According to an article on the BBC News website.....The study found that "getting enough sleep and rest was as important as training and diet for elite athletes. The researchers asked the players to maintain their normal night-time schedule (sleeping for six to nine hours) for two-to-four weeks and then aim to sleep 10 hours each night for the next five-to-seven weeks. The study found that the players ran faster timed sprints (16.2 seconds at the start of the study compared with 15.5 seconds at the end), their shooting accuracy improved by 9% and their fatigue levels decreased. The athletes also reported improved performance during competitive basketball games.
The findings suggest that it is important for sleep to be prioritised over a long period of time, not just the night before match-day. The findings may be applicable to recreational athletes as well as those performing at school or at a higher level."
So you heard it here first.......forget about those tempo sessions....just sleep your way to that next PB!! ;o)
The original article on the BBC News website can be found HERE and the original study is HERE
paul o connell- the rugby player once said he spends most of his day asleep taking 2/3 power naps a day
ReplyDeletePaula Radcliffe is also renowned for her prowess in the scratcher, sleeping that is :-), famously getting 12 hours kip a night during training periods!
ReplyDeleteI find when I am fit I require less sleep. To be waking up earlier and more refreshed is one of the benefits I find of being fit. That said I wouldn't be that competitive so I wouldn't be that much into "peak performance" and the like.
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