Sleep like a champion, rest and recover like a king

Sleep experts advise those training at high intensities to sleep at least 10 hours a night in order for the body to properly recover. The average adult is recommended between seven and nine hours but many of us are barely achieving six. For athletes, the recovery benefits of quality sleep are huge – and also an incredibly important part of any training program. Regardless of whether you’re a professional athlete, or a casual gym enthusiast, your body needs time to repair muscle tissue used during exercise. Be a champion and perform your peak with these top tips…

• Sleep at least for 7-9 hours

Professional athletes know how important quality sleep is for their recovery and performance but there’s no reason why sleep can’t be as beneficial for you. Ask yourself, when was the last time you felt truly rested? HelpGuide.org. (2020). If you can’t remember the last time you did that, it’s likely you haven’t been achieving quality, restful sleep.

• Find a mattress and pillow that fits you

Professional athletes have a team of people working with them to help them perform at an optimum level. All aspects of their performance are closely monitored, including what they sleep on. How did you feel when you woke up this morning? Do you regularly feel sore, stiff or even experience a numb sensation in part of your body when you wake up? This could be a sign that your mattress and pillows aren’t right for you. Your bed should provide maximum support for your body so that you are able to maximize the restorative benefits of sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

• Exercise everyday

A study has shown that people feel more alert during the day and notice improved quality of sleep in the evening, if they exercise at least 150 minutes a week – just 21 minutes per day. The research shows that moderate to vigorous exercise may actually serve as a non-pharmaceutical aid to improving sleep.
Professional athletes achieve 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise easily, but the average person often struggles. If you fall into that category, look for ways you can get yourself moving during the day. Tactics like walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator, or parking further away from the shops are good ways to sneak incidental exercise that all adds up. Before you hop into bed you could even squeeze in a 10 minute sweat free workout session. Another option is to exercise with a friend or the family pet. You’re more likely to keep the commitment to exercise if you have another person, or a pet, relying on you.

• Prioritize sleep

It’s not rocket science. If you don’t put plans in place to get to bed early and switch off or wind down before bed, it’s so easy to find yourself wide awake at midnight, reducing the number of hours of quality sleep you get. That needs to change.
If you find it difficult to get to bed early, you might need to start managing your time with a sleep schedule. Set a time you would like to be asleep. An hour before that, plan to wind down and start getting ready for bed. Put these two times in your phone, in fact, put an alarm on to remind you and stick to them. Before long it will become a routine and getting to bed early won’t feel strange at all!