NO DAYS OFF!! SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK!
If you’ve played sports in the 90’s and early 2000’s, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this. It could’ve been your coaches, your teammates, even in those motivational videos in the early days of YouTube. We as coaches and educators know better now. Sleep is arguably the greatest tool for recovery, growth and alertness. Us coaches and educators need to be able to effectively communicate the benefits of sleep and the risks that come with a lack of zzz’s to our students and athletes. The National Sleep Foundation recommends school age children and teens get 8-10 hours of sleep every night for optimum health.
HERE’S SOME BENEFITS TO SLEEP
SLEEP WILL BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM
When your body is getting the rest it needs in order to function, immune cells and proteins also get their rest in order to fight off viruses like a cold or the flu. Proper sleep can also make vaccines more effective as well. Can’t win games online with your boys if you’re too busy with sniffles and hacking up a lung.
SLEEP CAN IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY
That upcoming health and fitness test that you have, do you remember what day it’s on? Of course you don’t, you were too busy dozing off in class when I mentioned it. Did you know that while you’re sleeping, your brain is actively processing and consolidating your memories from the day?
SLEEP CAN IMPROVE ALERTNESS
“Hey Kyle, think fast!” Ashley says as she throws a dodgeball his way. If Kyle has rested up the night before your dodgeball class, he might not have been the first one out.
Let’s get serious here. These are some recommendations you can provide to your students and their parents to improve their sleep quality.
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Exercise. I personally find that if I train in the evening, I fall asleep much faster at bedtime.
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Reduce screen time before bed. Just minutes of screen stimulation can delay melatonin release by several hours and desynchronize the body clock or your circadian rhythm. Once the body clock is disrupted, all sorts of other unhealthy reactions occur, such as hormone imbalance and brain inflammation. Plus, high arousal doesn’t permit deep sleep, and deep sleep is how we heal.
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DON’T DRINK ALCOHOL! It’s illegal for people under 19 and outside of the usual safety reasons, alcohol can increase the symptoms of sleep apnea, snoring and disrupted sleeping patterns.
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Set a pre-sleep routine. Read a book, listen to music, take a hot shower. These methods are healthy and can help your students relax and feel at ease.
