Sleep is powerful.

It can enhance muscle recovery, strengthen memory & enhance energy levels.

What other drug (legal of course) can achieve that?

Because of this, sleep is a non-negotiable block of the day for many athletes around the world and that’s why it’s a single programme in AthleteOS.

This newsletter goes into why sleep is so impactful.

Jump to leg 3 on this newsletters for the 6 things you can implement immediately to improve your sleep.

For a deeper dive on recovery, read our #59 newsletter on recovery here.

So why is sleep so powerful?

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The Main Feature

Leg one: What is sleep?

When we drift off to sleep, our bodies embark on an intricate journey through various stages, cycling through them every 90 to 110 minutes. This voyage begins with the lightest phase of sleep, where we're teetering on the edge of wakefulness and slumber. It's a brief period, lasting just a few minutes, where our muscle activity slows down, though it might be punctuated with occasional twitches. This is the stage where you might suddenly feel like you're falling, experiencing those startling hypnic jerks.

As we sink deeper into sleep, we enter the second stage, which serves as a sort of intermediate sleep. This part of the cycle, where our hearts slow and our bodies cool down, lasts a bit longer, making up the bulk of our night's rest. It's during this stage that our brain waves begin to slow, interspersed with quick bursts known as sleep spindles and K-complexes. We're more deeply relaxed and less susceptible to being woken up.

The journey continues into the third stage, often referred to as deep sleep or slow-wave sleep. This stage is especially crucial for our bodies to repair and grow, bolster our immune system, and consolidate our memories. Our brain waves are at their slowest, marked by delta waves, making this the hardest phase to be roused from. If you've ever been woken up during this stage, you might recall feeling particularly disoriented or groggy.

Eventually, we ascend into the REM stage, named for the rapid eye movements that occur. This phase is fascinating because, despite our brains lighting up with activity similar to when we're awake, our bodies remain in a state of paralysis, preventing us from acting out our dreams. This is when most dreaming happens, playing a key role in processing our emotions, consolidating memories, and learning. As the night progresses, we'll spend longer periods in REM sleep, especially toward the morning.

Our night's sleep isn't a simple linear progression but rather a cyclical journey. We don't move straight from the first stage to the last; instead, after reaching deep sleep, we typically ascend back through the intermediate stage before entering REM sleep, and then the cycle starts anew. This rhythm of moving through light sleep, deeper stages, and then dreaming helps ensure our minds and bodies get the restoration they need, highlighting the fascinating complexity of our sleep cycles.

There are four distinct stages of sleep, which are commonly divided into two types: three stages of Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and one stage of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Here's a quick overview:

1. Stage N1 (NREM): This is the initial light sleep phase where you transition from wakefulness to sleep. It's a short stage, often involving slow eye movements and reduced muscle activity.

2. Stage N2 (NREM): During this stage, you're in a more stable sleep, with no eye movement and decreased brain activity. This stage serves as a bridge to deeper sleep and constitutes the majority of sleep time.

3. Stage N3 (NREM): This is the deep sleep stage, crucial for physical restoration, memory consolidation, and immune system strengthening. Brain waves slow significantly, making it harder to be awakened.

4. REM Sleep: Characterized by rapid eye movements, this stage is associated with vivid dreaming. The brain is active, similar to when awake, but the body experiences muscle atonia to prevent acting out dreams. REM sleep is essential for emotional and cognitive health.

These stages cycle throughout the night, with each cycle lasting about 90 to 110 minutes. The proportion of each stage changes as the night progresses, with more deep sleep (N3) occurring earlier and the duration of REM sleep increasing in the later cycles.

T-1: Mental Preparation

Leg 2: How does sleep impact physical performance?

Muscle Repair and Growth

Muscle repair during sleep is a critical aspect of recovery for athletes and individuals engaged in regular physical activities. This process is intricately linked to the body's hormonal environment, which is significantly influenced by sleep.

The release of human growth hormone (HGH) during sleep, particularly during the deep slow-wave sleep (SWS) stages, is a cornerstone of muscle repair. HGH stimulates cell growth and reproduction, playing a direct role in the repair of muscle fibers damaged during workouts. It works by activating satellite cells, which are a type of stem cell involved in the repair of muscle tissue. These cells migrate to the site of injury, differentiate into mature muscle cells, and fuse to muscle fibers, not only repairing damaged tissue but also contributing to muscle hypertrophy (increase in muscle size).

Sleep enhances the body's nitrogen balance, a crucial factor in muscle repair and growth. A positive nitrogen balance indicates that muscle protein synthesis exceeds protein breakdown, a state conducive to muscle repair. During sleep, the reduction in physical activity allows the body to shift more resources towards repair and growth, optimizing protein synthesis. This process is fueled by amino acids, the building blocks of proteins, which are more effectively utilized for tissue repair during sleep.

Testosterone, another hormone that surges during sleep, further aids in muscle repair. Its levels increase during the REM stages of sleep and contribute to muscle growth by promoting protein synthesis. Testosterone works synergistically with HGH, enhancing the body's ability to repair and build muscle tissue.

Impact of Sleep on Inflammatory Response

The sleep-induced modulation of the inflammatory response also plays a crucial role in muscle repair. Sleep helps regulate the production of cytokines, which are involved in the inflammatory process. While inflammation is a natural part of the muscle repair process, excessive inflammation can delay recovery. Adequate sleep ensures a balanced inflammatory response, which is necessary for the healing of muscle tissues and the alleviation of muscle soreness.

In summary, the muscle repair process during sleep is complex and multifaceted, involving hormonal regulation, enhanced protein synthesis, and a balanced inflammatory response. These mechanisms work together to repair muscle damage, promote muscle growth, and prepare the body for future physical exertion. Understanding the importance of sleep in this context underscores the need for adequate rest as part of any training or fitness regimen, highlighting its role in achieving optimal physical health and performance.

Energy Restoration

The restoration of energy during sleep is closely linked to the replenishment of glycogen stores. Glycogen, the storage form of glucose in the body, is depleted during physical activities. Sleep facilitates the process of glycogen synthesis, where glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in muscle tissues and the liver for future energy use. This process is critical for endurance and the ability to sustain physical activities over time. Additionally, during sleep, the body's metabolic rate is adjusted, enhancing the efficiency of glycogen storage and ensuring optimal energy availability for the next day.

Overall Recovery

The overall recovery process during sleep is multifaceted, involving the reduction of inflammation and the strengthening of the immune system. Sleep modulates cytokine production, which is crucial for the immune response and inflammation control. Adequate sleep ensures the balance of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, aiding in the recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage and reducing the risk of overuse injuries.

Furthermore, sleep plays a pivotal role in cardiovascular recovery. During the NREM stages of sleep, blood pressure and heart rate decrease, providing an opportunity for the cardiovascular system to recover from the day's activities. This reduction in cardiovascular workload contributes to the body's overall recovery and readiness for subsequent physical exertion.

Preventing overtraining syndrome is another critical aspect of sleep's role in fitness. Overtraining syndrome results from an imbalance between training and recovery, leading to fatigue, decreased performance, and increased injury risk. Adequate sleep is essential for preventing this syndrome by ensuring that the body has enough time to recover fully from the physiological and psychological stresses of training.

In conclusion, the intricate processes that occur during sleep are indispensable for muscle repair, energy restoration, and overall recovery. Understanding these processes highlights the necessity of prioritizing sleep as a key component of any fitness regimen or athletic training program. By ensuring adequate and quality sleep, individuals can optimize their physical health, enhance performance, and prevent injuries, underscoring sleep's critical role in achieving and maintaining peak physical condition.

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Leg 3: What data to look at & what can be done to improve sleep?

it's crucial to focus on key areas that directly impact your recovery and performance through sleep. Let's hone in on the most critical sleep data to monitor and implement targeted strategies to enhance your sleep quality, ensuring you're in peak condition for training and competition.

Essential Sleep Metrics to Monitor

1. Total Sleep Time: Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Elite athletes often require more sleep than the average adult to facilitate optimal recovery.

2. Sleep Efficiency: Ensure you're actually sleeping for most of the time you're in bed. A sleep efficiency above 85% is considered good. This metric indicates quality sleep with minimal disturbances.

3. Deep Sleep Duration: Focus on the amount of deep sleep you're getting. Deep sleep is crucial for physical recovery, as this is when the body repairs itself.

4. Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV): These metrics can provide insight into your recovery state. A lower RHR and higher HRV during sleep suggest better recovery and readiness for physical exertion.

Strategies to Improve Sleep

Given the importance of these metrics, here are concise, high-impact strategies to improve your sleep:

1. Optimize Your Sleep Environment: Make your bedroom a sanctuary for sleep. It should be cool, quiet, and dark. Invest in a high-quality mattress and pillows that support a restful night.

2. Establish a Pre-Sleep Routine: Develop a relaxing routine before bed to signal to your body that it's time to wind down. This could include activities such as light stretching, reading, or meditation. Avoid screens to reduce blue light exposure, which can disrupt your sleep cycle.

3. Schedule and Consistency: Stick to a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends. Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day helps regulate your body's internal clock, improving sleep quality.

4. Mind Your Intake: Avoid caffeine and heavy meals close to bedtime. Both can disrupt sleep. Instead, focus on a balanced diet that supports your training regimen without interfering with your sleep.

5. Utilize Relaxation Techniques: Techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation can help ease the transition into sleep, particularly if you find your mind is active or anxious before bed.

6. Monitor and Adjust: Use a sleep tracker to monitor the sleep metrics mentioned. Reviewing this data regularly can help identify trends and areas for improvement. Don't hesitate to adjust your strategies based on what the data tells you.

By focusing on these key metrics and strategies, you'll enhance your sleep quality, which is vital for your performance and overall well-being. Remember, recovery is just as important as your training. Let's make sleep a priority in your training regimen.

So that’s how sleep can help you.

Coaches Corner

Workout of the Week: Century Ride with Heart Rate Training

Preparing for a 100km cycling challenge requires a focused approach to training, particularly with heart rate zone training to boost your cardiovascular endurance, efficiency, and pacing. Here’s a structured workout plan tailored for such an ambitious ride:

Understanding Heart Rate Zones:

• Zone 1 (50-60% of Max HR): Light intensity, perfect for warming up and cooling down.

• Zone 2 (60-70% of Max HR): Aerobic zone, comfortable pace, ideal for long distances.

• Zone 3 (70-80% of Max HR): Moderate intensity, enhances aerobic capacity.

• Zone 4 (80-90% of Max HR): High intensity, for increasing performance and speed.

• Zone 5 (90-100% of Max HR): Maximum intensity, for short bursts and hill climbs.

Workout Structure:

Kilometers 1-10: Warm-Up

• Begin in Zone 1 (50-60% Max HR) to get your muscles and cardiovascular system ready.

• Progress to Zone 2 (60-70% Max HR) towards the end of the warm-up phase.

• Focus: Gently preparing your body for the ride ahead.

Kilometers 10-40: Aerobic Endurance Building

• Settle into Zone 2 (60-70% Max HR) for a steady, manageable pace.

• Focus: Developing endurance and efficient fuel usage over distance.

Kilometers 40-70: Tempo and Threshold Work

• Shift into Zone 3 (70-80% Max HR) for the majority of this section.

• Include short intervals at Zone 4 (80-90% Max HR), especially on inclines or for tempo boosts.

• Focus: Improving lactate threshold and aerobic capacity.

Kilometers 70-90: Sustained Effort

• Maintain effort in Zone 3 or lower Zone 4, depending on your fitness level and the route's difficulty.

• Focus: Enhancing your ability to sustain a higher intensity over a longer duration.

Kilometers 90-100: Cool Down

• Gradually decrease to Zone 2, then to Zone 1 towards the last few kilometers.

• Focus: Aiding muscle recovery and gradually lowering your heart rate.

Additional Tips:

• Hydration and Nutrition: Keep well-hydrated and refuel with carbohydrates, especially during the long ride. Energy bars, gels, and electrolyte drinks are crucial.

• Pacing: Monitor your pacing to avoid burning out early. Use your heart rate zones to manage effort throughout the ride.

• Monitoring: A reliable heart rate monitor is essential for staying within the correct zones. Regular checks help adjust pacing as needed.

• Flexibility: Be prepared to adjust your effort based on how you feel and the terrain. Some sections may require more effort, and it's essential to listen to your body.

This heart rate-focused training approach is designed to maximize your cycling performance for the 100km challenge. By staying within the right zones and listening to your body, you'll enhance your endurance, speed, and overall riding experience.