Why Is It Important to Sleep Early?
Why is sleep important, and how much do I need?
Sleep is essential to life and is as vital to the body as food and oxygen. One of the most common concerns of athletes is sleep. How much should athletes get, and what happens when they are unable to fulfill their sleep requirement?
Sleep requirements for maintaining optimal health as well as physical and mental performance is 8.0 to 8.5 hours a night; however, some people require more or less. Approximately 70% of adult Americans are getting less than 8 hours of sleep per night, which means that most people, including athletes, are somewhat sleep deprived. An athlete who requires 8 hours of sleep per night and is only getting 7 hours will, by the end of the week, accrue 7 hours of sleep debt. A sleep debt of this magnitude is equivalent to the loss of one full night of sleep.
Some of the common reasons for sleep deprivation in athletes include stress, workload, training early in the morning or late at night, overtraining, or medical conditions, as well as alcohol and stimulant consumption.
Sleep debt is cumulative and must be restored as soon as possible. If the debt is not repaid, it will roll over to the following week. Athletes will then find themselves experiencing excessive sleepiness during the day and will likely fall asleep at inappropriate times and places, such as behind the wheel of the car, at work, or in the classroom.
The first 48 hours of total sleep deprivation has been shown to have deleterious effects on mental capacity only. Physical effects will not manifest until 72 hours. The body will find a way to catch up, and the longer the sleep debt goes on, the harder it will be to stay awake and perform. Another consequence of sleep deprivation is overeating. Research has shown that those who do not get enough sleep or have a hard time staying asleep will crave higher calorie foods and tend to overeat the next day. Studies have also shown that individuals who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation experience higher incidences of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and ulcers.
There are two stages to the sleep cycle: the first stage is non-rapid eye movement (NREM), and the second stage is rapid eye movement (REM). After falling asleep, an individual will enter NREM sleep first where very little dreaming occurs. The purpose behind NREM sleep is to help the body physically repair itself from the previous day’s activities. REM sleep, on the other hand, involves a substantial amount of dreaming and is essential to helping the individual recover mentally. During the REM cycle, the mind attempts to process and organize all of the information that it has encountered during the day. The REM cycle is a very active portion of sleep, even though the individual is unable to move; this is analogous to an automobile with the accelerator pressed down and the brake on at the same time. Both the NREM and REM stages are critical to physical and mental preparation. Alcohol consumption and certain medications have been demonstrated to disrupt the REM cycle and should be avoided before bedtime.
The following conditions are necessary to induce healthy sleep:
1. Keep the room dark. If light is able to penetrate into a room, it may interfere with a person’s ability to fall and stay asleep; keep the room as dark as possible by using blackout curtains and/or a sleep mask.
2. The room should be quiet. Noise should be kept to a minimum; the use of earplugs or noise-canceling headphones can be beneficial in reducing ambient noise.
3. The room temperature should be cool. A cooler surrounding will assist the athlete in falling asleep. Warm or hot surroundings add to the discomfort and are likely to disrupt normal sleep schedules.
The use of a fan or air conditioner to keep temperatures cool will help to avoid unnecessary disruptions in sleep.
4. Comfort is a must for a good night’s sleep. Individuals have found that using their own pillow when traveling is a great way of helping them fall asleep in unfamiliar surroundings.
Some effective strategies that an athlete can employ to help to reduce the effects of fatigue caused by sleep deprivation include napping and the strategic use of caffeine. Although sleep loss must be paid back, napping can be a very effective short-term strategy to help the athlete prolong focus and attention when sleep deprived. The recommended amount of nap time is between 30 and 60 minutes; however, if an athlete can get more than 60 minutes of needed sleep, it is highly recommended that he or she do so. A 30-to 60-minute nap can prolong mental performance for approximately 2 hours. If the athlete has an important mental task to perform immediately after napping, then the 30 to 60 minutes is advisable, as any longer napping can produce a sense of grogginess that may last for up to 20 minutes or more on waking.
Caffeine is a central-nervous stimulant and has the capacity to increase mental focus, reduce physical and mental fatigue, and improve reaction time. Athletes should use caffeine only when needed and should not consume it indiscriminately throughout the day. The correct use of caffeine has also been demonstrated to improve athletic performance. After 24 hours of continuous sleep deprivation, caffeine consumed at the right time in the right amounts has been scientifically proven to prolong mental performance for approximately 3 additional hours.
Caffeine should not be consumed within 5 hours before bedtime, as it can interfere with sleep. Sleep is vital to athletes’ success both on and off the field. Athletes should try to get a minimum of 8 hours of sleep per night to ensure optimal recovery and performance.
If 8 hours is difficult to get at one time, an athlete should try to squeeze in naps throughout the day to help him or her catch up. Insufficient sleep can cause lapses in attention that can lead to injuries. Getting the required amount of sleep each night will help the athlete avoid making basic mistakes.
Anathea C. Powell’s, MD, comments:
As a general-surgery resident, I had become detrained after many sleepless nights on call. In order to get ready for Ironman, I had to make up ground very quickly in a very short window of time during a research fellowship. In order to maximize my time and effort, I turned to experts in the field of sports nutrition and exercise science. With a professional and individualized nutrition and exercise program, I found that my body composition improved and my sleep patterns became more regulated, and I saw significant performance improvements in all of my sports. I improved 83 minutes overall in my second Ironman race and gained an edge in every stage of the race.
Insufficient sleep can cause lapses in attention that can lead to injuries.
Terms:
Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) – The first stage of sleep where very little dreaming occurs. The purpose behind non-rapid eye movement sleep is to help the body physically repair itself from the previous day’s activities.
Rapid eye movement (REM) – This second stage of sleep involves a substantial amount of dreaming and is essential to helping individuals recover mentally. During the rapid eye movement cycle, the mind attempts to process and organize all of the information that it has encountered during the day.
