The Connection Between Quality Sleep and Optimal Performance in Training and Overall Health
- Kaitlyn Marie Redmore
- Aug 17, 2023
- 4 min read
Updated: Oct 25, 2023
Are you getting enough sleep at night? Do you actually know the side effects of little sleep and how this can affect your training performance?
We all know that we need sleep each night in order to function properly. But how much sleep should we actually be getting per night? And why is sleep really that important?
How much sleep do we need?
Sleep is one of the most vital factors in our recovery from training. It is recommended that adults sleep between 7-9 hours each night, this is agreed upon by the majority of health organisations around the world.
Sleep needs do vary between individuals, some people require more sleep than the recommended amount and some require slightly less in order to wake up feeling well-slept and refreshed. So as always, these recommendations are only a guideline.
Our sleep needs do change as we age. When we are young, we require more sleep. As we age we need slightly fewer hours per night. For example, it is recommended that newborns sleep between 14-17 hours a day, whereas, for adults over the age of 18 - Recommended sleep is between 7-9 hours.
Athletes typically need the most sleep due to their increased physical demands, with a recommendation of around 8-10 hours of sleep a night.
How important is quality of sleep?
Not only are the hours of sleep you get a night important but also your sleep quality. Sleep quality is to do with how well you actually slept. Your sleep quality takes into account how easily you fall asleep, how little you disturb and wake during the night, how many hours you have actually slept, and how well refreshed you feel upon waking. Sleep quality is vital to feeling well-rested, if we are not actually sleeping well, it is irrelevant how many hours you spent in bed trying to sleep.
Side effects of little sleep:
Not getting enough sleep or having poor sleep quality can lead to irritability, mental and physical fatigue, difficulty concentrating, slowed responses, poor memory, inability to function optimally, and overall just poor health.
Sleep deficiency has been linked to many chronic health conditions, including, high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Your risk of injury also increases with lack of sleep.
Sleep is so essential for us to be able to function optimally completing daily tasks. Now through training on top of poor sleep and you will be unable to recover adequately after your training sessions, leading to decreased performance and increased risk of injury. The ability of your immune system is also compromised with poor sleep.
Why is sleep so important for training:
Getting enough sleep quantity and quality is at the top of the list in terms of training recovery. Your muscles are recovering while you are sleeping, this is the time they can repair and rebuild.
Your training and workouts are only the starting of the muscle-building process. When you work out, you cause micro-damage to the muscles. This triggers many biological responses in the body to help repair the damage caused. Over time, with consistent training, these constant processes will lead to adaptions in the muscles which are what increase their size.
Training is physical stress on the body, and just like with any kind of stress, it decreases your body’s ability to recover. So, this is why sleep is essential for us in general, but more importantly, if we are training. Most of the recovery process actually happens at night when we are asleep, especially when we are in a deep sleep. This is the best environment for our body to break down and repair damaged muscle cells.
When we are asleep we release human growth hormone (HGH), which is one of the most important factors in muscle growth. You also need protein in your system while you are sleeping so it is available to your body to help recovery and repair. This is why daily protein intake is also essential for muscle growth. This is something we will explore in another blog
Side effects of little sleep on training:
Aside from the now obvious side effects on muscle recovery, sleep deprivation has a huge impact on your athletic performance. It can decrease your strength, ability to generate power, and hand-eye coordination. Lack of sleep will also lead to a decrease in energy levels and a possible lack of motivation and focus.
When short-term muscle damage adds up without adequate recovery, this can lead to overtraining and burnout.
Lack of sleep and weight loss:
Lack of sleep also affects our hunger hormones, increasing levels of ghrelin, which will lead to increased feelings of hunger. This can of course lead to overeating, as your body is essentially trying to signal the need for energy. So, this can be a big setback if you have weight loss goals.
Sleep is essential for general health and training recovery. I know the temptation is high to skip on a little sleep to get other daily tasks done, but prioritising sleep will help you recover better and train harder. Adults should aim for approximately 7-9 hours of good quality sleep a night.
