Most of us know that a good night’s sleep can make the following day a lot more productive. But for runners it’s even more important, and not everyone knows the impact that a restless night in bed can have upon their performance.
We all live busy lives and sometimes our sleep suffers; the kids need an early lift to school, the dog needs that late-night walk and those papers due in for work tomorrow morning aren’t going to finish themselves.
Adulthood comes with many pressures and responsibilities, making it common for folk to make do with only a few hours’ kip. This problem can cause stress and tiredness, possibly affecting our mood and focus.
But for us athletes – yes, we are athletes – our performance on the track, pavement or treadmill can be severely interrupted. There are a number of reasons why, so here a few of the most notable ones.
When we sleep our body rehydrates itself and this process becomes even more important if it then undergoes physical exertion the next day. A lack of sleep can result in our kidneys not being able to properly balance water, sodium and other electrolytes properly.
This can be quite costly and it’s more than likely that our physical performance will take a sudden dip as a result. Dehydration can cause muscle pain and overall fatigue – neither of which is desirable – making any kind of cardiovascular work tricky.
Another problem with having a bad night’s sleep is that our body isn’t able to fully repair and recover. Our muscles are in constant use and as runners they tend to get over-worked, so long periods of rest and recovery is crucial.
Sleep is also said to be important in the forming of certain brainwave patterns, helping the formation of memories and task completion. So if you’ve been working on your posture or downhill stride pattern, your body uses sleep as a period to strengthen these skills.
Some of the impacts may seem pretty obvious; most people know of the importance of water and rest. But the negative effects on our running aren’t all simple and easy to predict, with some of the less common factors proving just as problematic.
A lack of sleep can actually cause us to put on weight and crave food. Less sleep can lead to more grehlin in our body – making us hungry – and less leptin – making us feel full. This can tamper with a runner’s diet and affect body weight and meal planning.
However a short night’s sleep will also effect what you have already eaten and not just what you are about to consume. Runners are known for having a large appetite and carbo-loading before a big race is the norm for most of us.
But your body can only sufficiently absorb these carbohydrates if given enough time or enough sleep. And if this doesn’t happen then the energy wont be stored properly, ultimately affecting our glycogen levels as a result.
Getting enough sleep is extremely important for runners and we need to keep in mind that it can have a direct impact upon our performance. Race day is crucial, but training is where the hard work is done – and sleep should be a regular part of that.
