Make your body more fit for exercise while sleeping.

Just because it does not compete at the level of a professional athlete does not mean that you do not want to have some above-average results. So you should not ever fall asleep or it does not matter how good the nutrition is or it does not matter to your excellent exercise routine. All this together will make all the difference.

Top sleep experts give some sleep advice to athletes, for example:

ANTECIPE THE SLEEP

"Create a regular 20 to 30 minute bedtime routine to help your body anticipate sleep - read, meditate, yoga or breathing exercises to help you relax and calm down. "- Cheri Mah, sleep researcher and athletic performance at the University of California, San Francisco and Stanford University, who advises NBA, NFL and NHL teams.

TEST OF 3 WEEKS - MORE TIME IN BED

"There is no way to fool sleep and still achieve excellent athletic performance. There is a price to be paid. The challenge will be to increase sleep for three weeks. Go to bed when you feel tired - there is no rule about ideal sleeping time. Listen to your body. High-performance athletes are accustomed to doing this. See how you feel during the day and feel the energy in your workout. You will realize the importance that sleep can be, so you will have the motivation to put it in your priorities. "- Nathaniel F. Watson, MD, President of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Board Certified in Sleep Medicine and Neurology.

MONITORISING THE SLEEP

"It is important to realize what happens to the body at night. Today there are gadgets that help us measure the quality of sleep (heart rate, breathing, among others). "- James Maas, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology at Cornell University.

TURN OFF 4 HOURS BEFORE

"It is often speculated on how much time you should turn off electronic equipment before bedtime - but it should be around 4 hours before bedtime. Athletes need to develop skills where they are not involved, so they can fully relax. There is no doubt that the light in these devices has an impact on sleep, but the internal activity and the interaction they cause are a bigger problem. "- Dr. Charles H. Samuels, medical director of the Center for Sleep and Human Performance in Calgary.

LOWER ROOM TEMPERATURE

"Athletes often 'sleep hot', sweat a lot at night - this has to do with increased metabolic activity. Therefore, a cooler bed environment will make more sense. "- W. Christopher Winter, MD, Medical Director of the Martha Jefferson Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Discover the greatest benefits of a good rest! Check your review now! 

BY CLÁUDIO MOCHO / SÉNIOR PERSONAL TRAINER

1.          Knufinke M, Nieuwenhuys A, Maase K, Moen MH, Geurts SAE, Coenen AML, et al. Effects of natural between-days variation in sleep on elite athletes’ psychomotor vigilance and sport-specific measures of performance. J Sport Sci Med. 2018;17(4):515–24.