The Importance of Good Sleep for Runners

We all know we should get those well-known recommended eight hours of sleep. But in our busy modern lives, it can be easy for that to slip to seven, six, or even less.

When you get poor sleep, not only will you be tired the next day, but you can impact your running ability and your health in a number of ways.

 How Sleep Impacts Running Performance

In terms of athletic performance, lack of sleep can impact:

·      Reaction times

·      Injury rates

·      Duration of playing career

·      Accuracy, speed

·      Mental errors

·      Memory

·      Recovery

Plus, it may:

·      Decrease glycogen storage

·      Reduce testosterone

·      Lower human growth hormone

·      Change metabolism

·      Reduce muscle memory

·      Increase inflammation

·      Increase risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease

·      Increase risk of cancer

·       Increase risk of diabetes and glucose intolerance

Multiple medical studies have been conducted investigating the impact of sleep on athletes and runners.

Generally, lack of sleep causes an increase in fatigue and a decrease in power, which can direct impact weight training, swimming, and running.

Poor sleep also results in worsened reaction times, impaired cognitive function, and increased fatigue. One study found that runners getting 6 hours or less of sleep are more likely to suffer from fatigue-related injuries.

Consistent poor sleep can also result in reduced bone mineral density, which may increase the risk of stress fractures.

Not only is poor sleep harmful to your overall health, it can also impact your recovery from a hard run or from injury..

Good sleep is key to muscle and injury recovery. During Non-REM stage 3 sleep, blood flow to

muscles increases, tissue growth and repair occurs, and growth hormones are released. Generally, you have lower energy expenditure while you’re asleep, so more energy can be directed to musculoskeletal repair.

Additionally, human growth hormone release is heavily influenced by sleep and exercise. A recent study found that sleep deprivation dramatically augments the exercise‐induced human growth hormone response, making it more difficult to heal from injury.

The Power of Napping

Now that you’re worried about your own sleep, there is good news. Taking naps can have a powerful impact on your health and performance. Short naps 90 minutes before exercise have been shown to improve endurance in runners who had less than 7 hours of nighttime sleep.

Ideal nap time is 10-30 minutes, as longer times result in sleep inertia. 30 minute naps can improve reaction times and spring times, while 20 minute naps can improve sleepiness and accuracy on cognitive tasks. Naps should also be taken at least 90-120 minutes prior to task or competition, to allow for maximum alertness.

How to Get Better Sleep

The recommendation is to get at least seven hours of sleep nightly, and elite athletes should get eight to ten hours.

It’s important to develop a consistent sleep schedule; going to bed at the same time each night and waking up around the same time each day. Establish a 20–30 minute routine before bed, including no screen time, and perhaps stretching or meditating. Optimize your sleep environment making it dark, quiet and cool, and reduce your liquid consumption two hours before bed

Sleep is Important for Runners

Generally, get eight to ten hours of sleep if possible to maximize wellbeing and performance. Identify issues with sleep hygiene and change your lifestyle if possible to improve sleep quality. When you don’t get enough sleep, use naps to supplement. Remember that better sleep results in lower injury risk, faster healing, and better overall help.

If you have more questions about sleep for runners, contact our office .