You work hard to win, from training to diet. There's a simple thing you might overlook: Going to bed an hour early.

 

"Getting enough sleep is crucial for athletic performance," says David Geier, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist in Charleston, SC. Studies show that good sleep can improve speed, accuracy, and reaction time in athletes.

 

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How Sleep Affects Your Performance?

 

• You’ll Be Faster

You will boost your speed by five percent and your accuracy by nine percent. You'll also have faster reaction times and reflexes.

 

• You’ll Increase Your Intensity

You will be more likely to do higher-intensity workouts such as weight lifting, biking, or running. That means you'll have more energy to get physical.

 

• You’ll Strengthen Your Mental Fortitude

Training and competition can call for just as much mental strength as physical strength, and getting enough shut-eye can benefit you here too. That’s because well-rested types get a boost in alertness and mood, which are both key for bringing on your A game.

 

• You’ll Boost Your Coordination

You can help your body better consolidate memories linked to motor skills simply by hitting the sack. In fact, sleep is vital for cementing recall linked to body movements. So whether you want to be able to repeat that perfect tennis backhand from yesterday’s practice or better hone your skills when shifting gears on your bike, getting enough sleep may be just as important as fitting in training sessions.

 

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How Much Sleep Do You Need? 

 

Most people need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night. Athletes in training should sleep about an hour extra.

"Just as athletes need more calories than most people when they're in training, they need more sleep, too," Geier says. You're pushing your body in practice, so you need more time to recover.

 

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Tips And Tricks To Get Better Sleep. 

 

    1    Don’t use electronics or watch TV 1 hour before bed. If you must, use blue light blocking software.

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    2    Ensure your room is as dark as possible. In nature, there are no street lights, alarm clock and charging lights. Your room should mimic a natural environment as much as possible.

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    3    Plan your bed time based off of your required waking time. If you need to be up at 4am, then you should plan your day to be in bed by 8pm. This type of planning eliminates the need to make a decision when you are tired and thusly more likely to throw on another Netflix series.

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    4    Plan physical activity to end at least 2 hours prior to planned bed time. Getting a big lift in and then trying to go to bed 20 minutes later will be an exercise in futility. The chemicals and hormones released from training take a little while to clear your system and allow your body to relax and go to sleep.

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    5    Avoid caffeine and stimulants late in the day. This seems like a no brainer but many people violate this and find themselves up at 2am when they need to wake at 6am for their day.

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    6    Have a routine. The more automated your night time routine, the more likely you are to get great sleep. When you have an automated night time routine, your brain gets to put itself on autopilot and start to shut down for a great nights sleep. Changing your routine every night means your brain must engage and make decisions. This stimulates parts of the brain that make it more difficult to go to sleep. 

 

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Conclusion: 

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Now that you understand why sleep is so important, how much you should get and what you need to do to get better sleep, there is no reason for you to not doing this amazingly powerful pillar to your health and fitness.