YOU NEED SLEEP!

Sleep is a very important part of your health, and vital for athletes like runners who put a lot of stress on their bodies through the week.  Runners need rest for building and repairing body tissues while replenishing energy and nutrient stores from head to toe.  Sleep helps you recover from the past day’s stresses and gets you ready for the next day.  People who sleep well tend to be happier and healthier, and should expect to be more energetic and more productive, especially for athletic performance.  You need two components of sleep:  aim for better QUALITY and better QUANTITY.

BETTER QUALITY

  • 1. Make time for sleep.
    Cut nonessential activities like TV and Internet to allow for an 8-hour block of rest. Try to lighten the workload that you bring home from your job.
  • 2. Go to bed consistently early.
    Research suggests that our bodies follow a rhythm on a 24 or 25 hour schedule that allows for the best quality of sleep between 10 pm to 6 am. Meanwhile, a consistent bedtime will allow you to fall asleep easier.
  • 3. Don’t read, eat, or watch TV in bed.
    If you spend too much time using your bed for other purposes, makes it harder to fall asleep. Use the bed for sleep only. If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something for a while and try again later.
  • 4. Minimize late-night stimulation.
    TV, computer time, and other nervous system stimulants with noise ot bright light can decrease the urge to sleep.
  • 5. Relax before bed.
    A massage, warm shower, soothing music, or a glass of milk can induce chemical changes in your body to induce sleep.
  • 6. Exercise early!.
    Vigorous exercise too late in the day can interfere with sleepiness.

BETTER QUANTITY

  • 1. Avoid caffeine.
    Caffeine is a stimulant that “wakes up” your nervous system. Caffeine can disrupt sleep quality for 12 hours. Therefore, start cutting back caffeine starting at lunchtime.
  • 2. STOP SMOKING.
    Smoking more than than 1 cigarette per 8 hours (3 per day) can lead to withdrawal symptoms at night causing restless sleep and/or frequent awakening.
  • 3. Eat dinner early.
    Try to give yourself around 4 hours of digestion time before you lay down to sleep. Also, avoid drinking fluids right at bedtime.
  • 4. Get early sun.
    Sunlight makes the brain release chemicals that promote wakefulness. Once your body recognizes a consistent wake-up time, it will be easier to fall asleep earlier.
  • 5. Cut environmental distraction.
    Make sure your room is dark. If safe, consider using earplugs to block out annoying noises.
  • 6. Keep your room temperature comfortable.
    Find the magic climate range that helps you get the best sleep. Make adjustments through the year to stay in this range.
  • 7. Avoid daytime napping.
    Naps disrupt the sleep-wake cycle.

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