Sleep

Simply YES! Sleep is a special state, required for body restitution & tissue repairs (Horne et al. 1981) In the absence of effective sleep, (Sleep deprivation), the detrimental consequences on cognitive function, mood, daytime sleepiness, and traditional performance indices such as reaction time and learning and memory tasks (Dinges et al., 1997; Carskadon & Dement 1981; Van Dongen et al., 2003) Several studies have also demonstrated the negative impact of sleep restriction on physical performance including weight-lifting, cardiorespiratory functioning, and psychomotor tasks that require accuracy and consistent performance (Mougin et al., 1991; Reilly T, 1994).

With increasing competiveness, professionalism, training, and fixture congestion within sport, athlete rest and recovery is compromised as a result (Bergeron et al., 2015). The International Olympic Committee (IOC), has called for diligence to safeguard psycho-physiological development (Bergeron et al., 2015; Mountjoy and Bergeron, 2015). The maintenance of appropriate rest (particularly sleep for adolescent athletes) was discussed within the recent IOC consensus statement, which stated the need to “design youth athlete development programmes … to mitigate the risk of overuse injuries and other health problems … providing sufficient and regular rest and recovery, to encourage positive adaptations and progressive

• Keep this cooler (neutral temperature) ​
• Dark and as quiet as possible ​
• Avoid distractions in the bedroom ​
  • – Use of a devices box ​
  • – place all devices away before bed
• Avoid food and drink in the bedroom​​
• Use a low lit clock or one that cannot be seen to avoid clock watching
  • – Do not use the phone as an alarm clock​
  ​

• Keep out of the bedroom as much as possible
• Avoid 30 minutes before bedtime
• Use can delay sleep onset time
• If possible – charge the phone outside the bedroom
• Not a case of blue light but a distraction
  • – Avoid using as an alarm clock
  • – Even if on vibrate – it is still a distraction
• TVs
  • – Problem in hotels
  • – The “Love Island” disease

• Avoid over hydration in later into the evening to stop the need to wake at night
  • – Involve the nutrition team if needed​
  • – Especially difficult during night matches​
  ​
• Avoid caffeine 5-6 hours before bedtime​
  • – Difficult for night matches​
• Large meals before bedtime will not only impact on sleep but diet and weight management​

• Try and think about what you need and why?​
  • – What is actually going on?​
• Try to look at targeted medications and therapy
  • – Allergy​
  • – Reflux​
  • – Pain​
  • – Tiredness​
  • – Mental Health – depression, anxiety, home sick​
• We don’t prescribe sleeping tablets​

• You are allowed to nap but ensure it is done properly​
• Don’t nap for longer 30 minutes​
• Avoid naps later in the day​
• Good way to increase total sleep time if used properly​

• Low level lighting to calm the room at night to aid ‘switching off’​
• Try red or orange side lighting rather than bright white bedside lights​
• ​Use a dim light if night lighting is needed to avoid awakening​
• ​Avoid bathroom lighting where possible​
• – Use low level lighting if possible in time before bed​

• Humidifiers and diffusers
  • – Lavender oils and senses can help promote calmness and also preparation for sleep
• Lighting
  • – Use the low tech motion sensor lights
  • – Helps with night time awakening if using the bathroom
• Blue screen glasses and filters
  • – Throw them away and just switch the device off

• In theory not a bad option ​
  • – Is more data more helpful with the untrained eye​
  • – A good potential screening tool but in game and match weeks – not so convinced​
• Match week​
  • – If the player is sleeping well – excellent​
  • – 2 days before the match do we really need the player to look at the data with their untrained eye and read ‘you did not sleep well last night’ or ‘your total sleep time has been down this week’​