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Do you know why sleep matters?
During sleep, the body repairs itself. As an athlete who is training on a regular basis, sleep enables your muscles to rest and repair, so that you can go out the next day and do it all again. Remember, adaptation requires the combination of good training and good recovery!
Sometimes it can be hard to know whether you are getting the right amount and quality of sleep that your body needs. Some signs to look out for that might suggest you need to improve your sleeping habits include:
Injury
Ill-health
Irritability
Poor decision-making
Decreased reaction times
Night-Time Routines
One key strategy to help you more effectively rest and repair your body is to develop a night-time routine.
Your night-time routine may involve the following:
1-hour before sleep, get organised for the next day
This can help reduce the thoughts running through your mind about what you need to do the following day, allowing you to relax.
30-minutes before sleep, stop looking at phones and tablets
The blue light from screens tricks your brain into thinking it is daytime, so by avoiding blue light before bed, your mind can properly wind down.
Reading a book, magazine, comic, or looking at a photo album
This can help instill positive thoughts, emotions, and memories into your mind before sleeping, putting your mind in a better state to sleep.
Closing your eyes and practicing box breathing for 5-10 minutes
This can help both your mind and body fully relax.
How to do box breathing:
Sit comfortably on your bed, close your eyes, focus on your breath.
Breathe in for a count of 4.
Hold for a count of 4.
Breathe out for a count of 4.
Hold for a count of 4 (then repeat steps 2-5)
For a guided video of box breathing, follow this link:
Find out more by visiting our ‘Sleep’ page in the Health and Wellbeing section.