As the running coach characteristically emphasizes, Joe English: «Sleep is just as important as training. The quality of education suffers when you lose sleep to add anything else.
Consecutive nights of insufficient sleep trigger a series of hormonal changes with harmful biological effects. In fact, the less you sleep, the lower your quality of life and the greater the chances of injury while running.
The question, of course, is what method will enable you to ensure good quality sleep so that you can maintain your running performance at a high level. The following seven tips are the answer.
Be disciplined
Establish a specific bedtime and try to stick to it strictly. Create a ritual that includes yoga exercises or relaxing music to help you fall asleep more easily. «A sleep routine will encourage your body to sleep easily,» confirms sleep researcher Cheri Mah.
Create the right environment
«Make your room look like a cave. In other words, make it dark, quiet, and cool,» says Mah. Invest in blackout curtains, relaxing music, and small lights. Avoid using a fan.
Turn off the power
Turn off televisions, laptops, and tablets one hour before bedtime. «As long as these devices are lit, the production of melatonin, the key sleep hormone, is blocked,» says Shelby Harris, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Program in New York.
Don't drink too much
Avoid drinking water before going to bed so that you don't have to get up constantly to go to the bathroom, which interrupts your sleep. Also, obviously, cut down on alcohol. A beer or a glass of wine may help you fall asleep, but in the deeper stages of sleep, alcohol disrupts your body's functioning.
Cut out caffeine
Caffeine can remain in your body for more than six hours and prevent you from sleeping. Especially after 5 p.m., replace coffee with decaffeinated coffee or green tea.
Avoid painkillers
If you are experiencing pain for any reason, try to reduce it naturally rather than taking painkillers. Painkillers can lead to severe insomnia. Do not take them for any reason before going to bed; instead, try natural remedies such as fish oil.
Be patient
If you suffer from insomnia, a consistent routine will help, but not immediately. It can take up to four months of exercise before you find the right sleep pattern. Before that, it's unlikely you'll see results, according to a study published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine.
