Covid-19 might be an unprecedented disruption to life as we know it in Indonesia and around the world, as the pandemic brought economic marketplaces, social events and other fixtures that you used to take for granted to a halt. However, the coronavirus still has a silver lining in its cloud, among them renewed awareness of sports as a healthy lifestyle, as typified by the current trend of bicycling on Jakarta’s streets. The sports craze also highlighted the role of sleep in getting and staying fit, whether your sport of choice is taking your bike out for a spin around the block, training for a triathlon, or hitting those weights at your nearest gym.
The connection between sleep and sports
Medical specialists and athletes, both professional and amateur, naturally swear by the benefits of exercise and a balanced diet for a healthy life and getting them in shape. However, sleep.org pointed out that quality sleep is just as vital as the former two, due to its rejuvenating, reenergizing qualities, and their benefits in memory-making and information processing abilities.
“Sleep is a crucial third factor [after a balanced diet and exercise]. In fact, without [quality sleep], diet and exercise can suffer,” said the website. “Sleep ensures muscle growth, recovery and illness prevention. The benefits of sleep are especially important for athletes.” WebMD.com backed sleep.org’s findings. “Sleep is when your body repairs itself. If we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t perform well.”
They also recommended that athletes get “between seven to nine hours of sleep every night. However, elite athletes should aim for closer to nine hours.”
Sleep and muscle building
sleep.org has found that quality shuteye is connected to muscle building. “During sleep, crucial muscle-building growth hormone is secreted. This hormone production typically happens during deep sleep, also known as stage 3 of non-REM sleep,” the website said. “Also during sleep, your muscles relax. This relaxation allows your muscles to be relieved of tension and can reduce pain.”
The effects are particularly tangible when building up physical strength. “When you do strength exercises such as weight lifting, you create small tears in your muscles. These cells are repaired during sleep,” observed sleep.org. “These cells and tissues are repaired during sleep, making your muscles stronger. Sleep also boosts your overall muscle mass.”
sleep.org also warned that insufficient sleep can increase appetite inducing hormones and lower insulin sensitivity. “As a result, the muscle fuel source glycogen may not be replenished adequately. Without a regular restoration of glycogen, athletes are less likely to be able to train as strenuously or frequently…Additionally, when your insulin sensitivity decreases, your risk for diabetes increases.” Other side effects of insufficient sleep include impaired production of
growth hormones, as indicated by tense and sore muscles, as well as chronic pain in the long term.
Sleep, muscle coordination and athletic performance
Aside from building up muscle, sleep can help improve how you coordinate them to increase accuracy, speed and reaction. These include:
Improved speed and reaction times: sleep.org found that university swimmers who slept for ten hours a night “dived off the block faster and improved their turn times. The athletes also improved their 15 meter swim times.” Sleep Foundation also found that the swimmers increased their kick strokes, as well as better moods, less sleepiness and fatigue. Sleep Foundation reported that sleep deprivation hampered the athletes’ sprint times, exhausted them even more quickly, and decreased reaction times. The website added that inadequate sleep made for “difficulty learning and decision making. Choices such as passing the ball or taking it to the net yourself,” which can be made in a split second, can be made to be more difficult or made late. Lack of sleep can also increase risk of injuries, particularly for middle and high school athletes.
Sleep and physical recovery
Tips for quality sleep
Quality sleep might be indispensable for you because it is essential to a healthy life. This is more of the case if you are an athlete, as it helps keep you on top of your game. Here are some tips to get the sleep you need:
Conclusion
Whether you are a professional or amateur athlete, quality sleep can make the difference between winning or losing, as well as getting on top of your game or being stuck in a slump. Experts noted that aside from sleep’s benefits for a healthy life, quality shuteye can play a role in an athlete’s accuracy, speed and reaction, as well as cognitive abilities and decision making, both of which are essential in making important plays.
These needs highlight the role of quality bedding products like those made by King Koil. Certified by the ICA (International Chiropractors Association) and the International Sleep Products Association (ISPA), these include mattresses that use a ‘Quality Sleep System’ based on Comfort, Support and Durability to enable sound, good quality sleep. The mattresses also used the New Zoned mattress system to give you optimum support for your back and spine.
Premium quality beds, such as the Super Premium King Koil Posture Bond or Premium King Koil Spinal Guard will further your need for quality sleep through the use of the All New Signature Gold Response. The Response is highlighted by the Auto Response Gold Coil as part of its Auto Zoning System to provide flexible support by adjusting pressure to your spine.
These and other products like bed linens, pillows, bolsters and quilts, and mattress protectors are also designed for the ultimate quality sleeping experience. So drop by the nearest King Koil outlet to get the most out of these products.