Importance Of Sleep and Exercise

When we sleep, our bodies repair and adapt to the stresses of exercise, helping your cells to regenerate for the next training session.  Subsequently, research shows that the more you sleep, the more this regeneration process will take place, enabling your athletic performance to improve.
DEEP SLEEP
During deep sleep, the Human Growth Hormone is released to help your body repair damaged tissue and build stronger muscles. If you have insufficient deep sleep, your body will fail to recover, making it harder to achieve your potential at your next running session. 
HYDRATION
As an athlete, it is important to be well hydrated but good hydration levels will also enable you to enjoy a good night’s sleep and speed up your recovery time.  In general, we need to drink two to three litres of liquid each day.  Your hydration levels are reflected in the colour of your urine, with pale yellow coloured urine indicating that you are within one percent of your optimal hydration level.
WEIGHT LOSS
Did you know that getting an enough sleep may boost the weight loss benefits of athletes? A good night’s sleep will help to keep your hunger signals under control, making it easier for you to maintain a healthy weight.
CONCENTRATION
Mental toughness is important for any athlete and sleep deprivation can have a negative impact when a runner train.  Increased concentration enables you to focus on your pace and reduces your risk of injury from tripping over.
HOW TO ACHIEVE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

• Try to establish a good routine, where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.   If you have an irregular sleeping pattern, your body will struggle to learn when it has permission to slow down and go to sleep.  If you struggle to sleep for eight hours each night, try to take a 10-15-minute nap in the afternoon.  This will enable you to feel refreshed and rejuvenated, without compromising your ability to sleep at night or making you feel groggy, unlike a longer nap.

 

• Try to avoid caffeinated products after 6pm, such as tea, coffee and cola drinks.

 

• Set yourself a technology curfew and don’t spend time with electrical devices such as a mobile phone, computer or television, before you go to bed.  The screens’ lighting stimulates your brain and confuses it into thinking that it is time to wake up, compromising your ability to have a restful night’s sleep.  It is important to relax before you go to sleep, therefore it would be more beneficial for you to use this opportunity to take an indulgent bath or read a book.

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