The amount of training needed for athlete's is a major topic of conversation. The focus is usually on the physical tasks, but sleep also plays a major role.
The focus on sleep for athletes has led to more and more studies on its effect on performance. Specifically, a sleep extension study was completed with Stanford University football players, which showed that a good night’s sleep improved 40-yard dash times by 2.1%. For the Stanford University basketball team, their free throw and 3-point shooting accuracy improved by 9% and 9.2%, respectively.
More generally, a study from SLEEP journal reports that lack of sleep leads to declines in split-second decision making, but increased accuracy for the well-rested subjects. Ultimately, if you want to perform your best, make sure that sleep is an important part of your training!
Check out this nice infographic from a high end mattresses company, Casper discussing the recovery stages along with some tips to get a good night’s rest.
