Sleep & Recovery... by Physio Dan DeBruyne
Henry IV, Part 2' (1597) act 3, sc. 1, l. 5
Sleep seems to be the forgotten medication. I have recently read a phenomenal book on the topic titled, “Why We Sleep” by Matthew Walker (if anything in this post interests you I strongly recommend picking it up). And credit Matthew and his tireless research for this post.
Sleep, as Shakespeare so eloquently phrased it, was previously viewed as nourishing, necessary and rejuvenating. However, in our modern society sleep has come to be viewed as an inconvenient waste of time, which is continually associated with laziness and lack of motivation.
However, if you are looking to improve your cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength, metabolism, ability to focus, motor skill acquisition, daily mood, and your perceived attractiveness to others – you might need some more shut-eye.
That’s right nearly every single biological marker that we have come to value as a healthy society can be improved by improving your sleep quality and quantity. (Newman, A. 1997).
So if you are trying to decide how best to nail that triple-axel, add 10 pounds to your clean and jerk, or nail that 4 minute mile – adding some more rest to your routine might be the most important addition to your workout you’ve been looking for.
Okay Dan, I get it, I should be sleeping more to be physically healthy. But I feel pretty physically healthy already – in fact I’m getting by just fine. I do great on 5-6 hours! Wrong. The number of persons worldwide who can perform optimally on <7 hours of sleep, to a round number, is 0% (Walker, M. 2017). I’m not saying you’re not getting by, but getting by is not the same as optimal functioning. Lack of sleep can lead to a state of chronic fatigue whereby you are unaware that you are lacking sleep and are more likely to assume that you are functioning at your maximal capacity.
During the 2007-to-2013 period, Canadians aged 18 to 64 averaged 7.12 hours of sleep per night. About two-thirds reported the recommended 7 to 9 hours, and one-third, less than 7 hours. However, “Self-reports generally overestimate actual sleep duration and are subject to recall and/or social desirability bias” – basically anyone who was asked to report their sleep habits had a tendency to report what they believe is the “correct” answer or simply misremember how much sleep they truly got.
So you are likely to both over-estimate the amount of sleep you have received and underestimate the amount of sleep you require.
Here’s a quick questionnaire to see if you’re getting enough sleep:
Do you sleep in greater then 1 hour past your weekday wake-up time on the weekends (if you’re not sick or hungover)?
Do you find that you could fall back asleep 2-3 hours after waking (around 10 or 11 am for an average workday)?
Do you need caffeine to function optimally during your workday?
If your answer is yes to 2 or more of these questions then consider taking some steps to improving your sleep.
So what can you do today to improve your sleep?
Dan’s Sleep Hygiene Checklist
Decrease the temperature of your bedroom to 18 degrees Celsius
Darken the room – blackout curtains are best
Avoid caffeine after lunch
Perform exercise 4-6 hours prior to bedtime
Go to bed and wake up at the same time EVERYDAY (yes even on weekends)
Start to dim lights 30-60 minutes before bed around the house
Get a set bedtime routine and stick to it
Avoid screens >1 hour before bed (if this is unavoidable use apps to reduce blue light emissions f.lux is one I use)
Clear bedroom of distractions – no phones/tablets/computers/bright lights – you should start to affiliate your bedroom with sleep & relaxation
Make sure you have eaten something but are not ‘stuffed’ – dairy products have been shown to increase feelings of ‘sleepiness’ (trial some yogurt and granola or a bowl of cereal)
These are some quick and easy ways to assist with your sleep. However, if you have any disordered sleeping habits (frequent waking, insomnia, sleep apnea etc.) please see a Sleep Specialist in your area to provide you with a tailored plan to get you snoozing.
As always,
Keep moving (& Napping)!
Dan DeBruyne PT