Better Cycling Through Good Sleep
FasCat Coaching
By FasCat Coaching
We all know that we need good sleep for optimal recovery and performance on the bike, but many of us still skimp on getting enough quality rest. Here are some simple tips and tricks for improving your nightly rest so you can fully recover and prime yourself for quality training and riding.
If you struggle with sleep the night before a big event, don't worry! If you have one bad night of sleep, studies show that there's not really a big effect on your performance. If lack of sleep becomes chronic however then we do see a reduction in peak power.
On the flip side, getting adequate regular sleep boosts performance. A study on basketball players who boosted their sleep, for instance, showed sprint times improve by a second and free-throw accuracy increase by 6 percent.
FasCat's Checklist for Good Sleep
KEEP IT COOL: keep your bedroom at about 65 degrees
KEEP IT DARK: keep your room as dark as possible, covering any light indicators from electronics, and use blackout drapes or shades
KEEP IT QUIET: wear earplugs or use a white-noise app like Calm
HYDRATE: drink a pint glass of water before bed
NO SCREENS: turn off all screens an hour before bed
GET ON A SCHEDULE: go to bed and get up at same time
NO FOOD 3 HOURS BEFORE BED: going to bed with a full belly puts your body in an active state (bonus, people often lose weight on this schedule because most of our calorie surplus happens late at night)
STRETCH: do some gentle yoga moves that target your neck, shoulders, and side-body to open your ribs for better deep breathing at night
MEDITATE: take deep breaths in through the nose, out through the mouth. LISTEN: listen to something relaxing like an audiobook, Gregorian chants, BBC Radio, sleep apps like Calm, or the underwater sounds of whales
Want more training tips? Visit our partner FasCat Coaching and start your free, 14-day trial of Optimize, which includes unlimited training plans, meal plans, recipes and more.
