Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 118, May 2019 | Page 45

COACHING
BODY SCIENCE
high priority in an athlete’s daily planning and training programmes.
2 Growth Time: During the deeper stages of sleep, human growth hormone
Sleep Better
to Run Better
Take note of these five reasons why catching more quality
Z’s can make you a stronger, better runner. Now go sleep on
it… – BY SEAN FALCONER
I
n the modern, ever-busy world surrounded by technology and distractions,
getting a full night’s sleep is a rarity for many people, due to the demands
of ever-busier lifestyles, but go ask top runners about sleep and most will
tell you they try to get a solid nine to 10 hours a night whenever possible. This
is because they know that it’s during sleep that your body recovers from hard
training and builds you into a better runner. Now, sleep needs vary from one
person to the next, but here’s why you should try to get more sleep if you want
to perform better on the run.
(HGH) is released by the pituitary gland and released into the bloodstream to
rebuild damaged tissue and build stronger muscles. It also helps convert fat to
fuel, and keeps our bones strong. If you don’t get enough sleep, you produce
less HGH, and it becomes harder for your body to recover from workouts. Too
little sleep also leads to an increase in cortisol, which contributes to slower
recovery times.
3 Taking on Water: During sleep, the kidneys balance water, sodium and
electrolytes, so if you are already dehydrated from sweating, especially in the
hotter months, sleep provides vital time for water re-absorption. So not only
do you need to drink enough water to replenish lost liquids, you also need to
get enough sleep so that your body can absorb it properly, or you may suffer
muscle pain and poor performance when running.
4 Keeping Trim: When you don’t get enough sleep, your appetite-related
hormones can be thrown out of sync. Less sleep leads to more ghrelin, which
makes you hungry, and less leptin, which tells you that you’re full, so regularly
sleeping a full night helps keep your hunger signals in check. Added to this, if
you’re not sleeping enough, your body won’t store carbs properly, leading to
less glycogen stores, and you may hit the wall sooner in your next race.
5 Improved Focus: It takes a few hours after you fall asleep to reach deep,
quality sleep, usually into the seventh hour, so getting enough sleep helps you
tune into your body and improve your concentration, which can help you greatly
not only in work or studies, but also when strategising your race.
1 In For Repairs: Sleep is when your body repairs and regenerates damaged GET THE ESSENTIALS
tissue from a workout, and builds bone and muscle to be ready for the next
workout. Therefore, distance runners especially need sleep and repair time to
recover from training. Research has proven that increased sleeping time can
improve athletic performance, and subjects who slept more saw their speed
improve significantly, and said they felt their training improved after six weeks
of lengthened sleep. Also, research suggests that reducing an accumulated
sleep-debt can be beneficial for athletes at all levels, and sleep should be a •
•
1 Garlic: This potent relative of the onion contains the active ingredient allicin, 7 Water: Hydration flushes out toxins and thins out mucus.
which fights infection and bacteria. As an anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial
antioxidant, garlic is a powerful opponent of just about everything. 8 Beta-carotene: The skin serves as a first-line of defence against bacteria. To
2 Red Bell Peppers: It has been proven that dosing up on vitamin C can reduce
flu symptoms, also strengthening the skin and increasing antibody production. Red
bell peppers contain twice the amount of vitamin C found in most vegetables and
fruits (including the famous orange).
•
Determine your sleep needs and meet that quota every night.
Establish a regular sleep schedule by going to bed and getting up at the
same time every day. With an ever-changing sleep-wake schedule, your
body never knows when it’s time to shut down.
Get one long block of continuous sleep at night. Power naps are a last
resort if you have to make up lost sleep – snooze for 10 to 15 minutes, no
longer, or you might become groggy.
stay strong, your skin needs vitamin A, and one of the best ways to get it into your
diet is from foods containing beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin
A. Think orange when looking for foods rich in beta-carotene: Carrots, squash,
pumpkin and cantaloupe.
3 Plain Yoghurt: Probiotics are the star of the show in yoghurt’s claim to immune-
boosting fame. Natural, plain low-fat yoghurt contains ‘good bacteria’ essential for
maintaining a healthy digestive system, while some even help fight harmful bacteria
like salmonella and viral infections.
4 Ginger: This is a powerful antioxidant, and can help to stimulate your circulation,
aiding detoxification and cleansing the colon. Strong antimicrobial and anti-
inflammatory properties make ginger root another good bet for boosting immunity.
5 Chicken Soup: The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking,
chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain the
results. Like any hot liquid, soup also helps you to stay hydrated and raises the
temperature of the airways, both of which are important for loosening mucus.
6 Zinc: Because the body cannot create it or store it, zinc must be obtained
through diet and must be consumed on a regular basis. Red meat and poultry
are common sources, but many other foods also contain zinc, including oysters,
beans, whole grains and fortified cereals.
About the Author:
Christene is a registered dietician based in the Johannesburg area.
45