Who needs sleep? All you need is 5 hours and pre-workout, right?
Many people wish this were true; unfortunately, it’s not.
Sleep has a marked effect on exercise performance. We’ve all seen and felt it, and the research backs it.
Sleep’s Positive Effect on Exercise Performance
There’s a reason why athletes like Lebron James and Roger Federer get between 10-12 hours of sleep each night. [4]
“Sleep is the greatest legal performance-enhancing drug that few athletes are abusing enough.” – Matthew Walker (Sleep Expert) [4]
It’s clear from studies and anecdotes that sleep is one of the most powerful performance-enhancing drugs on the market.
A study in sports medicine showed, “Improvements in sleep duration and quality appear to improve reaction time, accuracy, and endurance performance” [1]
Even if you aren’t an athlete, higher quality exercise will lead you to better outcomes on your fitness goals.
Lack of Sleep’s Negative Effect on Exercise Performance
Given that great sleep has performance-enhancing effects, it would be expected for poor sleep to have performance-decreasing effects. This is exactly what the studies show:
“Insufficient sleep duration can impact metabolism, endocrine function, athletic and cognitive outcomes, and, furthermore, increase perceived effort during exercise” [2]
Not only does poor sleep impact your bodily function, but it also makes exercise feel more difficult.
I’ve found this to be very true. Exercising when I’m sleep deprived feels like an impossible task.
Two Way Street: Exercise’s Sleep Boosting Effects
Not only does good sleep lead to better exercise, but good exercise leads to better sleep.
Based on available studies, “We have solid evidence that exercise does, in fact, help you fall asleep more quickly and improves sleep quality,” says Charlene Gamaldo, M.D. , medical director of Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep at Howard County General Hospital.
This creates a positive feedback loop!
By focusing on getting quality sleep each night and consistent daily exercise, you are creating a powerful cycle that will propell your fitness forward!
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