We all know how important sleep is, especially if you’re an athlete. Having a full-night of rest can help you perform your best the next day. On the contrary, a lack of sleep will cause you to be tired, cranky, or stressed out. Not getting enough sleep won’t only affect your mood, but can also impact your performance.
How Sleep Affects Your Athletic Performance
Sleep Foundation reports that “male and female swimmers who extended their sleep to 10 hours also saw many performance improvements. Reaction times off diving blocks were faster9, turn times were improved, and kick strokes increased. Times swimming a 15-meter sprint also improved. Additionally, these athletes experienced improved mood and decreased daytime sleepiness and fatigue” (Foley, 2021).
What Sports Are Most Affected By Lack of Sleep
According to sleep specialists, lack of sleep has the most impact on endurance sports, such as weightlifting, wherein sudden and short bursts of energy are crucial. When you lack sleep, this can reduce motivation, which is critical in maintaining performance in this type of sport.
In addition, runners or cyclists usually hit a wall when they don’t get enough sleep. With that, it makes them plateau and lose motivation to finish.
How Extra Sleep Helps
If lack of sleep negatively impacts your athletic ability, it only makes sense that extra sleep will improve it. Increased sleep allows your heart to rest, prevents illness, and improves your overall mental state- all of which are important for an athletes’ recovery and performance.
How Much Sleep Do You Need
Sleep specialists recommend that school-aged children should get 9-11 hours of sleep, teenagers 8-10 hours, and adults 7-9 hours.
Keep in mind that everyone has their own sleep time, which is why you need to pay attention to the amount of sleep it takes for you to remain alert during the day and function at your highest potential. Whatever amount of sleep you need, it’s best to try and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
If you think you can’t get enough sleep at night, you might want to add some daytime naps to help reduce the deficit. For athletes looking to improve their performance, sleep as close to your baseline as possible, especially the week before a game or competition. It is also a good idea to extend the number of hours a few nights before a big game. Not only will your mood improve, but your overall performance will as well.
Trouble With Sleep?
If you suffer from sleep disorders or you’re just having trouble sleeping at night, it is a good idea to seek the help of a sleep specialist in Jacksonville, FL. Sleep centers can help provide you with the necessary solutions to improve your sleep. Athletes must prioritize their sleep to ensure they get the best performance, not only in competitions but also during training.
Jacksonville Sleep Center is a reliable sleep specialist in Jacksonville, FL. We can provide you with sleep study units to help you get better sleep. Contact us today!
