The Critical Nature of Sleep

Sleep is the first item listed in performance enhancement because it is the MOST IMPORTANT. Sleep is the secret weapon of recovery. Bottom line up front: Aim for 8 hours of QUALITY SLEEP EVERY NIGHT.

Routinely sleeping less than 6 hours a night weakens your immune system. Sufficient, quality sleep helps keep you from getting sick. You can't train if you are sick.

"There does not seem to be one major organ within the body, or process within the brain, that isn't optimally enhanced by sleep (and detrimentally impaired when we don't get enough.)" --Matthew Walker, PhD, author of "Why We Sleep."

During Sleep: 
  --You build muscle and bone.
  --Your brain consolidates and connects information.
  --Your emotions get processed.

Basically, when you sleep you get stronger, faster, smarter, and wiser! In short: if you want to improve your performance FASTER, GET MORE QUALITY SLEEP!

Conversely, too little sleep makes you eat more: too little sleep swells concentrations of a hormone that makes you feel hungry while suppressing a companion hormone that signals food satisfaction. Too little sleep is a contributing factor in numerous physical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and poor heart performance, AND psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations.

Be consistent in following the guidelines below to get sufficient, quality sleep and perform your best academically and athletically:

1. Give yourself an 8-hour opportunity for sleep each night. On school nights, this means getting in bed by 9-930 PM. 

2. Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed at the same time each day, especially on the weekends.

3. Turn off all sources of light. Make your room as dark as possible. Consider using an eye mask.

4. No caffeine after lunch. This includes coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks. Caffeine stays in your body WAY longer than you think and blocks the chemicals that make you drowsy and tell you its time to rest.

5. No electronics in bed! Cut out screens 60 to 90 minutes before bed. Blue light from screens basically tells your brain its early in the day. Read a book with a lamp or headlamp until you become drowsy. Put the book down, turn the light off and close your eyes.

6. Take slow, deep breaths repeatedly when you close your eyes. Try to inhale for 3 seconds and exhale for 3 seconds on each one.

7. The room should be slightly cooler than your home. Around 68 degrees is ideal.

8. Limit your water intake after dinner to protect quality sleep. You don't want your body to wake you up early to use the restroom.

9. If you still have trouble, take a hot bath before bed. The drop in body temperature after getting out of the bath may help you feel sleepy.

10. Don't take naps after 3PM on the weekends. Naps help you make up for lost sleep, but late afternoon naps make it harder to sleep at night.
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