Have you ever wondered if the quality of your sleep impacts you? Research has shown a relationship between sleep & performance in exercise, which can have positive effects on individuals’ quality of sleep.
So, what role does sleep play in improving athletic performance?
Sleep & Performance
Poor quality or insufficient sleep has a negative impact on cognitive and neurological function. This can have an effect on various aspects of athletic performance, including slower reaction timing, poor decision-making and accuracy. (Fullagar et al., 2015). A study conducted by Williamson and Feyer (2000) likened the effects of pulling an all-nighter to having a blood alcohol reading of 0.05% when testing reaction time.
The quality of your sleep can significantly influence your physical and mental energy levels the next day. Research has shown that the perceived level of exertion during exercise significantly increases when an athlete is sleep deprived. This limits one’s ability to push themselves to the maximum.
Sleep deprivation also negatively impacts proprioception, which is the body’s autonomic ability to safely control its position in its surrounding environment. Impaired proprioception leaves athletes susceptible to injury by failing to correct their position.
Are you having difficulty sleeping?
Is it related to being uncomfortable or constant pain?
Contact our physios to discuss your specific symptoms to see if we can assist in reducing pain, comfort and your sleep quality.
Source: Fullagar H.H., Skorski S., Duffield R., Hammes D., Coutts A.J., Meyer T. (2015) Sleep and athletic performance: the effects of sleep loss on exercise performance, and physiological and cognitive responses to exercise. Sports Medicine 45(2), 161-186. [PubMed]