Better sleep: not a marginal gain at all
The science of sleep has yet to reveal all its secrets, but we know that it is an absolutely essential period of recovery, both for the brain and for the rest of the body.
In short, we think better and are stronger when we have had a good night's sleep.
Numerous studies involving athletes have demonstrated its importance in reducing injuries, improving decision-making, promoting motivation, focus, reaction time, muscle recovery, and more.
Insufficient or poor-quality sleep is also associated with weight gain and a higher risk of falling ill, as it leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system.
The universal medicine
We are always looking for marginal gains in our sport. Better aerodynamics. Food that promotes performance and recovery. Exercises that allow us to improve our overall fitness by a tenth of a percent. Dietary supplements. Ceramic bearings to reduce friction in Crankset and wheels.
However, we often neglect our sleep, even though sleeping well on a regular basis can lead to a huge improvement in performance.
"If there were a pill that helped produce growth hormones and testosterone and reduced oxidative stress, everyone would want it. Well, it exists, and it's called sleep," explains the Dallas Mavericks' specialist trainer. "Sleep does all that," he insists.
The basketball team therefore partnered with a company specializing in sleep-enhancing equipment (orthopedic pillows, mattresses, etc.) and noticed the positive effects on its players.
Sleep as a performance goal
Sleep should therefore be seen as the most effective recovery technique and an integral part of any training plan.
So do as you do with everything else: plan ahead to perform better.
If, for example, your goal is to sleep 8 hours a night, and you set your bedtime and wake-up time to achieve this (see our tips Socks), make a sleep plan and stick to it.
If this motivates you, or if you want to know what's wrong during the night, you can also use devices that help you better understand your sleep patterns. Whoop wristbands are extremely accurate, effective, and offer sleep analysis tools. Garmin'sAdvanced Sleep Monitoring feature on its high-end watches and the Polar Sleep Plus system are other excellent tools of the same kind.
Get back to sleep to perform better
Lack of sleep is not just an issue for athletes. It has become a public health problem. We are sleeping less and less. Nearly a quarter of the population says they suffer from sleep problems. Half do not get enough sleep.
However, there are a few solutions to improve your chances of sleeping well as often as possible.
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Reserve the bedroom exclusively for sleeping and sex. No TV, and especially no phones, computers, or video games. The light emitted by electronic devices seriously disrupts sleep and is generally harmful to health.
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Establish a sleep routine. So, as much as possible, stick to the same bedtime and wake-up times. Every time you change this schedule, your internal clock gets out of whack and takes time to readjust.
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Create physical and mental environments conducive to sleep. Make a list of things to do the next day so you don't have to think about them anymore. Make sure the room is very dark and cool, and if noise bothers you, wear earplugs.
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If you haven't fallen asleep after 30 minutes, move to another room. Sometimes you'll fall asleep quickly on another bed or on the couch, and you can return to your own bed later.
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Avoid caffeine late in the day. Also be careful with alcohol, which may help you fall asleep, but can also wake you up in the middle of the night, sweating, and prevent you from getting back to sleep.
Popular and effective, meditation techniques also help us adopt a mental attitude that is more conducive to sleep. Proof of this can be found in the success of apps such as Calm, which offers a range of ways to relax our minds and bodies and help our brains wind down. Try a few of them, especially if you tend to work late and are still a little wound up when you go to bed.
Adapt your training
As much as possible, if you've had a bad night's sleep, try to postpone a heavy workout. With a well-rested body, you'll be able to push yourself harder and reap greater benefits from your efforts.
That said, if you sleep poorly the night before a competition, don't make a big deal out of it. Two-thirds of athletes experience the same thing. Make sure you've slept well in the days and weeks leading up to the event. Eat well and take a nap before the competition if possible. One bad night's sleep won't ruin your chances of success.