Sleep Impacts Sport Performance

Participating in sport requires us to be at our best both physically and mentally. For optimal physical performance our brain and central nervous system (CNS) play a key role in biomechanics, muscle activation, reaction and reflex movement, and other physiological functions. In order to work at its best, the brain and CNS need to be well rested. Research has proven that sleep is a clear predictor of performance in skill based sport (Underwood (2010), order article from SIRC.

Our bodies need sleep to help recover from physical and mental stress accumulated during the day. Missing too much sleep has been shown to reduce cardiovascular function by 11% and impact brain function nearly twice as quickly. If an athlete is forgetting information given in a practice or isn’t making effective decisions during sport, chances are they aren’t getting enough sleep. Sleep also affects glucose metabolism which is the main energy source for athletes.

Tips that can help athletes get enough rest without impacting training:

• Include sleep in your training log
• Perform active recovery
• Include massage in your training
• Get adequate sleep
• Balance nutrition with training load
• Eat before exercise
• Eat for recovery

For more information on sleep and its physiological and psychological impacts please contact SIRC.

Reference: Underwood, John (2010). Sleep: Now Clearly a Predictor of Performance. Coaches PLAN du Coach, 17 (1), 31-34.

Importance of Sleep to the Athlete

While attending the Ontario Sport 4 Life “Shaking The Foundations” conference in November 2010 in Markham, Ontario, it was interesting that with all the experts speaking about physiology, psychology, paradigm shifts, nutrition, coaching, hormonal cycles, long term athlete development (LTAD), that the number one cog in the athlete sustenance wheel was the importance of sleep, according to LTAD expert Istvan Balyi.

Sleep. It’s something we do at the end of each day. Still, it’s the one thing that is always sacrificed no matter what level of athlete you are. How is it that something so important in daily human physical and mental repair is so underestimated? For the most part we all spend most of our days in a very large sleep debt, which affects such areas as cognitive function, mood, fitness, general health and reaction times.

Optimal environment elements affecting how well we sleep include the light, temperature and noise in our bedrooms, along with dedicating the time to getting enough quality sleep. So embrace the importance of crawling into the flannelette pasture so that your body can do its maintenance work.

For more information on sleep, which won’t put you to sleep, please review these articles or contact SIRC.

Health Benefits of Sleep

Importance of Sleep for the Young Athlete

Importance of Sleep to the Endurance Athlete

Davenne, D. (2009). Sleep of athletes - problems and possible solutions. Biological Rhythm Research, 40(1), 45-52.

Noland, H., Price, J., Dake, J., & Telljohann, S. (2009). Adolescents’ Sleep Behaviors and Perceptions of Sleep. Journal of School Health, 79(5), 224-230.

Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter (2007) A Wake-Up Call on Sleep and Health. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, 15260143, 24(12).

Williams, A. (2010). Recovery Nutrition - Sleep, Eat, Train, Recover, Repeat. Coaches Plan/Plan du Coach, 17(2), 20-23.

Waterhouse, J.; Atkinson, G.; Edwards, B.; Reilly, T.,(2007) The role of a short post-lunch nap in improving cognitive, motor, and sprint performance in participants with partial sleep deprivation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(14), 1557-1656.

Weight gain ... the healthy way!

Contrary to popular belief there is a time and a place for weight gain. Many athletes are required to gain weight to increase strength, increase their size or increase their musculature. In sports with weight categories, being a heavier weight may not always mean being "fatter" but having a fit heavier body mass. The focus of a recent article in the SIRC Collection addresses athletic weight gain emphasizing a nutritionally balanced plan.

The article acknowledges that gain weight for athletes can be a challenge as weight gain comes from consuming more calories than are burned through activity. However, it is stressed that meeting this challenge can be done by increasing the energy intake by focusing on a variety of healthy foods.

Here are some of the author's suggestions to increase calorie intake for "healthy" weight gain:

• Plan ahead. Eat at least three meals daily with snacks in between. Planning ahead will help you keep track of total calories of consumption in relation to the energy burned in training/competition
• Carry energy-dense snacks (trail mix, granola, nuts, low-fat cheese, peanut butter sandwiches)
• Drink fluids with calories (100% fruit/vegetable juice, 2% milk or chocolate milk). Try a smoothie or milkshake.
• Try more starchy vegetables (corn, potatoes, peas) which contain more calories. 
• Add nuts, raisins, dates and other fruits to cereal and yogurts.
• Include protein (lean meats, poultry, eggs, low fat milk, cheese, peanut butter and beans) to every meal
• Eat snacks after workouts (fruit, fruit juice, low-fat milk, cereal, peanut butter on toast, bagels or crackers) to replace calories burned in training
• Increase muscle by including strength training sessions in your training
• Get plenty of sleep. Rest helps build muscle.
• Be careful of supplements advertising weight gain and/or increase muscle size, to avoid risk of doping infractions, unsafe ingredients and questionable effectiveness. Most of the same benefits can be found through food options.

The key to remember is that weight gain should be pursued through a balance of healthy food choices, training and recovery. Having a well researched plan in place will be give you the best edge.

Resource from the SIRC Collection:
Woolf, K. (2012). Weight Gain Tips. Splash, 20(2), 12.

Other online resources:
Weight Gain Tips for Athletes
Gaining Weight for Athletes: Nutrition Plan to Put Weight On
Weight Gain in Junior Athletes

Hit the Start Line Prepared!

You’ve been preparing for your big competition and it’s finally here. Managing stress when you are about to compete is always a challenge when you’ve put so much effort in the hopes of being successful. Pre-event planning is not something to be overlooked and can be essential to your achieving your goal. Knowing that everything is in order and accounted for can help to ease your mind and help you focus on beating your competitors.

Create a checklist!
Poor planning generally means that there will be mad rush on the morning of the competition searching for items you’ve misplaced or essential papers you need. Having a checklist can help you organize yourself and is something to refer to when things really start moving. Incorporate a checklist as part of your routine as having a routine can be relaxing in itself.

Book ahead of time!
Depending on the size of your event, it is prudent to book any travel or accommodations you might need for that day well in advance. A few days before the competition, call or email to confirm the reservation to ensure nothing has been missed. There are many things you can do before an event to help you prepare, like packing early, looking at the timetable and knowing where you are to be and when.

Stick to your routine!
A competition day should not be the day to try new things, stick to your routine and only eat or drink items that your body is already used to. Trying something new should be done in advance to determine what works and what doesn’t. Usually it’s the little things that can cause stress, so make sure you’re covered. Have your food ready, if not packed, the night before, check the weather, travel conditions, etc.

Take care of yourself!
Stay hydrated and go to bed early for a good night sleep. Nerves can keep you up, but knowing you have trained, planned ahead and that all the extra detail work is already done should help you unwind enough to get to sleep.

Perform your best!
After a final re-check of the day, you can relax and get ready to set a personal best!

References from the SIRC Collection

1. Barber, L. K., Munz, D. C., Bagsby, P. G., & Powell, E. D. (2010). Sleep consistency and sufficiency: are both necessary for less psychological strain?. Stress & Health: Journal Of The International Society For The Investigation Of Stress, 26(3), 186-193. 
2. Clement, D., & Gilson, T. (2012). Helping Athletic Training Students Deal With Stress. International Journal Of Athletic Therapy & Training, 17(1), 20-23. 
3. McCann, Sean (2009). Routines, Rituals and Performing Under Stress. Soccer journal 54(1), 40;42. 
4. Spano, J. L. (2008). Impact of Life Stressors on Athletes. Athletic Therapy Today, 13(2), 42-43.

Recovery

SIRC Newsletter now available online:  Recovery

You’ve had an intensive workout and your muscles are sore, you’re thirsty and your body is yelling at you to just lie down and rest. This is the easy part! Often neglected but very important, recovery is a major part of training and should not be overlooked. The idea is to make time for your body to get the necessary rest it needs to perform even better the next time you train. Muscles need to rebuild and your body needs to replace its essential nutrients.

Read More: http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/mid-may12/index.html

I can't sleep...

Preparation for a competition often includes such things like packing your gear the night before, scheduling travel time and getting a good breakfast.  Unfortunately, most people neglect an aspect of training and recovery that is one of the most important, getting a good night's sleep.

Anxiety disrupts sleep - how many times have you lain awake at night worrying about the competition ahead?  A lack of sleep interferes with your ability to remain alert during the day and can negatively affect athletic performance.

A restful night's sleep is essential for athletes, so we have gathered a series of tips that will encourage your chances of achieving this goal.

• Try not to exercise too close to bedtime, this will make your mind and body too alert
• If you need to squeeze in a nap, try to keep it under 15 mins
• Develop a bedtime ritual, this will send the right messages to your brain that it's time to wind down and relax
• Allow enough time in bed to ensure you get a minimum of eight hours of sleep
• Keep distractions out of the bedroom - televisions, computers, cell phones, cover up your digital clock
• Watch what you eat and drink - spicy or heavy meals and alcohol or caffeine may stimulate your body and reduce your chances of getting adequate sleep
• Apply breathing or relaxation techniques

While you may not be able to completely suppress your pre-competition jitters, incorporating good sleep practices into your training can make a big difference.

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Davenne D. Sleep of athletes - problems and possible solutions. Biological Rhythm Research. February 2009;40(1):45-52.
2. ERLACHER D, EHRLENSPIEL F, ADEGBESAN O, EL-DIN H. Sleep habits in German athletes before important competitions or games. Journal Of Sports Sciences. May 2011;29(8):859-866.
3. Halvorson R. Extended Sleep = Improved Athletic Performance. IDEA Fitness Journal. October 2011;8(9):14.
4. Jarver J, Anderson O. Just how crucial is a good night's sleep before a major event? / Pourquoi une bonne nuit de sommeil est decisive avant une competition importante ?. Track Coach. Summer 2002;(160):5122-5123.
5. Metzl J. Pre-race anxiety: Does a case of nerves help or hinder your race-day performance?. Triathlete. February 2006;(262):82-83.
6. Rosekind M. Peak Performance Requires Optimal Sleep and Alertness. Olympic Coach. Spring 2008 2008;20(2):4-7.

Train Like an Olympian

SIRC Newsletter now available online: Train Like an Olympian

With everyone talking about the London 2012 Olympics, it’s fun to see what elite athletes do to attain such high levels of performance. For most athletes, the Olympics is the peak of their athletic career and as such, they strive to reach the highest levels of achievement. Training is long and intense and sometimes comes with setbacks, but the greatest athletes keep pushing, do you have what it takes to be an Olympic athlete?

Read more:  http://www.sirc.ca/newsletters/August12/index.html