Sleep Tips for Runners and Triathletes From A Sleep Expert
Growing up, I (Amanda) had the privilege of having not one but two parents in the medical field related to sleep. So, as you can imagine, sleep and recovery was a big deal in our family and my parents were constantly reminding me of the importance of getting enough sleep and the role it played in my training (aka turn off the tv and go to bed).
Now as a running and triathlon coach, I give many of these same reminders to my athletes. I thought it would be fun to interview my mom, Mary Hahn, a sleep expert (Registered Polysomnographic Technologist) and Registered Respiratory Therapist, and get her take on this underrated recovery tool: sleep! Hope you learn something new and pick up some sleep strategies that’ll help you train better, recover faster, and feel more rested and prepared for your upcoming races.
Amanda: Hi Mom! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Mom: Absolutely! I’m happy to help.
Amanda: Okay so I’m going to start off with a question I’ve received from some of my athletes. Basically, what are some specific strategies or steps that athletes should be mindful of while training to ensure they have restorative sleep?
Mom: As far as specific strategies or steps for maintaining a healthy sleep/wake cycle during training and racing, 5 specific tips I can give you are:
Stick to a routine if you can because our bodies like routine. This includes sleep, meals, chores, training, and other activities.
Next, practice relaxing techniques before bedtime and limit screen time. And a reminder that the blue light emitted from all electronic devices can interfere with melatonin production that is crucial for sleep regulation.
Also, sleep in a cool, dark, and quiet room. Try blackout curtains or a sleep (eye) mask. In general, room temperatures around 68 degrees fahrenheit are best for sleep. However, different people prefer warmer or cooler rooms, so adjust to your comfort.
And this one goes without saying but you need to prioritize sleep: try to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep and take brief naps if needed. Consider short naps of 20-30 minutes for recovery and to support energy levels and as a general rule, no naps after 3 pm.
Finally, as much as possible, avoid intense exercise within 3-4 hours of bedtime, particularly for long or high intensity workouts. You can do less intense exercise within 1-3 hours of bedtime, just be sure to include a proper cooldown period after your workout to allow your body to recover.
Amanda: I feel like I’ve heard that last point a lot. Why do you think it’s so important not to exercise close to bedtime?
Mom: In a nutshell, this allows your body to cool down, allows your heart rate and adrenaline to return to normal, and allows your body to transition to sleep.
Amanda: Got it! Okay keeping with the evening/nighttime theme, why is it recommended to avoid caffeine and alcohol in the evening?
Mom: Caffeine is a stimulant, so it can make It harder to fall asleep and cause you to wake up more. And while alcohol initially acts as a sedative, it can disrupt sleep later in the night, leading to disturbed sleep and reduced REM sleep. Both of these along with dehydration in general can disrupt sleep health so it’s best to avoid them close to bedtime.
Amanda: Now that we’ve talked about more general sleep tips, let’s zoom in a little on specifics for athletes to keep in mind while traveling to races. Let’s say an athlete is traveling over multiple time zones to attend a race. What should they keep in mind?
Mom: If feasible, I’d suggest traveling before the race and adjusting one day per time zone. If they’re traveling across more than 3 time zones, they should gradually shift their bedtime and wake-up time to match the destination. The athlete should start adjusting their sleep schedule patterns, moving their bedtime earlier (heading east) or later (heading west) depending on the direction of travel) each day.
One approach is adjusting 1 hour or later for each of the 3 days leading up to the athlete’s departure. Another approach is starting a week before the departure to adjust the sleep schedule by 15-20 minute increments each day. These adjustments are for both bedtime and wake-up time.
Amanda: These are great suggestions for athletes traveling to races on the other side of the country and international travel too! Let’s talk a little more about sleep during travel. What suggestions do you have for athletes to improve their sleep during travel and more specifically their sleep environment?
Mom: I’d start with prioritizing comfort while traveling. Things like: familiar snacks and drinks, a travel pillow and blanket, compression socks (for circulation), noise canceling headphones or earplugs, sunglasses, a sleep mask, hydration supplements or electrolyte tablets and drinking at least 250 ml (~ 1 cup) of fluid every hour) are all recommended. In regards to food. I’d also avoid salty snacks and heavy meals before or during flights as they can cause bloating and dehydration. Instead, I’d recommend sticking to high-protein, low-sugar foods to maintain energy.
Amanda: What about athletes who are flying to races? Any specific sleep strategies there to promote good sleep?
Mom: Some in-flight strategies include: standing up every 2-3 hours, stretching, and walking down the aisle. Seated exercises like ankle circles, knee lifts, and shoulder rolls can help too.
Also, avoid taking long naps unless they align with nighttime at the destination. Taking short naps (20-30 minutes) if needed during the day is fine for an energy boost. The key is to avoid long naps and avoid napping after 4pm (keeping the destination time in mind). I’ve always found it helpful to set my phone and watch to the destination’s time zone too to make this easier.
And, upon arrival at the destination, try to immediately adopt the local schedule for sleep and meals. Get sunlight exposure if the timing works out.
Amanda: Lots of great tips there! I know how tough it is to stay awake at your destination when it’s bedtime back home, but I also remember it being super helpful. Would the same strategies apply for athletes returning home from a race or traveling to another time zone?
Mom: For the most part, yes. If there is enough time, apply the same strategies listed above for returning home or to another race in a different time zone. Always try to prioritize adjusting the sleep/wake schedule, mealtimes, staying hydrated, and training schedule. Being mindful of all the sleep hygiene steps is most helpful for rest, recovery and repair. And effectively managing the transition to different time zone(s) is crucial for optimal recovery in resuming training or competition. Establishing good sleep hygiene strategies and making them a priority, and allowing for proper transition to race location time zones will help in adequate rest, repair, recovery, and stress reduction.
Amanda: Anything else you’d add on sleep strategies or the topic of sleep in general?
Mom: I think it’s important to be mindful of zeitgebers (a German word for time givers), which are the environmental and internal cues that keep our circadian rhythm (the internal body clock) in sync. Environmental cues like sunlight, exercise, and eating are some examples of cues that reset your internal body clock. Our bodies have internal zeitgebers cues as well, such as the release of hormones; cortisol and melatonin that are important in maintaining our sleep wake cycle. When the external and internal zeitgebers are in sync, our body clock operates smoothly and we experience good sleep, alertness during the day, and other health benefits.
As I’ve mentioned throughout, maintaining good sleep hygiene is crucial for training and racing. So, I think it can be tempting to take over the counter sleep medications if you’re not sleeping well while training or traveling. But, I’d advise not taking sleep medications, even over the counter melatonin, unless you are under a physician’s care. If you find yourself still sleep deprived after following the sleep hygiene strategies, I’d advise seeking help from a health professional.
Amanda: Wrapping it up, what are the main takeaways readers should keep in mind regarding sleep hygiene strategies and overall sleep?
Mom: In summary, it’s important to prioritize good sleep hygiene strategies and proper transition to race location time zones will help in adequate rest, repair, recovery, and stress reduction. Sleep is a biological necessity. Our bodies require healthy sleep for cognitive function, mental health, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and metabolic health. Hopefully this info helps more athletes sleep better and feel more rested heading into their races.
Amanda: I’m sure it will. Thanks so much for doing this, Mom. Love you!
Mom: Of course, thanks for having me!