The Role of Sleep in Athletic Recovery

Athletes have to cope with more than the ever-expanding demands of modern sports. They face significant shifts in personal, social, and behavioral changes, increasing levels of stress, anxiety, and counterproductive recovery habits.

Not surprisingly, we have seen a rapid increase in athletes who observe higher levels of what we call Electronic Insomnia, classified as gamers, social networkers, and virtual communicators, creating a mindset of “can’t switch it off.”

In one study, 632 athletes were surveyed and of these athletes, 66% (416) reported that they slept worse than normal at least once before a competition. 70% reported problems falling asleep, 43% reported waking up early in the morning, and 32% reported waking during the night.

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Over the last decade, we have also seen a rise in the use of herbal or medical stimulants to ‘push through’ a lack of sleep. There is a higher usage of caffeine, energy drinks, supplements, and virtual over-the-counter ‘natural’ boosters. Other athletes adopt what is perceived as a more positive approach, applying relaxation and meditation techniques, and using sensory as well as behavioral and cognitive interventions.

In an attempt to overcome diminished recovery, using these kinds of random interventions in isolation can develop other counterproductive side effects, and even promote more consistent periods of insomnia. This in turn can lead to the more significant use of prescribed and unprescribed drugs like sleeping tablets.

Sleep and recovery

Beyond that ongoing feeling of fatigue from a lack of quality sleep, research indicates that human recovery, sleep, and sleeping contribute far more significantly to our ability to function effectively.

For example, Slow Wave Sleep (SWS), or deep sleep as it’s more commonly known, is vital for optimum recovery in athletes. During SWS, a growth hormone is released, and studies have shown that longer SWS periods are proportional to wakefulness during the day. When SWS is decreased by deprivation, daytime sleepiness increases and a reduction in athletic performance occurs.

But there is more. As well as keeping you alert and full of energy, getting enough sleep has a direct impact on how quickly your body recovers from physical exertion. For example, after an intense workout, the body's glycogen stores are depleted, and protein synthesis is ramped up to repair and strengthen stressed muscles. This process is highly dependent on sleep, particularly the anabolic phases achieved during deep and REM sleep cycles.

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In short, if you don't get enough sleep, the benefits of your hard-earned hours of training will be wiped out faster than you can say “I'll get enough sleep once I'm dead”.

Managing your cycles

But what exactly can you do to make sure your body gets enough rest?

Well, balance is key. Try to build your schedule around your body’s natural rhythms. Are you more of a morning person? Try to put physically and mentally demanding exercises into the earlier parts of the day, and plan for sufficient downtime before going to bed. Do you prefer to sleep in, but are alert late at night? Respect that side of yourself and plan demanding activities for later in the day and allow yourself a much later bedtime as well.

The important bit here is, to think in phases and cycles. Balance demanding elements out with restorative ones, ideally throughout the day.

Yes, that can also mean taking a short 20/30 minute CRP (controlled recovery period - or nap) if you find you are usually exhausted at some point midday or during the late afternoon. But even if you just get five minutes of (MRMs Micro Recovery Moments) mental breaks in every ninety-minute cycle, you will notice a positive impact on how easy you find it to fall and stay asleep – and how much of the evasive deep sleep phases you get in at night.

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Build a sleep strategy

Most importantly: Don’t leave your sleep strategy to chance. Define your most consistent wake-up, start-to-your-day time (ARP Anchor Reset Point) and plan into the four phases and your sixteen 90-minute cycles of high demand along with those of rest and recovery. Your mind and body will thank you for it.

That was it for today. In the next article, I will share in a bit more detail how athletes go about finding the right balance between the best training effects (which sometimes require overtraining) and strategic rest and recovery.