Ask this to strength and conditioning athletes,
Powerlifters,
Fitness divas,
World champions,
What’s one BIG thing, other than training and nutrition, that has helped them achieve elite strength, conditioning, and performance?
Hint: It’s often overlooked. And you’re probably missing out on it a lot.
Sleep.
Does it really matter?
“I have business.”
“I have a job.”
“I train hard 5x a week.”
“I am busy.”
Surely sleep isn’t as important as nutrition and training?
But it is.
Think about it:
How can you think right and perform well
when you’re stressed, tired, and sleep deprived?
How can you nail your training when you lack energy?
How can you increase muscle mass
when your muscles don’t even get enough recovery?
This is why sleep matters so much.
So how much sleep do you need?
As a general rule of thumb recommended by the US Nat’l Sleep Foundation,
~7-9 hours of sleep is ideal for adults.
For elite athletes, they need 8.3 hours to feel rested and train effectively. (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34021090/)
Put aside the fact that adequate sleep makes you feel recharged,
it also helps in retaining and consolidating memories.
So when you are practising or learning new skills,
your brain will start to register this pattern and repeat each time.
This pattern is then stored in your brain each night as you sleep,
which helps improve your performance.
As a high performer, you may be tempted to think that sleep is for the weak.
But if you want to stay on top of your gains,
you need to make sure you’re getting enough shut-eye.
And yet, due to our busy lifestyles and constant connection to technology,
many of us are chronically sleep deprived.
If this sounds like you, it’s time for a change.
Love and light,
The SMP Coaching Team
