeping position. These also work well to minimise any interruption to sleep from partner movement, because of its absorption properties.
Remove any electrical devices from the bedroom and try to keep interiors peaceful and uncluttered for an optimum rest environment.
A strong season ahead starts with a good night rest, so it's worth investing in a few changes to ensure that you are ready.
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