Sleep is vital for optimal athletic performance. Let’s take a look at how renowned athletes prioritize their sleep!
Athletes rely on their physical capabilities to succeed in sports. It is understandable that people tend to look up to athletes given the great success and strength they possess. Energy, focus, and stamina are just a few of the components needed as an athlete.
With proper rest and relaxation, athletes are able to perform as well as they need to. Athletes need sleep to:
- Recover muscle strength: When sleeping, the body is able to repair and restore damaged muscles. This is a common thing when participating and exercising so sleep is crucial.
- Prevention of injury: The risk of injury is high due to the consistent movement athletes must do in sports. When working out or participating in a sport, the athlete’s mindset must be focused to avoid the risk of injury. When an athlete is well rested they can perform much better.
- Performance optimization: Reaction time, endurance, and decision-making is crucial in sports. Athletes must be prepared and well-rested to have the focus they need to accomplish their goals.
- Mental recovery: Since an athlete is exhausted physically, a mental drain can occur. Stress is a huge component of sports that can affect a person’s mental health.
Famous athletes who support the need for sleep
There are a handful of very successful and notable names in the industry of sports. Due to the large amounts of press and eyes wondering just how these athletes perform as well as they do, some have given their opinions about sleep.
The athletes we are going to delve into are:
- LeBron James
- Serena Williams
- Usain Bolt
- Rodger Federer
- Tom Brady
- Michael Phelps
LeBron James
LeBron James is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers. James has been recognized all around the world and has helped the teams he’s been on win a total of four NBA championships. He is considered one of the best basketball players of all time.
LeBron James has openly stated how important sleep is to his schedule. He prioritizes getting at least 8 hours of sleep if not more.
CNBC posted an article detailing LeBron James’ nighttime routine where he said, “that’s the best way for your body to physically and emotionally be able to recover and get back to 100 percent as possible. Now, will you wake up and feel 100 percent? There are some days you don’t. So some days you feel better than others. But the more, and more, and more time that you get those eight – if you can get nine, that’s amazing.”
The science backs up James’ points. 8 hours of sleep each night is entirely ideal to help refresh from the prior day.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams is a professional American tennis player, the greatest female tennis player in all of history. She has set multiple records as well as being the oldest player to win a Grand Slam singles title.
Serena Williams has been vocal about how much she needs her sleep. She has also been known to stray away from caffeine after 12 p.m. This decision to avoid caffeine is smart being that caffeine is a stimulant that does nothing for restful sleep. Caffeine affects the central nervous system which creates feelings of alertness rather than fatigue which would help you to fall asleep.
Usain Bolt
Usain Bolt is a retired sprinter from Jamaica. He is considered to be one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time. Considering the sport of track and field, an athlete needs a great amount of focus and energy.
One of Bolts’ sleep habits is getting around 8-10 hours of sleep each night. He does this for both physical and mental recovery.
This choice by Bolt is extremely valuable for both his physical and mental health. After all, not getting enough sleep can be very detrimental to mental health. Sleep helps to regulate mood, decrease feelings of stress, and improve focus and concentration.
Rodger Federer
Rodger Federer is a professional tennis player from Switzerland. He has won a record of 20 Grand Slam singles titles as well as many other awards. As previously mentioned, Serena Williams and Rodger Federer, both tennis players require a large amount of focus and accuracy.
A sleep habit Federer tries to work on is his consistent sleep schedule. This idea of consistent sleep is a smart one considering the body’s circadian rhythm. Considering how often these athletes travel, it can be very hard to prioritize sleep but getting into a consistent schedule helps to eliminate the worry of not getting enough sleep; especially since the body will naturally start to tire when kept to a schedule.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady is a very successful football player. Playing for the New England Patriots, Brady is known for winning 6 super bowl championships. His sleep habit is getting enough hours of sleep each night so he can rest and recover from the very physical drainage that he goes through daily.
Football is one of the heaviest-contact sports. Muscles and joints can be easily injured or torn which is why Brady understands he needs to get enough sleep so that his body can catch up.
Michael Phelps
Very famous Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps is tested physically each time he gets in the water. Swimming, especially at a fast pace, requires a large amount of strength. This is why Phelps makes sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
Without sleep, none of these athletes would be where they are
You cannot perform as well as these athletes without sleep. Each of the names listed knows that they must get the proper amount of sleep each night to perform the best they can. Take a note from them and use it to better yourself and your life. If you need extra help falling asleep, consider our product, Relaxium Sleep.
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To restful and healthy days ahead.
The Relaxium Team
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Sources:
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/why-do-we-need-sleep