How Sleep affects recovery and performance

Sleep is often overlooked when talking about recovery and performance, but it is one of the most important factors in the recovery process. To really understand this, it is important to look at the stages of sleep and how getting quality sleep can impact performance for athletes.

There are five stages in the sleep cycle culminating in REM sleep. The full cycle lasts anywhere from 70-90 minutes. The first and second cycles are light sleep cycles when muscle activity and heart rate slows down. As you move into the third and fourth stages, it becomes “deep sleep”. This part of the sleep cycle is critical for tissue and muscle repair. It is also when growth hormone is released from the anterior pituitary gland to aid in recovery and drive growth and development. For athletes this is the most talked about stage in sleep because it directly affects recovery and growth.

When you do not get enough sleep, your cells and muscle tissues are unable to fully recover from games played or training that day, which puts you at a disadvantage for the next game. According to the America Sleep Association, teenagers need around 9 hours of sleep and most adults need 7 to 8 hours of sleep, but few actually get the recommended amount. Lack of sleep also makes your body more susceptible to disease, as your body needs this time to fight against sickness and prepare you for the next day. 

At college and professional levels, baseball players play anywhere from 4-7 games per week. One night of sleep deprivation will set your recovery time back, becoming a snow ball effect until you are able to catch up on your sleep. Sleep deprivation results in slowed reaction times, weaker mind/body, poor running, throwing, and hitting mechanics. This leads to decreased performance and potential risk of injury. It’s simple: you cannot get better if you can’t stay healthy.

Obviously, the idea of getting good sleep is not something new. Younger athletes need to develop good sleeping habits to carry them through their academic and athletic careers. Parents, coaches, and educators constantly remind athletes that they need adequate sleep, but without a clear explanation as to why. There has been extensive research both old and new that explains mechanisms behind why sleep is so important, and the immune system is a critical key to the puzzle. You need to keep both your immune system and sleeping schedule in check for optimal performance.

Check back next week for a fascinating breakdown of how sleep affects the immune system.

-Adam Landecker