Sleep is a smart play

Focusing attention on sleep is a smart strategy for anyone trying to perform their best.

Everyone faces more threats to sleeping well than ever before. From the rigors of your busy schedules, to added stress in life and work, and from the slumber-stealing use of technology.

Physical activity puts demand on muscles and tissues. The human body repairs itself during slumber. So it not only helps your body recover, it’s also a surefire performance booster.

Sleep powers performance

Scientific research clearly has documented the performance enhancing power of quality sleep. In the world of athletics, improving any aspect of mental and physical performance is incredibly valuable.

When we have to improve recovery for an athlete, we start here. It has a wide range of benefits and the cost of missing is immense. It something everyone can be proactive and take control of.

If you aren’t getting sleep, then other recovery methods are just a short term fix. It’s like putting more deodorant on, when you aren’t even taking a shower.

It’s just not going to make a real difference!

“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

– Vince Lombardi

Lack of sleep increases injuries

One scientific study showed that athletes sleeping less than 6 hours per night were more likely to suffer a fatigue related injury the following day!

Another study showed high school athletes who slept less than 8 hours per night has more injuries. On average, they had an injury rate of 1.7 times greater than those who slept more than 8 hours.

As an athlete, you can’t play if you’re on the bench with an injury.

For your own health and their future playing career, you need to focus on sleeping well.

Learn the benefits of sleep

This video highlights some of the most important ways benefits to1 athletic performance:

The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players
Mah C, et al. (2011)

Ongoing study continues to show that extra sleep improves athletic performance
Mah C, et al. (2008)

The effect of partial sleep deprivation on weight-lifting performance
Reilly T, Piercy M. (1994)

Chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes
Milewski MD, et al. (2014)

How sleep deprivation decays the mind and body
The Atlantic