JOIN NOW
UPGRADE
Join Now

Sleep

At Martel Performance, we know that optimising your sleep is critical to
achieving peak performance.

Enhance your performance

Sleep: The foundation of peak performance

At Martel Performance, we know that optimising your sleep is critical to achieving peak performance.

Whether you’re training, competing, or recovering, proper sleep is essential for physical recovery, mental clarity, and injury prevention. With the guidance of our expert, Dr Saagar J. Patel, you can improve your sleep and take your performance to new heights.

Get in Touch

Sleep – The Foundation of Athletic Resilience

Why Sleep is Crucial for Athletes

Athletes need quality sleep to recover, rebuild muscles, restore energy, and prepare
mentally and physically for upcoming challenges.
  • Enhances Recovery

Sleep repairs muscles and restores energy levels.

  • Boosts Performance

Improves focus, reaction time, and physical endurance.

  • Supports Immunity

Promotes healing and reduces illness risk.

  • Balances Hormones

Regulates growth hormone and stress for optimal recovery.

Harnessing Sleep for Strength, Focus and Recovery

Why Sleep Is Crucial for Athletes

Athletes place heavy demands on their bodies through intense training and competition. Quality sleep allows for the recovery needed to rebuild muscles, restore energy, and prepare both mentally and physically for the challenges ahead.

Benefits of Optimised Sleep:

  • Faster recovery after training and competition.
  • Reduced risk of injury by allowing proper muscle repair.
  • Enhanced focus and cognitive performance for split-second decision-making.
  • Improved endurance for maintaining peak performance.

Guidelines for Enhanced Sleep Quality

Essential Sleep Guidance for Elite Performance

Essential strategies for maintaining quality sleep while on the move. Keep your performance high and recovery on track.

Time Zones

  • Tip: Work out what time you will be landing and what you would normally be doing at that time.
  • Action: Set yourself to sleep according to your arrival time, not your departure.
  • Nutrition: Eat the right meals at the right time for your arrival.
Learn More

Daylight is Your Best Friend

  • Tip: Get into bright daylight as soon as possible after landing.
  • Action: Try to get outside for breakfast in the daylight.
  • Impact: Being outdoors on your first day will help your body adjust faster.
Learn More

Sleep Pattern

  • Tip: If you feel tired, avoid napping during the day, especially on the first two days.
  • Action: Don’t nap after midday, and avoid lying in a dark room.
  • Rest: An early night is fine, but don’t sleep too early—you want to reset to the new time zone.
Learn More

Eat Right, Sleep Right

  • Tip: Avoid snacking randomly—you wouldn’t do this at home.
  • Nutrition: Eat the right meal at the right time to reset your rhythm.
  • Hydration: Stay well hydrated, especially after long flights, but avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Learn More

Avoiding Shortcuts

  • Tip: Avoid taking sleep medication unless advised by a professional.
  • Reality: There’s no ‘one hit wonder’ for fixing jet lag; it takes effort.
  • Team Sync: If travelling with a team, try to get everyone on the same time zone as soon as possible to avoid disruptions in team dynamics.
Learn More

When You Land

  • Tip: If you land at night, try to avoid sleeping on the flight so you’ll be ready for sleep when you arrive.
  • Reality: This will help ensure a restful first night and a smoother transition into the new time zone.
  • Team Sync: If travelling as a team, split into groups with similar sleep patterns.
Learn More

Your Partner in Achieving Quality Sleep and Recovery

Meet Our Sleep Expert

Our sleep optimisation programmes are led by Dr Saagar J. Patel, a renowned expert in sleep health. With extensive experience working with elite athletes and sports teams, Dr Patel has developed effective sleep strategies for maximising recovery and performance.

Whether you’re dealing with travel fatigue, a busy competition schedule, or simply looking to improve your sleep quality, Dr Patel will guide you every step of the way.

get in touch

Personalised Support Through Expert Webinars and 1 on 1 Sessions

Webinars and Bespoke Consultations

Monthly Webinars for Sleep Optimisation

With our monthly membership, access exclusive webinars by Dr. Saagar J. Patel on sleep science and strategies to boost rest, recovery, and performance. Perfect for improving routines or managing travel sleep.

  • Monthly webinars covering essential sleep strategies.
  • Access to our full catalogue of past webinars.
  • Expert advice on sleep recovery and optimisation tailored to high-performing athletes.
Sign Up

Looking for Personalised Sleep Guidance?

If you want a tailored approach, we also offer one-on-one consultations with Dr Saagar J. Patel. These consultations focus on creating a bespoke sleep programme that addresses your unique needs, whether you’re facing challenges like frequent travel or recovering from an injury.

To book a personal consultation, simply fill out this form with your details, and our team will reach out to arrange a session at your convenience.

WarringtonWolves
NHS
ManCity
Liverpool
Everton
England Rugby
England Netball

Educational Posts

Discover More
Housing

How Housing Affects Young Players Financially

When we think about football academies, the focus is usually on potential - the next big talent, the rise through the ranks, the pathway to the Premier League. But for the teenagers inside these systems, life isn’t just about football. There’s education, welfare, and, surprisingly, tax.
Bed

Sleeping Better When the Temperature Drops

Well, the temperature’s changing, and it’s now a lot colder than it used to be. So how do we sleep well when the weather turns cold? The temptation is to turn up the heating and make the room as warm as possible. But once you get into bed, that often backfires, and you start to overheat.
Bedroom Lighting and Sleep

Bedroom Lighting and Sleep

Bedroom lighting often gets a lot of attention, but usually for the wrong reasons. Many people want bright, fancy lights to showcase their bedroom or make the space feel bigger. The popular choice these days is spotlights - often blue LED rather than soft white.
Women vs. Men Sleep Differences and Body Temperature in Professional Sport

Women vs. Men: Sleep Differences and Body Temperature in Professional Sport

In elite sport, every detail matters — recovery, nutrition, mindset, and sleep all play crucial roles in performance. Yet, one area that’s often overlooked, even at the highest level, is how a woman’s menstrual cycle influences sleep and body temperature.
Breaking the Taboo Around Male Fertility in Professional Sport

Breaking the Taboo Around Male Fertility in Professional Sport

In elite sport, athletes are constantly working to optimise every aspect of their performance – from nutrition and recovery to mindset and physical conditioning. But one area that often goes unspoken is male fertility.
Candy-Coated Consequences

Candy-Coated Consequences

There’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to the occasional sweet treat, but what happens when this infrequent reward becomes an unbreakable habit? What effect is it having on your performance, and how can we break this detrimental habit in order for you to be able to perform at full capacity?
Paye Tax Code

Paye Tax Code

Is your PAYE tax code correct and is sufficient tax being deducted from your salary?

This is often a source of confusion for footballers and an incorrect tax code leads to unexpected tax bills.
Sleep Trackers

Sleep Trackers: Helpful Tool or Hidden Stressor?

- Whether sleep trackers are helpful or harmful
- Why focusing only on activity can be misleading
- How over-reliance on tracking can cause anxiety
- The benefits of newer trackers for recovery
Your Sleep Season Broken Down

Game, Set, Nap: Your Sleep Season Starts Here

For most athletes, when they think of performance, they think of the field. But there is an often-neglected tool hiding in plain sight: sleep. Your sleep season provides the foundations for rebuilding, resetting and preparing your body to push even further tomorrow.
Understanding Sleep Why It Really Matters

Understanding Sleep: Does It Really Matter?

- Why understanding the value of sleep helps you stick to it
- How little time athletes actually spend competing vs recovering
- Why sleep is one of the biggest untapped performance tools
- A breakdown of where your real gains happen during the season
What Happens When It All Goes Wrong with Your Sleep

What Happens When It All Goes Wrong with Your Sleep?

- What happens when your sleep goes off track
- Common reasons sleep gets disrupted
- Why it matters when sleep quality drops
- How to get your sleep routine back on track
Martel Craving Calories

Craving Calories After Dark

We’ve all been there – it’s 9pm and we are feeling peckish after dinner. So, we head downstairs to grab a little snack, whether it be leftovers, a bag of crisps, or a sweet treat. But how does this affect our performance as athletes, and how can we manage our eating schedule to prevent spontaneous snacking after dark?
Martel Gut Microbiome

Gut Microbiome: The Performance Edge

Your gut does more than just digest food—it plays a powerful role in your performance, recovery, and overall health. In this article, we break down what the gut microbiome is, how to keep it in good shape, and why that matters for athletes like you.
Screens Vs. Sleep

Screens vs. Sleep: What You Need to Know

- Common questions about using electronics in the bedroom
- Why electronic devices can disrupt sleep quality
- The psychological attachment many people have to their devices
- The importance of creating a tech-free sleep environment
Timer x2

The Power of Nutrient Timing for Elite Athletes

For elite athletes, nutrient timing is a critical component of performance and recovery. This piece outlines the physiological and performance-based reasons why eating at the right times matters. Properly timed meals enhance energy availability.
Bedroom Lighting

Better Sleep for Athletes Starts with Better Lighting

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​
Martel Sleep Impact

Men vs. Women: The Sleep Impact of the Female Hormone Cycle

- The differences between male and female sleep patterns
- How the female hormone cycle affects sleep throughout the month
- The impact of temperature changes linked to hormonal shifts
- Practical tips to adjust your sleep environment and routine accordingly
Dairy Free

Why Elite Athletes Are Going Dairy-Free: Performance-Boosting Benefits

Elite athletes are increasingly turning to dairy-free diets to gain a competitive edge. This article explores how removing dairy may reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and enhance recovery—key factors in high performance. With insights from science and sport, it highlights why dairy-free living could be a smart move for those aiming to train harder, recover faster, and perform at their peak.
nap

Are Evening Naps Beneficial?

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

Struggling To Sleep Without Financial Clarity?

Due to the competitive nature of professional sports, those at the elite level are seeking ways to improve their performance and often forego their mental wellbeing in pursuit of winning.

We provide straightforward, discreet and a diligent service so that finance and money can be managed efficiently, leaving more time to focus on mental health and achieve greater heights.
Breakfast

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Breakfast plays a vital role in the performance and well-being of elite athletes. As the first opportunity to refuel after overnight fasting, a healthy breakfast enhances energy levels, supports muscle recovery, stabilizes blood sugar, and improves cognitive function. It also contributes to a healthy metabolism, body composition, and immune system. Skipping this critical meal can impair both physical and mental performance, making breakfast an essential component of an elite athlete's daily routine.
Improving sleep

Improving Sleep for Female Footballers During the Menstrual Cycle

Sleep is crucial for athletic performance, recovery, and health. Female footballers face unique challenges due to menstrual cycle changes and varying match schedules, which affect sleep patterns. This article explores strategies to optimise sleep across different menstrual phases while adapting to match timings for improved performance and well-being.
Importance of Turmeric

Importance of Turmeric

Turmeric, a yellow spice from the Curcuma longa plant, is valued for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Its active ingredient, curcumin, provides key health benefits. Widely used in traditional medicine, turmeric supports athletes by enhancing performance and recovery, making it a powerful natural aid in sports and fitness.
Electronics

Electronics, How Do They Affect Sleep Performance?

Minimise time spent in the bedroom when not sleeping. Avoid screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime, as they can delay sleep onset. Charge your phone outside the bedroom and refrain from using it as an alarm clock. Limit TV distractions—record shows to watch later rather than viewing them live.
Hydration

Importance Of Hydration

Hydration is essential for elite athletes as it supports nearly all bodily functions, helps maintain energy, boosts physical and mental performance, and aids recovery. Despite its critical role, it is often underestimated or overlooked.
Bedroom Management

Bedroom Management

Maintain a cool bedroom for better sleep regulation. Keep the room quiet and free from distractions, such as technology. Avoid eating or drinking in bed. Use a dimly lit alarm clock instead of a phone to minimise disruptions.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

All faqs

Sleep is essential for recovery, muscle repair, and overall mental and physical well-being. Quality sleep helps athletes optimise their performance, improve focus, and reduce the risk of injury. It is the oldest and cheapest form of natural recovery.

Our sleep experts provide tailored advice and strategies to help you establish healthy sleep habits, overcome sleep challenges, and maximise recovery through restorative rest. By focusing on not only the time you are asleep but also the pre and post-sleep, our team helps to make sure you arrive for your next challenge refreshed and ready to perform.

Our webinars cover a range of topics, including the science of sleep, practical tips for improving sleep quality, and advice tailored to the unique demands of athletes. They are included in our membership plans and accessible on-demand.

Yes, poor sleep can impact your energy levels, hinder recovery, and reduce cognitive function, all of which are crucial for athletic performance. Addressing sleep issues is key to achieving your full potential. Poor sleep can also increase your chances of injury through a season.

Absolutely. We provide personalised consultations to identify and address your specific sleep challenges, offering tailored solutions to help you achieve better rest.

Many athletes notice improvements in energy levels, focus, and recovery within a few weeks of implementing our sleep strategies. Consistency is key to achieving lasting benefits.