Dormeo's Summer of Sport: Women's European Championship

Europe’s top women’s football tournament is back and being hosted in sunny ol’ England. Join us as we explore how professional footballers approach sleep.

The 2022 Women’s European Championships is already proving to be an unforgettable tournament with England’s Lionesses showing their stuff!

In footballs, international tournaments like the Euros or the World Cup, preparation before and sustaining the work done in the preparation is absolutely vital over the course of the tournament. This preparation covers everything from physical improvements (such as stamina) to eating the right meals at the right times. But do you know how long footballers need to rest?

Even though the average Joe is not at the level of international level footballers, the one part of their preparation that we can all benefit from is their behaviour around sleep.

Three Ways to Help Yourself Sleep Better

Reduce Sleepless Nights

Stress can play havoc with your sleep. That's why when preparing for an important event, getting a good night's sleep can be challenge. The mind often races with thoughts, anxieties, fears and anticipation about what’s around the corner.

No one is immune to this, not even professional footballers – especially in the run-up to an international tournament, like the Women's European Championship.

Working on your own mental strength and trying to control your anxieties will, obviously, be a huge benefit when combatting those sleepless nights. But there are more direct things you can do to help stop you rolling around for hours, watching the clock slowly count down until your alarm goes off.

Without even realising it, the place where you sleep might be cause subconscious issues that cause sleepless nights. Creating a stress-free zone to sleep in is a great way to start the process of sleeping during times of high anxiety.

There is also a very real connection between sleep and music . As children (or parents) we know the soothing melodies of lullabies with their gentle rhythms can help make those eyelids heavy. sleep and music. As children (or parents) we know the soothing melodies of lullabies with their gentle rhythms can help make those eyelids heavy.

But in one study, it was shown that adults who listened to 45 minutes of music before sleeping described having better sleep quality, even on the first night of doing it.

Rest and Recover

I am sure many of us look at athletes and say “I bet they will sleep well tonight!” especially after a particularly gruelling event.

During the group stages of the Women’s Euros, games come thick and fast with very little time between them. Rest, recovery and good sleep habits become vitally important as, without them, the chance of injury increases.

Footballers need explosive energy for the sprinting and jumping parts of their job, but they also need good stamina to allow them to last the full ninety minutes. Without a good night’s sleep, the replenishment of stamina, the recovery of muscles and even reaction times and decision-making can be impaired.

Eating correctly can accelerate the speed in which the body and mind recovers.

Of course, there are certain things you should avoid (not cheese, surprisingly) and what times to avoid eating altogether. For more information about diet and its connection to sleep, read more here.

Create a Routine

As the Euros progress, the time between matches gets bigger as there are less teams in the competition.

With these gaps comes the possibility that something could potentially hinder recovery, such as napping for too long or not taking on the right number of calories.

It may sound counter-intuitive, but using naps in the correct way can actually help get a better sleep at bedtime.

We cannot emphasise napping CORRECTLY more! There are things to keep in mind about napping (not during napping as that’s called a dream and you won’t remember it). To get an idea of how naps can be used for a better night’s sleep, read here.

Much like with anything; consistency is key. One night of 8-hour good quality sleep is going to feel good the next day, but the effects will not last long. This needs to occur on a consistent basis for you to truly feel the benefits and improvements to your physical and mental health.

Sticking to a sleep schedule can help you sleep well more consistently. Try and implement the same bedtime routine throughout the week, and even on weekends. Your body clock will adjust and soon you will fall asleep easily and wake up feeling well rested. Research shows that an irregular bedtime schedule is significantly associated with a decrease in average sleep time per day.

Make sure your sleeping environment works to help you drift off nicely. Don’t rely on over-the-counter drugs or caffeine. Have regular naps, eat the right things at the right time and remember; just relax!

Dormeo UK supports the Lionesses in the Women’s European Championships! Show Europe what you’ve got!