Sleep Better, Ride Faster (1st update)

Why is sleep so important to us? Sleep is the body’s way of shutting down, so that it can recharge and recuperate for the following day. In fact, it’s a biological necessity; without sleep, the body is unable to function at all. Devoting a large enough proportion of your day to sleep is always worth it; these hours are not wasted time. If you train regularly, you need more sleep than the average person. Research from Stanford University has shown that athletes who try to get 10 hours of sleepper night improve their performance. This isn’t surprising given that sleep deprivation has been shown to have a negative impact on concentration, mood and alertness, while long-term sleep loss is associated with diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Inadequate sleep doesn’t just mean you’ll stay still and not make progress, but in fact could potentially move you backwards as your body (and mind) becomes overloaded. As a result, your immune system can become compromised, and muscles and tendons more susceptible to pulls, strains and tears, as well as the risk of burnout increasing, too.

Without enough sleep, your body doesn’t have the capacity to fully recover from the stresses you placed on it during a training session, meaning you don’t reap the rewards from the hard work you put in on the bike. In the worst case scenario, your body degrades rather than getting stronger. Sleeping badly for one night is not a serious risk to performance and health, but insufficient sleepover the long term must be avoided at all costs. 

Nick Littlehales (sportsleepcoach. com) helps athletes improve their sleep by redefining their approach to it. “Maintaining consistent and sustainable levels of recovery does not just happen naturally. Every athlete has to adopt a redefined approach to sleep, not just take it for granted,” he says. Not sleeping well can become a vicious cycle, adds Littlehales: “Not being able to recover well builds fatigue that requires over-stimulating to push through the next day, which in turn leads to erratic sleep patterns and in time the onset of insomnia.” 

Donnie Campbell (ultrarunning) knows that losing out on sleep can affect his performance: “There are times when I’m so busy with work and with life that sleep is reduced. It has a major impact on my training as I struggle to get in quality sessions when tired and I also feel it takes me longer to recover after a hard session.” Campbell’s fellow international ultrarunner Dr Andrew Murray – Sports Medicine Specialist at the University of Edinburgh – believes that while getting the training right for any event is crucial, adequate sleep, and proper nutrition rank next in importance: “Research from the University of Calgary shows that those sleeping well in the build-up to an event perform better, and we know from a medical perspective that those sleeping at least seven hours a night have a lower risk of illness. This is backed up,” adds Murray.

The effects of long-term sleep deprivation encompass a broad spectrum, he says: “A negative mindset kicks in from the moment you wake if you are not feeling refreshed. Mood, motivation and confidence are low. The consequences are anxiety, stress, anger, poor relationship management and depression. This can lead to the regular use of sleeping tablets and high caffeine intake—adding to the issues rather than resolving them.” There are certainly steps you can take to improve your sleep, but improvements cannot be found overnight. Committing to a consistent ‘sleep hygiene’ routine, ensuring you’re not over training or over-stressed in general and ensuring you have a good diet all help ensure you sleep well and recover from training.

How to sleep better

1. Support your body's natural rhythms

Getting in sync with your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, is one of the most important strategies for sleeping better. If you keep a regular sleep-wake schedule you’ll feel much more refreshed and energized than if you sleep the same number of hours at different times, even if you only alter your sleep schedule by an hour or two. Try to go to sleep and get up at the same time every day. This helps set your body’s internal clock and optimize the quality of your sleep. If you’re getting enough sleep, you should wake up naturally without an alarm. If you need an alarm clock, you may need an earlier bedtime.

2: Control your exposure to light

Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone controlled by light exposure that helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle. Your brain secretes more melatonin when it’s dark—making you sleepy—and less when it’s light—making you more alert. Avoid bright screens within 1-2 hours of your bedtime. The blue light emitted by your phone, tablet, computer, or TV is especially disruptive. You can minimize the impact by using devices with smaller screens, turning the brightness down, or using light-altering software such as flux. When it’s time to sleep, make sure the room is dark. Use heavy curtains or shades to block light from windows, or try a sleep mask.

3: Get regular exercise

Regular exercisers sleep better and feel less sleepy during the day. Regular exercise also improves the symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea and increases the amount of time you spend in the deep, restorative stages of sleep. If you can't ride everyday, do some light exercise like walking etc. It can take several months of regular activity before you experience the full sleep-promoting effects. So be patient and focus on building an exercise habit that sticks.

4: Be smart about what you eat and drink

Your daytime eating habits play a role in how well you sleep, especially in the hours before bedtime. Limit caffeine and nicotine. You might be surprised to know that caffeine can cause sleep problems up to ten to twelve hours after drinking it! Similarly, smoking is another stimulant that can disrupt your sleep, especially if you smoke close to bedtime. Avoid big meals at night. Try to make dinner time earlier in the evening, and avoid heavy, rich foods within two hours of bed. Spicy or acidic foods can cause stomach trouble and heartburn. A snack in the evening may help you sleep more soundly by ensuring blood sugar stays stable all night, especially if you’re training hard. Micro nutrients such as magnesium (which you lose in sweat) are essential to restful sleep and preventing that ‘tired but wired’ feeling at night.

5: Wind down and clear your head

Do you find yourself unable to sleep or waking up night after night? Residual stress, worry, and anger from your day can make it very difficult to sleep well. If anxiety or chronic worrying dominates your thoughts at night, there are steps you can take to learn to break the mental habit and look at life from a more positive perspective. Even counting sheep is more productive than worrying at bedtime. If the stress of work, family, or school is keeping you awake, you may need help with stress management. By learning how to manage your time effectively, handle stress in a productive way, and maintain a calm, positive outlook, you’ll be able to sleep better at night.

6: Improve your sleep environment

Not just your bicycle need upgrades, consider upgrades your sleeping room too. A peaceful bedtime routine sends a powerful signal to your brain that it’s time to wind down and let go of the day’s stresses. Sometimes even small changes to your environment can make a big difference to your quality of sleep. Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet.  Keep noise down. If you can't avoid or eliminate noise from neighbors, traffic, or other people in your household, try masking it with a fan or sound machine. Earplugs may also help. Keep your room cool. Most people sleep best in a slightly cool room (around 65° F or 18° C) with adequate ventilation. A bedroom that is too hot or too cold can interfere with quality sleep. Make sure your bed is comfortable.

7. Limit daytime naps 

Long daytime naps can interfere with nighttime sleep especially if you're struggling with insomnia or poor sleep quality at night. If you choose to nap during the day, limit yourself to about 10 to 30 minutes and make it during the mid afternoon. If you work nights, you'll need to make an exception to the rules about daytime sleeping. In this case, keep your window coverings closed so that sunlight doesn't interrupt your daytime sleep.

Source:

Cycling Active 2016/09 How to sleep better
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/sleep/how-to-sleep-better.htm
http://bettersleep.org/better-sleep/how-to-sleep-better/sleep-tips
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379?pg=2
https://roadcyclinguk.com/how-to/sleep-cycle-sleep-vital-recovery-performance.html


Ride On!