Sleep is one of the most important tools in improving your running performance and overall health.
Just imagine, if there’s a new supplement on the market that could potentially accelerate tissue repair, boost human growth hormone to build bone and muscle, enhance metabolism, sharpen your concentration and make your overall running experience feel easier, it’s most likely called “Sleep”.
It is also crazy how a night of poor sleep can make our day less efficient. People who tend to be sleep-deprived, forget things, lack focus, are drowsy and moody. These basic symptoms are probably common to all of us because we have all been through it.
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So, if lack of sleep can affect our daily tasks, what about other activities such as running?
That extra sleep might just help you shave seconds or even minutes off your race finishing time. Sound skeptical?
Well, here’s how better sleep can improve your running performance and how you can improve your sleep to run better.
Repair tissue and build muscle
Firstly, if you’re an avid runner and logging in a lot of miles, you’re depleting your energy and fluid stores and breaking down muscle tissues. Yes, we know hydration and proper fueling with nutritional meals are key for recovery, but sleep is also important.
During the recovery period, proper sleep replenishes, repairs, and regenerates tissue damage from the day’s workout and builds up muscle and bone so that your body is prepared for the next day’s effort.
Without it, your body will have a hard time properly recovering from workouts and efficiently utilizing energy.
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Perception of effort
Next, the effect of lack of sleep and endurance activities has been that athletes have a higher perception of effort for a given degree of exercise excretion.
Many studies showed that sleep deprivation leads to increased perceived fatigues and perception of effort, lower energy expenditure, lower blood glucose, and poor performance.
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Hormonal Imbalance
Sleep deprivation can also disrupt our appetite signaling hormones, causing our body to increase in ghrelin, making us more hungry and eating more.
Moreover, lack of sleep has been linked to decreased production of glycogen and carbohydrates that are stored for energy use during physical activities such as running. In short, less sleep throws off your body’s ability to effectively fuel itself.
So how can you get better sleep? Here are some things you can try to improve your sleep.
Set a consistent sleep routine: People who have sleeping disorders usually have inconsistent sleeping time. Thus, practice going to bed at a scheduled time every night and wake up at the same time each morning.
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Create a good sleeping environment: Researchers show a good sleeping environment can improve the quality of sleep. For instance, a dark, quiet and cool room. You can also try lighting up candles or diffusers with lavender oil, as lavender is one of the most popular essential oils for insomnia.
Get quality bedding: Surprisingly, a good supportive mattress and pillow can lead to quality sleep. Try looking for pillows that support your head well.
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