Most of us know that getting enough sleep is important, not just to run well, but for our health in general. Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but 35.2% of all adults in the US report sleeping on average for less than seven hours per night. When we don’t get enough sleep, we are more susceptible to illnesses, running injuries, and poor performance in general. That being said, it’s not always easy to get enough sleep! Let’s talk about how runners can sleep better to avoid running setbacks and to run their best.
Why Is Sleep Important for Runners?
As runners, we need to allow our bodies time to rest and recover from workouts. Beyond that, it is important for anyone, not just runners, to get enough sleep. There are both short and long-term consequences of sleep disruption, even for otherwise healthy adults. These can include increased stress responsivity, somatic pain, mood disorders, and deficits in cognition, memory, and perfomance.
Sleep allows our bodies to produce human growth hormone (HGH), which is important for muscle growth and repair, and also promotes a healthy metabolism. When runners don’t get enough sleep we are at risk for reduced athletic performance and increased injury and illness. Other negative effects of sleep deprivation on performance may include poor reaction times and submaximal strength and endurance.
Another risk of sleep deprivation is overtraining syndrome. If you are training hard and not allowing your body time to recover, you will be constantly training on tired legs and your body will eventually break down. This could have significant impacts on performance as well as your overall health.
How Much Sleep Do Runners Need?
Runners need more sleep than the general population, especially during periods of hard training. It’s also important to make sure you are getting good quality sleep. If you are sleeping for 8-9 hours and still waking up groggy or not feeling well rested, you may not be getting good quality sleep.
The exact amount of sleep a runner will need may vary from one person to the next. Most studies show that runners need at least 8 hours of sleep per night. You can also add 1 minuter per mile you are running per week to get a better idea of how much sleep you need. So if you are running 30 miles per week, aim for 8.5 hours of sleep each night.
There are many devices now that can help you track your sleep. You may be able to learn more about your personal sleep needs after tracking your sleep for a few weeks. You can also see what is normal for you and then hopefully get back on track when you start to notice the signs of sleep deprivation.
How Runners Can Sleep Better
Trying to write about how runners can sleep better makes me laugh a bit, because often times I feel like how much sleep I get is out of my control. Often young children can dictate their parent’s sleep schedules. However, rather than focusing on how much my sleep has suffered since becoming a mom, I can focus on the things I can control.
Going along with that, if you are a parent and set up good sleep habits, it’s more likely that your kids will follow suit. It may take awhile, but hopefully they will eventually become good sleepers!
Screen for Sleep Disorders
If you are really having a challenging time with your sleep, it may be a good idea to talk to a doctor and consider getting screened for a sleep disorder. Issues such as insomnia, sleep disordered breathing, restless legs syndrome, depression, and anxiety can contribute to poor sleep.
Use a Sleep Journal
Tracking your sleep for at least 2 weeks can help you identify your own personal sleep needs and notice any trends that may impact your sleep. Once you get a baseline you can use the following suggestions to try to improve your sleep, aiming to gradually add on 30-60 minutes per night, while tracking your progress.
Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Try to set up a comfortable sleep environment that is cool, dark, and quiet. Some people like to sleep with a sound machine or white noise. Give yourself 30-60 minutes before you plan to fall asleep to relax. Try to go to bed and wake up at similar times each night/morning if possible.
Avoid Blue Light Before Bed
During the hour before you plan to go to sleep, avoid blue light by restricting the use of electronics. They may suppress natural melatonin production and interfere with sleep.
Adjust training times
Consider how the times you are working out are affecting your sleep. If you are exercising in the evening, is it too close to bed, making it difficult to fall asleep? Or are you waking up early to work out, but not able to go to bed early enough to allow yourself a full 7-9 hours of sleep?
Limit naps
Naps can be helpful, especially during period of intense training or when you didn’t get enough nighttime sleep. Try to limit them to around 30 minutes and try not to take them too late in the day so you don’t disrupt your sleep that night.
Avoid alcohol and sugar before bed
Consider how the foods and drinks you consume affect your sleep. Having caffeine too late in the day can affect your sleep, as can alcohol and sugar. Try to decide on a cutoff time for when you will enjoy your last cup of coffee. (This may also be something you want to track to see if you need to limit your total caffeine intake throughout the day). If you are going to drink alcohol or have sugar, be aware that these may disrupt your sleep. Try to avoid them before an important workout or race, and give yourself time to relax and drink some water before you go to bed.
Final Thoughts
Getting a good night’s sleep can be very frustrating for some people. However, by improving your sleep you can also potentially improve your running. Don’t be afraid to seek help if your sleep needs are becoming increasingly difficult. Otherwise, hopefully these tips will help you feel well-rested and ready to run!
You may also like:
Beyond Foam Rolling: Using Self-Myofascial Release Strategically to Prevent Injury
What To Do The Week Before Your Race
6 Movement Patterns Every Runner Needs in Their Workout Routine
Do you get enough sleep most nights?
Do you have any other suggestions for how runners can sleep better?
Now I had to go and check my Garmin app to see my average sleep over the last 7 days: I’m at 8h 4 mins. This is about right – I go to bed around 10pm and wake up at 6am.
While alcohol doesn’t affect the number of hours I sleep, it affects my stress levels (which Garmin measures by heart rate variation). My stress is very high despite sleeping and the body battery doesn’t fill up.
I get up so early that it’s hard to get enough sleep. Lately, I go to bed around 8:30 and wake up around 4:30. That is eight hours but I know I deal with disturbances during the night. If you think kids can get you up, try a dozen dogs!
Coming up with an effective sleep schedule is definitely key to running well and feeling good. Napping doesn’t really work well for me.
I’ve always been lacking with regards to the “8 hours” of sleep benchmark. Truly, I’m not tired in the evening, even with awaking early most mornings. That said, there has been a lot of stress in my life in recent months, and I know it has to be impacting my quality of sleep (albeit unconsciously). Napping, though it feels good at the time, just gives me more energy in the evening & usually results in an even later bedtime. I’ve had some weird ongoing lie back discomfort in recent months as well…I can’t help but wonder if that’s part of the problem or a result of it?
**lower back discomfort
Yes, I’m working really hard on my sleep because I know I don’t get enough. I limit caffeine later in the day, don’t have sugar or alcohol before bed, stay away from screens for an hour before bed and use white noise. Now I just need someone to come and make my bedroom into an arctic blast chiller (I live in Florida and can never get cool enough at night.) THEN I think I would be sleeping great!
Great info. I wish I was a better sleeper. My brain is always in overdrive, especially lately, with everything going on. Maybe one day I’ll get a handle on it.