Welcome back to All Things Running with Sonja & Jen
How much sleep do you get & do you have trouble staying asleep?
Sonja
Most of us have a general understanding of the importance of better sleep for overall wellness and improved athletic performance, but it may be more significant than you realized. My personal realization came as a result of the birth of my first daughter. I nursed her exclusively for the first 3 months (she would not take a bottle), and was in a state of constant sleep deprivation for nearly the first 30 days. I will never forget the first night she slept 7 hours straight… I felt like an entirely new person! “Born again” I felt ready to take on the world. Colors were brighter, food tasted better, I could think clearly; it was life changing! I’m sure most mothers have experienced this right of passage!
Restorative sleep is essential to our health and well being and even more crucial for athletes. Evidence shows that more sleep and better quality of sleep, can benefit athletes, their recovery, and their performance. Recommendations for athletes range between seven and nine hours per night. Elite athletes are encouraged to get at least nine hours of sleep nightly and to treat sleep with as much importance as athletic training and diet.
Different functions happen throughout each of the stages of sleep and all are necessary in order to have healthy sleep. But are there any parts of the sleep cycle that are particularly beneficial to athletes?
The results of a study of Norwegian chess players suggest so. Of the players studied, those who improved their chess ranking had different sleep patterns from the players whose chess rankings dropped. The sleep patterns of the improved players had less rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, higher amounts of deep (Delta) sleep, and lower respiration rates. So that third stage of sleep (deep, restorative Delta wave sleep), is of special significance.
Here are some of the most important components of increasing deep restorative sleep:
Create an appropriate sleep environment. Your sleeping space should be dark and cool with little to no noise and ideally used only for sleep.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime. These beverages can interrupt sleep or lead to more disturbed sleep. *Caffeine has a half life of about 6 hours, so using a caffeinated pre-workout in the evening could be especially detrimental to your quality of sleep.
Avoid eating 3 hours prior to bedtime and drinking fluids 1 hour before.
Stay away from electronics in the hours before bedtime. (Some studies have shown to avoid them at least 2 hours prior). This includes TVs, cell phones, and computers. The blue light that these devices emit can affect your circadian rhythm.
Have a wind-down routine. Activities such as reading, taking a bath, or meditating can help you relax and get ready for sleep. I have found using my infrared light panel to be very effective in helping my body relax, and in addition to its healing properties for mitochondria, it causes a calming, sleepy effect.
Get out of bed if you can’t fall asleep after 20 minutes of trying. Do a quiet activity in another space until you feel sleepy.
Consider trying natural and safe supplements to aid your sleep if you are having chronic issues either falling asleep or staying asleep. Magnesium Glycinate is one of the most proven natural sleep aids and also beneficial to your body overall. (I use this in a capsule form and take it with water about an hour before bed each night). Melatonin is popular, but doesn’t work for everyone and can cause a hangover effect for some. For those it does work for, it tends to help them get into a deeper sleep. Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate is high in the sleep-promoting chemical melatonin, but it also enhances your body’s own melatonin production. It has anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, so it gives you everything you need for the sleep reparation process. Drink a cold glass about an hour before bed to help your core temperature drop and the relaxing effect to take over. Valerian Root (400-600mgs) before bed can help one fall asleep faster. It can be a good complement to Melatonin in this regard as well. I have also had good success using Sleepytime Tea from Celestial Seasonings. It contains Chamomile, Tilia Estrella, and Valerian root.
When I was a student athlete at The College of William & Mary, our men’s XC and Track coach at the time, Walt Drenth, had a hard and fast rule of a 10pm bedtime (at the latest) for his runners. His reasoning was that the body repairs itself physically during the first 4 hours and repairs itself mentally during the final 4 hours. I don’t know if he actually knew the complete science behind this theory, but he was pretty darn close based on the research. If we don’t get to sleep until midnight for example, and wake at 6am, we’ve lost out on at least 2 hours of physically restorative sleep. The cumulative effect of this for several nights (or weeks) ongoing is likely a contributor to injuries, illnesses, and low energy for many. So don’t get caught in the trap of trying to do too much in one day and missing out on the one thing that could have made a sure difference: more sleep! I’m going to take my own advice now and get to bed. 🤗😴
Jen
I usually get between 7-8 hours each night. I did wear my watch for a time being to understand my sleep patterns. I no longer wear it to sleep but I have a better understanding of my needs. Everyone has a sleep wake cycle that includes (deep, light, rem, and awake). We are measured on duration, stress and restlessness. Currently, I am not experiencing any trouble staying asleep but historically I have had problems in this area and below I’ll describe some lifestyle changes that I made to help me get better sleep.
WHY IS SLEEP IMPORTANT
Sleep is the most cost effective and underrated health idea. I know not all lifestyles allow us to make sleep the priority. As a new mom, sleep was not an option. However, if you are able to get 15 more minutes a night, then here are some reasons to support that idea.
Sleep is a time where our whole body restores itself. When we sleep our heart rate goes down our breathing slows and our body can focus on other projects such as restoration.
SLEEP CONDITIONS
The best money spent is on a good night's sleep. That might mean finding the right mattress. We remodeled our bedroom. I carefully selected a calming soothing color for our wall paint. We hadn’t purchased a mattress in years so after the construction and the poorly used plastic tarp over our mattress we thought a new one was in order. At first the new mattress was great until it wasn’t. I had no idea what I had done to my back. I had to roll out of bed every single day. Then we went on vacation and slept on a different bed and 2 days later I woke up with no pain. Zero. None. Yes, we bought a new mattress when we got home. I was not sleeping well for a year with no idea why.
ALCOHOL
Drinking alcohol will prolong the recovery period. It results in inadequate recovery before the next training session or competition and a lack of desired muscular adaptations. Athletes who consume alcohol at least once a week are more than twice as likely as non-drinkers to get injured, with researchers pointing fingers at the "hangover effect" of alcohol, which reduces athletic performance.
Additionally, it has long been known that excessive alcohol consumption has a negative impact on vitamin D status. Not only is alcohol devoid of proteins, minerals, and vitamins, it actually inhibits the absorption and usage of vital nutrients such as thiamin (vitamin B1), vitamin B12, folic acid, and zinc. Thiamin (vitamin B1) is involved in the metabolism of proteins and fat and the formation of hemoglobin. B12 and folic acid help break down carbohydrates to convert to ATP and help us absorb iron. This affects bone health and your immune system leading to more injuries and illness.
Drinking alcohol will result in you falling asleep faster but also waking up with difficulty falling back to sleep.
MENOPAUSE
I was experiencing significant menopause symptoms and generally not sleeping well. So I started taking a shower before bed and turning the water down to cold at the end of the shower. To help with my hot flashes.
STRESS
During a period of high stress, InsideTracker suggested that I take ashwagandha root supplement and that did help with my cortisol levels as shown in my own blood results. How does cortisol affect sleep? The body's melatonin (sleep hormone) and cortisol level (stress hormone) normally follows a regular, 24-hour circadian rhythm or pattern. Melatonin eases you into sleep—and helps you stay asleep—while cortisol helps get you up and keep you awake.
ROUTINE
I have a pretty good routine at night for going to sleep. I put my phone on silent. I might watch a short t.v. show and then I will read the last 10-15 minutes before I go to sleep. I go to bed at the same time and I usually wake up at the same time.
AMOUNT
Student athletes: Nine to 10 hours of continuous sleep helps with muscle memory. Without it, the sport-specific muscle techniques athletes spend hours training for won't stick as well. Increased sleep results in better reaction times, coordination and split-second decision-making. Getting adequate sleep on a regular basis repairs and regenerates tissues after hard training and prepares the body to perform. Regular training creates a low level chronic inflammatory response. Sleep decreases this accumulated inflammation in the body.
As an athlete, sleep deprivation can lead to decreased stamina and quicker exhaustion. It can also lead to a decreased reaction time and lower accuracy. It is also linked to mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress. Poor sleep can also affect the immune system leaving athletes more susceptible to illness.
Sonja and Jennifer are sharing their personal experiences. This is being provided for informational purposes only. We are not giving medical advice and you should always consult your own doctor for advice related to your own health.