The benefits of sleep for elite athletes
In preparing to achieve their goals and dreams, two of the main areas of concentration for athletes tend to be training and nutrition. It is also accepted that a third area of ‘recovery’ is of equal importance in reaching peak performance level, and although sleep is one of the basic forms of recovery, it is surprising how little attention can be given to this function. Perhaps one of the reasons why sleep is not addressed to the same degree may be due to the many questions that surround sleep.
For example, we are not exactly sure what happens when we sleep, or how much sleep the body needs. Different people need different amounts of sleep and even this can vary at various stages in their lives. What we do know is that sleep is needed to conduct the basic functions of life no matter what your role or occupation, so naturally, for an athlete it becomes even more important to get adequate sleep.
Sleep is not fully understood
Shona L Halson points out that “Although the function of sleep is not fully understood, it is generally accepted that it serves to recover from previous wakefulness and/or prepare for functioning in the subsequent wake period”. She notes that an individual’s recent sleep history has a significant impact on their daytime functioning, and consequently feels that the lack of published data is an oversight given the importance it has in preparation and recovery from high-intensity training. Once again, the production of accurate data on the subject may be hindered by the different sleep requirements by individuals, and the difficulty in measuring its effectiveness. However, there are a number of studies conducted and all point to an overall improvement to the well-being of an athlete with increased sleep.
Sleep deprivation
Some studies on the subject of sleep concentrate on the area of sleep deprivation. Among them Bulmert and colleagues (2007) who analysed the effects of sleep deprivation among nine US college weightlifters. While it noted that with 24 hour sleep deprivation there may have been no difference in any performance level, but as Halson points out, moods were significantly altered, noting that “confusion, vigour, fatigue and total mood disturbance were all affected by sleep deprivation”. However, it is unlikely that an athlete would have sleep deprivation of prolonged periods and more usual that they could suffer from disturbed sleep, which could have a negative effect on performance.
Sleep extensions improve performance
As a result, the studies that examine the effectiveness of sleep extensions are more significant when it comes to understanding the real value of sleep to an athlete. For example Cheri Mah of the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic has concluded that sleep is “a significant factor in achieving peak athletic performance”, and that athletes can be hindered by building up ‘sleep debt’. Research studies have shown that the negative effects of sleep debt can be counteracted by a combination of naps and overnight recovery sleep.
This assertion is borne out by Waterhouse et al (2007) that following a period of partial sleep deprivation, a 30 minute nap will increase speed and alertness compared to no nap.
One of the best illustrations of the benefit of sleep comes from Mah’s study of the Stanford University’s male basketball team who witnessed improved performances in terms of speed and accuracy. The study saw players follow a normal routine of six to nine hours sleep for two to four weeks, and for the next five to seven weeks, increase their sleep to ten hours. The findings revealed that sprint times were reduced from 16.2 seconds to 15.5 seconds, while their shooting accuracy improved by 9% and in the same time fatigue levels decreased. Crucially, this evidence was backed up by improved performances during competitive games.
Sleep should be valued as highly as exercise
Given that the difference between success and failure for elite athletes could come down to fractions of a second or millimetres, the benefit of proper sleep and recovery is of huge importance to athletes, and Derek-Jan Dijk, professor of sleep and physiology at the University of Surrey, sums up the importance of sleep by stating that it should valued as highly as exercise. “We should look at sleep as an active process. Getting enough sleep is a positive thing which will help you perform in all aspects of life”; “It may be that extra sleep leads to more effective training routines and helps us learn patterns better. Practice makes perfect – and that happens more quickly if you get enough sleep”, he remarked. It is a view shared by Dr Charles Cseisler, the director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard, who stated that
“ ….asking athletes to play on minimal sleep is the same as asking them to “play with one hand tied behind their back …It’s making them do something we know degrades their reaction time, their ability to take in their training, to get the most benefit out of it. They spend all this time practicing but never get to sleep.”
References
http://www.gssiweb.org/Article/sse-113-sleep-and-the-elite-athlete
http://www.breakingmuscle.com/olympic-weightlifting/the-importance-of-sleep-for-weightlifters-and-other-athletes
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-gervais-phd/sleep-and-high-performanc_b_436169.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/for-better-performance-athletes-need-sleep/361042/
http://www.surrey.ac.uk/fhms/research/centres/ssrc/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13974130
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20699115
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21731144
http://www.journalsleep.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=28194
Eunan is a freelance journalist who contributes to the Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland website on a regular basis
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Lee Stutely
Team Manager and Athlete Support Services Coordinator at Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby
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