Sleep has many health benefits that we all know about, its essential for good health and growth as it allows the body to recover and restore its mental and physical health. Lack of sleep has been shown to cause fatigue, decreased concentration, memory and judgement. For the average adult it is recommended to have at least 7-9 hours of sleep per day, however for athletes the recommended level is much higher.
Importance of Sleep in Athletes
Sleep also plays a large role in athletic performance and injury prevention within sports. Multiple studies have looked at both the effects of increasing and decreasing sleep on performance. Sleep is one of the most important recovery strategies there is for any athlete. It is integral for performance as it allows the body to properly recover and repair from training and competition quickly.
Athletes that have less than 8 hours of sleep per day have shown to be more likely to get injured than those who have over 8 hours per day. This has been seen to be as a result from decreased reaction time and cognitive function that occurs from lack of sleep. A increase in fatigue is found as the body does not get enough time to properly recover from previous training and competitions.
Therefore, athletes should aim for around 10hrs of sleep per day to meet the requirements set by their large training and competition loads. This will allow athletes to recover fully and be prepared for their next training or competition.
