Sleep plays a massive role in how you recover from training sessions but also in your performance in school and playing sports. It is recommended that teenagers get between 8-10 hours of sleep a night, the current average is around 6.5-7. This has a drastic effect on concentration and attention, but also on physical output. A lack of sleep can make your body much more susceptible to injuries and exacerbating existing ones.
5 Facts About Sleep
- With 7 hours of sleep, your brain operates at 98% accuracy. With 6 hours, it is reduced to 50%!!
- Sleep deprivation results in a 45% increase in daily carbohydrates consumed
- If you get 6 hours of sleep or less, time to physical exhaustion drops by 30%
- There is a 60% increased probability of injury if you get 5 hours of sleep compared to 9
- Daylight savings time...
- In the spring, when we lose an hour of sleep, we see a 24% increase in heart attacks
- In the autumn, when we gain an hour of sleep, there's a 21% decrease in heart attacks
Sleep is the best legal performance enhancing drug out there. The positive effects of a good night's sleep and the negative effects of a bad night's sleep cannot be understated. When you sleep, your body produces hormones which aid in your body's recovery, two hormones which are produced are called human growth hormone and prolactin. Human growth hormone helps with the healing of muscles and tissues and prolactin helps with the reduction of inflammation. Therefore, if you are not sleeping enough, you are not going to recover quickly.
Six Tips to Help You Sleep Better
1. Create a routine and stick to it
- Establishing a regular sleep and wake up time and sticking to it even on weekends will make falling asleep a whole lot easier. When your sleeping patterns are irregular it can interrupt your circadian rhythm which will leave you feeling drowsy during the day, affecting energy levels and performance.
2. Optimise conditions for sleep
- Keeping your room cool, quiet, and dark will create an environment that will make it easier to fall asleep. Room temperate is ultimately a personal preference; however, 18 degrees is the recommended temperature.
3. Bedroom equipment
- Having a good mattress and pillow can assist in feeling relaxed before bed and make falling asleep a lot easier. A good mattress can also help with muscle and joint stiffness by as much as 60%!
4. Napping
- Napping is a great way for young athletes to get in the extra sleep they need after having to wake up early for trainings before school. Napping can help reduce feelings of lethargy and assist in concentration. However, napping too close to bedtime or for longer than 30 minutes can interfere with regular sleeping patterns.
5. Avoid technology and blue light exposure before bed
- Try to avoid using your phones and laptops within an hour before going to sleep. Prioritising time away from the screens just before bed will significantly help with sleep quality.
6. Avoid caffeine in the evening
- Consuming caffeine 6 hours before bedtime can significantly influence the quality of sleep. Caffeine affects the central nervous system, making it harder to relax and get to sleep. Keep the consumption of coffee, teas, and energy drinks to the morning.
Want to improve your performance on and off the field? Get in touch with us at Inner Athlete today.
Matt Hucul
Junior Strength Coach
Inner Athlete (AUS)
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