Sleep, Restoration And Athletic Performance

Recent research has affirmed what top athletes have known for years – adequate sleep is necessary to achieve top athletic performance. While much is made of the role of diet and supplementation in athletic recovery and restoration, sleep is another key factor that professional and amateur athletes consider when designing their training programs. 

Olympic Athletes Benefit From Adequate Sleep

When I was coaching my Olympic athletes, I was always cognizant of the levels of volume and intensity of the different phases of training and I was sure to give the athletes enough time for adequate rest as part of their restoration program – it works!

Anecdotal evidence from top athletes reveals that they feel they recover and perform better after a night of quality sleep. A recent study showed that sleep deprived participants performed poorly on split-second decision making tasks, representative of what happens during high-level athletics. 

Getting enough sleep is also a mood enhancer, leading toward improved mental outlook and confidence, key factors in achieving top-notch athletic results. 

Sleep Is Key For Restoration And Recovery

Adequate sleep also assists in proper restoration after intense exercise. Cortisol can be increased while under stress from sleep deprivation, and high levels of cortisol can inhibit recovery. Less sleep increases the possibility of fatigue, low energy and poor focus at the time of competition, as well as slowing recovery post-training.

Adequate rest assists athletic performance for professional athletes as well as the general population. Be sure to include enough sleep along with your diet and workout routine to maximize results. It’s a powerful performance enhancer.

And it’s free!