performance
W
aking up feeling well
rested is something
we all dream about
but, amazingly, only
six per cent of
Brits achieve the
recommended eight hours of shut-eye
each night. Not only is this bad news for your
health it’s also detrimental to your fitness. Why?
Because quality snoozing time has been shown
to improve recovery speed and increase energy
levels. Research from Stanford University, in the
US, reveals that swimmers who clocked 10
hours of sleep a night for six to seven weeks
swam faster and turned quicker, while tennis
players who snoozed the same amount
improved their sprint times and serve accuracy.
It’s no surprise, then, that top athletes claim
to gain a competitive edge by boosting the
quality of their sleep. Indeed, Serena Williams
reports going to bed at 7pm each night, hitting
the hay on a Tempur mattress that is said to
relieve pressure points. Other pro athletes such
as Cristiano Ronaldo and Team Sky cyclists
take sleep so seriously that they hired a ‘sleep
coach’. Ready for an unbelievable night of
rest? Try these expert tips loved by the elites
and become a super-sleeper.1| Buy a good
mattress...
From sleeping with pregnancy pillows
(when not pregnant) to lying down on a
pressure-relieving mattress, many athletes
claim that the right bedding is a game-
changer. According to bed manufacturer
Sealy UK (sealy.co.uk), an unsupportive
mattress can exacerbate joint, spine
and ligament issues, so find one that
works for you.
2| ...and a weighted
blanket
Reported to speed up athletic recovery,
weighted blankets provide a firm pressure
that encourages the body to relax
completely. ‘Weighted blankets weigh you
down to prevent tossing and turning,’
explains Nick Davies, psychotherapist and
hypnotherapist (ndhypnotherapy.com), ‘It
hugs enough to feel like a warm embrace
that produces the love hormone oxytocin,
while reducing stress hormone cortisol.’
3| Get more
magnesium
The mineral magnesium stimulates
gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels in
the brain – and when
GABA levels are low,
it can be difficult to
drift off. Topical
magnesium such
as BetterYou’s
Magnesium Sleep Lotion (£9.95 for 180g,
betteryou.com) is a wonder potion for
restless sportspeople such as GB sprinter
Sam Miller: ‘On nights when my muscles
are particularly sore, I love to unwind
in a bath with magnesium flakes. The
combination of the warm water and
relaxing magnesium chloride sets me
up for a deep sleep.’4| Download an app
Meditation has been around for centuries,
but increasingly athletes such as diver
Tom Daley are using apps such as
Headspace (headspace.com) to boost
performance – and rumour has it some
do this before bedtime, too. ‘Sleep is not
always something we can simply “do”,
especially at times of stress,’ explains
Dr Liron Jacobson, neuroscientist for sleep
app Rise (getrise.app), ‘So, many athletes
use mindfulness meditation to help them
feel the benefits of a great night’s sleep.’5| Destress
with yoga
JessEnnis-Hill,AndyMurray,
LizzyYarnold...foryears,
athleteshaveswornby
practisingyogatohelp
themdestressandrelax.
Now,researchbyHarvard
University,in theUS,shows
thateightweeksofyoga
practicecanhelppeoplefall
asleepmoreeasily– think
bothfasterandbetter.
‘Yogahelpsactivatethe
parasympatheticnervous
system,soyouentera
restfulstatefora good
night’ssleep,’explainsDylan
Ayaloo,internationalyoga
teacher(dylanayaloo.com).
Histopbedtimeposes?
Legs-up-the-wall,reclined
spinaltwistandchild’spose.6| Let there
be light
Wakeuptosimulated
sunlight. To help modulate their sleep/wake
cycles, many athletes such as triathlete
Lucy Gossage use light therapy clocks,
which emit a bright light before wake-up
to help kickstart circadian rhythms. Lumie
lights (lumie.com) are used by British
Swimming athletes and Cambridge
University’s women rowers, of whom
80 per cent have reported a positive impact
on their performance.7| Float off
If all else fails, invest in a sleep-inducing
treatment. The likes of Wayne Rooney
swear by floatation therapy (floating in an
isolation tank filled with water and Epsom
salts) to alleviate stress and increase
feelings of relaxation. ‘A number of athletes
use floatation tanks as part of their regime
because it facilitates rest and reduces
muscle soreness,’ explains Daniel Percival,
director at 3Tribes (3tribes.co.uk) in
London, which offers the method. nPERFORMANCE
BENEFITS
Getting your snooze quota could
go a long way to boosting your
gym performance!
n Sleep speeds up tissue repair
and boosts immune function,
reducing injury risk.
n Athletes who have nine hours
of sleep are more likely to do
high-intensity workouts.
n Sleep deprivation can reduce
glycogen and carbohydrate fuel
stores, reducing energy levels.
n Basketball players, who slept
for two extra hours each night,
were five per cent faster.
n Motivation, focus and
memory can all be impaired
by shortened sleep.^‘Topical magnesium
is a wonder potion
for restless
sportspeople such as
GB’s Sam Miller’WORDS: Sarah Ivory