The Power of Sleep in Athletic Recovery & Success

Whether you’re a student-athlete or a pro, consistently striving for peak performance and pushing your limits is normal. However, whatever you do outside of training is significantly important, too.

Learning how to take care of your body after a hard-fought game is part of being great. One often overlooked is sleeping. It’s an undeniably essential role and plays a big part in your recovery.

In this post, we will discuss the importance of proper sleep and how it affects an athlete’s overall well-being.

How Sleep Helps You Recover

Say you just completed an energy-draining competition. You get all your muscles worked up, push your body to the limit, and you feel very exhausted. Contrary to what everyone believes, your body doesn’t just shut off when you’re tired; it goes through a state of repair and regeneration. This is where sleep comes into play.

1. Muscle Repair and Tissue Growth:When you’re asleep, your body produces what they call “growth hormone.” These hormones are responsible for promoting protein synthesis. If you’re a bodybuilder, you might’ve heard that term because it’s the process where your body heals and grows those teared-up muscle tissues.

It’s basically the state of your body where it transforms amino acids that help you grow and repair your muscles.

2. Reduced Inflammation:Exercise or any strenuous physical activity can cause inflammation. Many sports like CrossFit and weightlifting can result in a higher level of inflammatory mediators, which then can result in chronic inflammation or, worse, injury.

This is why sleep is detrimental to regulating your body’s inflammatory response. In fact, sleep interruption was known to cause an increase in inflammation. This is because when you sleep, your blood pressure drops, and your blood vessels relax. If you deprive yourself of sleeping, these levels don’t decline as they should—triggering cells in the blood vessel wall.

3. Boosted Immune System: When you sleep, you strengthen your body from illness and injuries. Your body produces more cytokines, which are proteins that help fight infections and promote your overall well-being.

Also, when you sleep, your body activity slows down. Your muscles are in a state of relaxation, freeing up more energy for your immune system to do its work.

Does it Affect Your Performance?

A night of great sleep doesn’t just help you recover those overworked pecs and lats; it also acts as a performance enhancer. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, impacts a ton of your game. Imagine lifting 200 lbs of weight without proper sleep.

It has been known that not getting a full night's rest and working out the day after reduces your overall strength. It also affects how your mind works. Not having enough sleep impacts your decision-making. You lack focus, and your reaction time is slower.

Finally, it isn't just your physical and mental state that is affected when you don’t rest. It also affects you emotionally. You’ll feel less motivated and very irritable. And because you did not get the proper rest you need, you’ll feel tired early.

Best Practices For Athletes

Aside from achieving that 7-9 hours of sleep per night for maximum performance and rehabilitation, here are some tips for managing your slumber:

• Do your workouts 2 hours prior
• Avoid using your phone or playing video games before bedtime
• Maintain a regular sleep schedule
• Create a sleep-conducive environment
• Take a warm bath before bed
• Play white noise in the background
• Practice relaxation techniques (e.g., mediation)

Conclusion

Your body is your pride and glory; you need to take care of it and make sure to prioritize its overall health. It isn't just a routine part of your day, and if missed—it’s okay. Understand the value of it and how it affects your body.

It’s a non-negotiable necessity to reach that peak function and make sure that you are properly recovered. Remember, investing in quality sleep is supporting your athletic journey. Check out Evrbed today to see how we can help you get that good night's sleep.