Sleep and Exercise: Does sleep affect our performance?
written by Matthew Cox
Have you ever gone to complete an exercise session and found that it felt harder than the last, even though you haven’t taken any time off? This might be due to poor sleep the night before. Scientists have left no room for debate; sleep plays a vital role in our performance, adaptation, and recovery.
Sleep can sometimes be one of the most overlooked factors when it comes to exercise and performance. It is professionally recommended that individuals get between 7-9 hours of quality sleep for optimal recovery (this is not limited to just physical recovery). Having less than 7 hours results in suboptimal benefits. During sleep, the body repairs muscle tissue, replenishes energy stores, regulates hormones, supports brain function, and so much more. When sleep quality or quantity falls short, recovery is compromised, and the results of poor sleep can present themselves during training and day-to-day life.
So then, what can poor sleep lead to?
- Reduced muscular strength, meaning you may not be able to lift as much weight as you usually would
- Reduced endurance, making it harder to sustain longer bouts of exercise for
- An increase in perceived workload effort, even though the exercise weight, distance or intensity hasn’t been changed
- Reduction in motor skills and reaction times
- Mood changes, like a reduction in motivation
- Impaired cognitive functions (executive processing and decision making)
- Increases our likelihood of sustaining an injury (big or small)
- Combination of these factors and more
Having one or a combination of these factors can, in turn, negatively influence our ability to drive adaptations and reach our goals, whether it be increasing muscle mass, strength, cardiovascular fitness, or weight loss, to name a few.
If you had a poor night’s sleep recently, there’s some good news. Research indicates that a 30-minute session of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can improve the quality of your sleep that night. Furthermore, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can help counteract the negative metabolic effects of sleep deprivation, demonstrating that exercise plays a protective role in our sleep health.
But what can you do to try to improve your sleep?
- Set regular sleep and wake times
- Create a regular bedtime routine
- Turn off devices 1 hour before bedtime to reduce screen time and bright lights before going to sleep
- Participate in regular physical activity or exercise – the World Health Organisation recommends at least 150 min per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 min per week of vigorous aerobic activity or a combination of both
- Reduce/limit caffeine and alcohol consumption closer to bedtime
- Create a dark and quiet sleeping environment
Improving your sleep health and hygiene doesn’t have to be complicated. By adopting small, consistent habits, you can make a significant difference in your overall health and recovery in the long run.
Achieve Exercise Physiologists are here to assist you. Our goal is to educate, train, and support everyone who walks through our doors. You will receive a personalised plan designed to help you reach your goals, along with expert care and support. If this article has sparked your interest, we invite you to come and see what we offer. We have multiple locations in Brisbane and Townsville. To learn more about our services and how we can assist you, please visit our website. If you would like to place a booking, you can book here.
If you would like to learn more or prefer to read the information yourself, you can find relevant details in the links below.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01706-y
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01706-y
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/am/pii/S1556407X2200025X
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0033062023000117
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-022-01706-y
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
