Hey Soccer Strength family,
I was chatting with one of my online clients the other day about the importance of sleep. And that got me thinking, so I decided to turn this into my first ever blog post!
I harp on about sleep to my kids at the gym, and a generally always check in with how many hours they got the night before, as that can have a huge impact on their performance in the gym that day. I always try to make sure they have gotten 8 hours minimum, and if they say less than that, I will always ask why.
Anyway, enough of me yapping, here are some tips & tricks that I use to help with sleep, and how to make sure it is quality sleep.
One of the top things that can get in the way of your soccer goals, is not getting enough sleep. I'm sure you can guess the other one (blog post coming soon on that).
It can affect your mood, injury risk, stress, appetite, recovery, among many other things!
Here's some simple & effective ways to help you sleep, so you can make some upgrades to your bedtime routine that can actually help you fall asleep faster & sleep longer!
- Keep your evening routine simple – Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Your body loves having a regular daily rhythm and routine!
- Don’t work out within 2-3 hours of bedtime. - This can leave you feeling "revved up" and make it harder to fall asleep.I know some of you have evening training, so this can't be helped. If that is the case, lie down on your bed, focus on your breathing and relax the heartrate. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, with big deep belly breaths. Try to do this for 10 minutes or so. Before you know it, you'll be yawning and ready for bed.
- Don’t eat close to bedtime - Also, steer clear of alcohol after dinner. Alcohol (if you are 19 or older) might help you fall asleep, but you can get stuck in the "light sleep" phase all night.
- Stay away from blue light - TV, phone, or other devices within a couple hours of bedtime. If you do use a device, install a blue light filter (tip: check your tablet/phone to see if there’s one already built-in).
- Take a hot bath or shower before bed. - When your body temp drops afterward, it can help you feel sleepy.
- No afternoon/evening caffeine. - Did you know it can take 8 hours for caffeine to clear your system?
- Check your meds & herbal home remedies. - Some meds (especially for coughs, colds, and allergies) contain ingredients that stimulate your system.
- Spruce up your bedroom. - Make sure it’s uncluttered and free from distractions – lights, noises, etc. – and that your bedding is comfortable. Sleeping in a clutter-free zone can make a surprisingly big difference.
- Make a to-do list for tomorrow. - Write down anything you’re worried about forgetting overnight as a quick reminder, and place it far away from your nightstand (so you don’t have to think about it anymore).
- Decrease the temperature of your room - If your parents will allow you to touch the thermostat, try getting the room temperature to 65–69 degrees. While you are laying in bed trying to snooze, your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep. This temperature range will help facilitate this response
- Naps - Do not rely on naps to achieve your 8–10 hours of sleep, but when needed, a nap can provide substantial increases in task performing and alertness. Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, says that “naps as short as 26 minutes in length still offered a 34% improvement in task performance and more than a 50% increase in alertness.”
Cleaning up your nighttime routine can go a long way toward improving your sleep.
But there are things you can do earlier in the day that can help, too.
● Get some sunshine & fresh air during the day, if at all possible.
● Make sure to get in intentional movement (get your strength & conditioning in) most days a week
When you get a good night of sleep, it can set you up for having a great day. Plus, it’s good for your overall recovery & wellness!
Evidence is becoming more and more clear that sleep can be make it or break it for athletes and their performance success. Good quality sleep of 8–10 hours consistently will have an athlete retaining more at practice, growing and recovering each night, and performing at a markedly higher level. It’s easy, it’s comfortable and it’s FREE. What more can you ask for? Put the phone down and go catch some Z’s.
Let me know if these tricks help you at all! And if you have 20 minutes to spare, watch this video from my friends at E3 Rehab. They've made an extremely informative video on Sleep and its relationship to Pain, Injury & Performance.
Any questions, feel free to get in contact.
Coach Harry
