WHY SOME ATHLETES RESIST USING SLEEP FOR RECOVERY

WHY SOME ATHLETES RESIST USING SLEEP FOR RECOVERY

IT'S EASY FOR A YOUNG ATHLETE to neglect sleep.  So, they do.  And, this phenomena isn't restricted to only athletes. Or, the young... 

... we'll stick with athletes.

I realized what the issue is today.

It's not that most of us don't understand the idea of sleep,
it's that we don't realize we need a lot more.

Until we are exhausted.

exhausted

adjective

extremely tired

Being slightly tired via getting 80-90% of the sleep we need can quickly become our default.

I know it was mine for decades.

Because it's our default, we slip into thinking the slightly tired feeling is normal.

It's not.

It's sub-optimal at best.

This was driven home today.

After a punishing 90 miles and 5000' of vert...

  • I showered
  • Made a late lunch
  • Gave myself 30 minutes to watch some TV

... woke up 2 hours later!

By going deep...

  • on the ride
  • or grinding at work
  • helping out on a project

... we exhaust our reserves.

That forced nap had me feeling a million times better.

Maybe those who don't think they need more sleep, just aren't charging hard enough?

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Thinking this GC Red bag would fit right in at La Vuelta

 

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163.8
7 hrs
PullUps, PushUps
10 minutes recovery
30 minutes reading + Journaling 

https://www.strava.com/athletes/10248