Cheat Code Series. (#1)
As part of the blog portion of the site, I am going to be speaking intermittently about “cheat codes” to enhance your physical performance.
So, what do I mean by “cheat codes”? These are in fact, not cheats at all, but are basic fundamentals that I commonly see athletes overlooking. So many go searching for the 1%, despite clear flaws in the pre-existing 99%.
In the past, I have often spoken to athletes about “time below the red line”, referring specifically to the time spent outside of the gym, off the training pitch, and away from the eyes of the coaching staff. I feel the best coaches in the world are those that are able to positively effect the decision making of the athlete, in the absence of the coach, and this fundamentally comes from athlete education. In this blog, I am going to start with the best recovery tool in the world.
If I offered you a supplement that could instantly improve your immunity and resistance to illness, whilst also providing your body with an optimal environment for tissue growth and repair, improved cognitive function, and minimize your risk of injury susceptibility, I am pretty sure you would take it. I can almost guarantee you would take it once I told you it is available FREE OF CHARGE.
The answer, of course, is sleep. Topic number 1 within the Cheat Code Series. There is a comprehensive evidence base within scientific research championing the effects of positive sleep hygiene on athletic performance and human function. Below, is a easy checklist to ensure that you’re maximising your sleep hygiene and giving yourself the best chance.
Quiet Space Your sensory awareness is often heightened whilst asleep, particularly in light sleep, and so you may find that small noises in the night disturb your sleep. Try and ensure your room is as quiet as possible and minimise background noise as best you can. If that proves difficult, ear plugs are widely available and particularly useful - particularly when travelling for overnight stays.
Cool Room Temperature Your body temperature effects the hormonal response to sleep. We all want to be snug and cosy, but excessive heat during the night can disturb sleep and have adverse effects on your body’s recovery during the night. Aim for a cool room, (~18 degrees), irrespective of the weather outside.
Sleep Routine Ensuring a regular sleeping pattern and routine helps maintain a natural hormonal flux throughout each 24hr period. This is known as Circadian rhythm. Changes in your sleep routine can lead to lethargy for at least the following 24hrs, and can have a knock-on effect to the following nights sleep too.
Join the Dark Side Try and ensure your sleep environment is as dark as possible. This includes things that may seem insignificant such as standby lights on the tv, or the hallway light creeping through the bottom of your door. But it’s important to create an environment that best enables you to get the most out of your sleep.
Food/Fluid Ingestion Excess food and fluid consumption too close to bed time, means that your body has to keep working when you get into bed to appropriately digest your intake. To get the most out of your sleep, you ideally want your resting heart rate to drop as low as possible, as early as possible within your nights sleep. Ingesting dense meals (particularly those higher in fat), delay gastric emptying and can lead to your gut working overtime, even after you’ve clocked off for the night.
Computer/Phone/Tablet Use Incredibly painful for modern society, but even more painful/damaging to your sleep… but it’s best to avoid exposure to iPhone screens, TV’s and tablets close to bed time. Try and set them aside well in advance of you trying to get some shut-eye. The light exposure from your phone can increase alertness through hormonal responses and thus make it difficult to settle for a good nights sleep. Don’t worry, Instagram will still be there when you wake up in the morning.
Total Time Research on sleep time is sometimes a little conflicting, however there is still a general consensus that 7-9hrs of sleep per night, is “optimal” for the most of us (with a general rule that the younger you are, the more sleep you need). Bare in mind that just because you were in bed from 10pm-7am, doesn’t necessarily mean you got 9hrs of sleep. Once you take into account sleep disturbances, and latency, it’s quite easy for that number to drop significantly.
Sleep is particularly important during high intensity/volume training periods, and prior to competition. Giving yourself the best chance to recover optimally, gives you the best chance to perform optimally when it really counts. Although not groundbreaking, hopefully this post has given you a little insight into sleep hygiene, and a taste of what to come throughout the cheat code series - and most importantly, I hope it’s got you to reflect on your own sleep hygiene.
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Thanks for reading,
Paul
