Since spending two weeks with acquaintances in Andalusia, I admire the Spaniards for their extended siesta. Whenever we return to the summer heat, I would like to have a daily rhythm like that of the Andalusia’s: At one o’clock in the afternoon you eat – then siesta is announced, until the slightly lower position of the sun allows you to work outdoors again at around four or five o’clock. They are also active until late in the pleasant evening, or until the pleasantly cool night.
Sleep is an important part of the puzzle for training, which is often neglected. If you work out regularly and get too little sleep, your training work will be less fruitful. If you increase your weekly training by 10 kilometers, you will need about half an hour more sleep per night.
Runners sleep better
If you exercise regularly, you will also be able to benefit from a better sleep: you fall asleep faster and in the nighttime deep sleep is qualitatively better than that of unsportsmanlike contemporaries. Only a relaxed walk in the early evening leads to a significantly better sleep behavior. After running, you are usually tired and exhausted. But at the same time you feel more balanced and relaxed.
Sleep in competition weeks
If you have already determined your need for sleep under “How long sleep “, it is important that you pay attention to sleeping as fast as possible in weeks before the competition or intensive training. About 8 to 10% less are the maximum. If you undercut that, the body will not recover properly and adapting to new training stimuli will not be optimal.
Do not stress
If you have this post, then chances are good that running is a hobby and compensation for you, and you do not deserve your money as a runner. If you do not feel like running for a long time, then respect that. If you keep going and your head does not want to, then in the worst case, you run into a runner’s burnout. Sometimes it helps if you take a break and put your head and body on “withdrawal” until you feel like walking again.
Sleep: Stronger by doing nothing!
Yes, you can actually sleep fit! The nocturnal rest phase is central to regeneration. The immune system is recovering best at this time, and the growth hormone HGH is particularly active. As a result, protein metabolism, which is so important for the muscles, is in full swing. In plain English, those who sleep too little will not only be tired the next day, but will also delay the muscular regeneration phase. If your sleep is really worth it, try to get at least eight hours of it.
Why sleep?
A healthy sleep will regenerate your body – and this is especially important after a training day. Sleep is a vital fueling station for the body, mind and soul. During the sleep phase, many body functions run differently: The pulse rate drops to 50 beats or less, the metabolic processes are reduced; the body temperature is slightly lowered.
Hormones play an important role in the regeneration of cells and the formation of new proteins. In addition, the muscle tension decreases significantly. During the sleep phase, the energy stores are filled up and the repair of minute muscle injuries takes place.
For the full body regeneration, the restoration of energy stores and the stabilization of the immune system is sufficient sleep of 8 to 10 hours per day, the main source of regeneration.
A rule of thumb is that 10 kilometers per week increase your sleep requirement by about 1 hour per week. At 70 kilometers per week, that means you have to sleep one hour per night longer! If you have no way to get more sleep during the week then you should at least sleep properly at the weekend.
How long to sleep?
The length of sleep required depends on many factors. While a toddler needs more than 16 hours of sleep, an older person can get by with around 5 to 6 hours. If you want to find out how much sleep you need, then vacations are great for this test: if possible, you should go to sleep at about the same time on a few days in the future. Watch out for the time you wake up each morning with no alarm set. On the third or fourth day, you have the “calibrated” time. Now you can calculate your normal need for sleep. Must be used the high-quality mattress foam. Also, use a pillow that is comfortable and supportive for the sleeping style.
If you do a lot of physical activity (work, free time), you may also need more sleep. An increase in training per week increased by 10 kilometers, should allow you half an hour more peace per night.