Introduction
Sleep is an important part of a footballer’s life. A high-quality 8-10 hours of sleep every night is recommended for athletes.
Sleep should be treated with as proper care as training or nutrition because together these three components form the foundation of an effective training routine.
How are Professional Clubs approaching Sleep?
Most of the top-tier clubs are hiring sleep experts to educate the players about the importance of sleep. These Experts provide Individualized sleep strategies to analyze and optimize athletes’ sleep. This includes;
Diagnosis of Athletes Sleeping Patterns and Problems, and
Providing solutions to optimize and improve them.
Footballers often suffer from stress which impacts their sleep quality and quantity. Clubs, therefore, hire counsellors in addition to sleep experts to optimize both the stress levels and sleep habits of an athlete.
Professional player understands the importance of Sleep and is aware of how sleep can impact recovery. However, it is as much the responsibility of the player as it is the club to keep reminding the players to optimize their sleep. By continuously emphasizing the importance of sleep, clubs can have a net positive impact on the other aspect of training and recovery of a professional player.
Most of the strategies that are implicated by professional players and clubs are discussed in this article.
Sleep Cycle
The Sleep Cycle refers to the different stages of sleep that your body goes through during sleep. The biology of sleep can be explained through various stages, durations, and hormones involved.
Stages of sleep
There are two main types of sleep:
Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep, and
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.
NREM sleep
It progresses in three stages, making a total of four sleep stages:
NREM Stage 1 (N1):
It is the transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep.
It is Light sleep and typically lasts only 5-10 minutes.
The sleeper can easily be awakened by light stimulation.
NREM Stage 2 (N2):
N2 forms a bridge between Stage 1 and Stage 3, sleep becomes deeper as an individual progresses to Stage 3.
It makes up around 50% of the total sleep time.
NREM Stage 3 (N3):
It is the deepest stage of NREM Sleep and is also referred to as slow-wave sleep.
Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and body temperature decrease during this stage.
Promotes HGH release, which supports tissue and muscle growth and repair, and the building of proteins and bones.
Neurons in the brain recharge and regenerate.
N3 Sleep helps boost cognition and brain functions.
REM Sleep
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is also known as active sleep because, during this phase, the brain is highly active, and body movements and eye movements take place. It increases throughout the night.
This phase is recognised by Irregular Sleeping and Heart Rates and dreaming generally occurs during this phase of sleep.
Duration
REM sleep occurs in cycles throughout the night, with each cycle lasting approximately 90-120 minutes.
The first REM cycle begins about 90 minutes after falling asleep, and subsequent REM cycles occur throughout the night.
As the night progresses, the duration of REM sleep increases, with the longest periods happening in the early morning hours.
Benefits of REM Sleep
It supports creative thinking.
The brain processes new learnings and skills from the day.
Helps restore neurotransmitters.
Strengthens emotional resilience.
Hormones Involved in Sleep
Several hormones play a crucial role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle and ensuring proper sleep quality. These include:
Melatonin
Melatonin is known as the "Sleep Hormone", as it helps to regulate the Circadian rhythm and sleep-wake cycle.
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland (in the brain) in response to darkness, signalling the body that it's time to sleep. Its levels typically rise in the evening, peak during the night and decrease in the morning.
Exposure to lights emitted from the electronics, particularly blue light can inhibit melatonin production. This can disrupt the sleep schedule.
Serotonin
Serotonin helps regulate melatonin production through a circadian feedback loop.
This helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Cortisol
Cortisol is also known as the "Stress Hormone".
The higher the level of cortisol in the body the more stressed you feel.
Footballers usually have a lot of stress and therefore their cortisol levels are high most of the time.
Cortisol levels fluctuate throughout the day, with its peak typically occurring in the morning, helping us wake up and feel alert.
Higher cortisol levels throughout the day and at night can interfere with sleep quality, while lower levels promote sleepiness.
Growth Hormone
Human growth hormone (HGH) is secreted by the pituitary gland mostly during deep sleep (NREM stage 3) and plays a vital role in tissue repair, muscle growth, and overall recovery.
Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining optimal HGH levels.
Importance of Sleep
Recovery after Intense Training Sessions and Matches
A good quality deep sleep can help you recover at the fastest rate possible. This indeed helps you give your best in subsequent training sessions and you can perform at your highest level on the matchdays.
Proper sleep becomes extremely important during the season (league and competitions) as the frequency and intensity of training sessions and matches increase.
Therefore, recovering at the fastest rate also becomes important.
Prevent Muscle Strain or Injuries
Better sleep optimizes your body's chemistry, helping you recover from matchdays and training faster and reducing your risk of muscle strain and injuries.
Sleep deprivation can increase the risk of injuries, partly, due to the fact that sleep deprivation can result in less time for the body to recover.
HGH released during sleep promotes muscle protein synthesis, which helps repair damaged muscle tissues, recover faster and prevent muscle strains or injuries.
Improves Brain Functioning and Cognition
When players sleep well, their brains are better able to recall and strengthen the memories and learning from training and matchday.
This helps players to:
Develop tactical awareness,
Improves their risk assessment abilities and
Helps them to make better in-game decisions.
Players get better at their calculated risk-taking abilities.
Improves Secretion of Hormones
Anabolic hormones like Growth hormones and Testosterone hormones are secreted during sleep and improved sleep quality and duration can increase the secretion of anabolic hormones.
Sleep Debt
It refers to the accumulated sleep deficit a person has from not getting enough sleep over days or weeks.
It is common amongst footballers as most of the players do not get the required amount of sleep every night i.e. 7-9 hours of high-quality sleep. This can build up over time.
In order to optimize performance and reduce injuries, footballers need to not only get enough sleep each night but also pay off their sleep debt.
Sleep debt can be paid off by getting more total sleep (on the higher end of the recommended amount close to 9 hours), and by taking longer naps of 1-2 hours during the daytime, plus improving and optimizing sleep hygiene.
Impact of Travel and Competition on Sleep
Sleep during Travel:
It can disrupt circadian rhythms and cause sleep disturbances making it hard to fall asleep and stay asleep, which can directly impact your recovery.
The effect of jet lag can be reduced by:
Adjusting your bedtime routine in advance according to the new time zone.
Maintaining good sleep hygiene.
Blackout your room and use eye masks and earplugs.
Consider using Natural products like Chamomile Tea and Valerian root supplements.
Limiting Blue lights from the electronics.
Sleep during Competition
Managing sleep during competitive tournaments where the intensity and frequency of training and matchdays are the highest is the utmost priority of teams.
Keeping a regular bedtime routine helps to improve the quality of sleep. Power naps in the daytime help to recover faster.
Recovery techniques are used by professionals to accelerate the recovery process.
Sleep during Pre-Season and Off-Season
During the off-season and pre-season players might develop irregular sleep schedules, which they can optimize by maintaining flexibility without significantly compromising the total amount of sleep.
Common Sleep Disorders in Athletes
The increased demand for training volume and intensity may result in athletes suffering from common sleep disorders such as;
Insomnia,
Sleep Apnea,
Restless Legs Syndrome,
Narcolepsy and
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder.
Recommendations on Sleep
During Off-Season
Sleep can often be affected by travelling and enjoying the off-season with the family, this is indeed a great time to relax and get a break from your regular schedule.
However, all the above activities should not have an impact on your sleep, you should still sleep for at least 8 hours every day, indeed this is the time you should create a flexible routine that allows you to sleep more as well as enjoy your time off the pitch.
During Pre-Season
The demand for sleep is highest during this season as during the pre-season a player goes through rigorous training and needs to recover faster than usual.
A player should sleep between 8-10 hours, the higher the better.
Add a power nap during the afternoon to recover properly and get ready for the next training session, as there are 2 training sessions almost every day.
During the Season/Competition
During seasons and competitions, the sleep requirements of footballers increase drastically.
The player should sleep somewhere between 8-10 hours, the higher the better.
Players’ requirement for sleep is increased due to the high frequency and intensity of training and matches.
During Night Time Games
Nighttime games have been shown to impact the sleep-wake cycle of a footballer, plus exposure to high-intensity lights can also impact sleep. It delays sleep onset and the player can feel fatigued the next day.
Football players often have a hard time getting enough sleep and feeling fully rested after night games versus day games and regular practices.
Night-time matches disturb their sleep cycle and make them feel more tired, needing more time to recover.
A similar study by the same pair in the International Journal of Sports and Exercise Medicine found that;
Late-night matches can have an adverse impact on the sleep and recovery of professional football players, causing them to perform at their sub-optimal level and increasing their risk of injury.
Coaches and players need to be aware of these disadvantages of late-night matches and work to make sure players get an optimal amount of sleep, thereby getting enough time to recover between matches.
Another study by Nédélec and Mathieu in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that;
Most players slept worse and the total time in bed was shorter after night games than on practice days.
The players may need to figure out how to sleep better after night games so they can get enough quality sleep.
Another study titled, the effect of an acute sleep hygiene strategy following a late-night soccer match on Recovery of players, conducted by Fullagar and Hugh HK in Chronobiology International Publication found that;
Practising good sleep hygiene before bedtime helped the football players sleep more after a night game.
It may have lowered their maximum heart rate during fitness tests, even though it didn't greatly improve their performance or recovery in other ways.
Daytime Naps
Your sleep debt will determine the amount of sleep you need during the daytime hours.
The type of training and intensity can add up to the total amount of sleep you need, and you might need to take a bit longer nap. Take a nap when your energy is at its lowest, for most athletes it is the afternoon slump.
Most people will say that Less than 1 hour is recommended for an athlete as more daytime sleep can result in interference with nighttime sleep, but there is no fixed amount as it completely depends upon your sleep debt, training intensity and your mood.
Benefits of Daytime Nap
Daytime Naps could be a great tool for recovery and can help recover faster, especially during the high intensity and frequency of training and matchdays.
A nap could be a great tool to complete the total sleep debt.
It can help you cope with jet lag.
This could be a great way to recover faster and prepare better for the evening training session.
Sleep Analysis
Why analyze your sleep?
Before optimizing our sleep, we need to analyze it so that we have a better understanding of our sleeping patterns.
The most accurate way is to test this in a laboratory using EEG.
Using Sleep Tracking Devices to Analyse Sleep
Smart Rings
Smart rings can help you track your nighttime sleep and other body stats.
One major benefit of using Rings over smart watches or bands is that it does not interfere with your hand movements like smart bands or smart watches and wakes you up at midnight.
However, the accuracy of smart rings is debatable.
Oura rings are the Gold Standard in Smart Rings.
Smart Watches
Are somewhat more accurate than smart rings and smart bands, especially some Fitbits and Apple watches. It can be relied upon for sleep data.
But these are the bulkiest of them all and are uncomfortable while sleeping.
Smart Bands
Smart bands are more comfortable and lightweight to wear.
The accuracy of smart bands is debatable. Some Fitbits are accurate, but other companies’ smart bands are not that accurate in tracking Sleep.
Smart bands are way cheaper than smart rings and smartwatches.
EEG Sleep Detector
These are the most accurate but most expensive among the bunch.
Detects electrical impulses inside the brain to give more accurate information about sleeping patterns and behaviours.
Can be useful for diagnosing and monitoring any abnormalities.
Manual Tracking
Using a Journal, write down your bedtime and wake-up time.
This is a simple and effective way but could be a bit inaccurate, and you may report more sleep than usual.
Personal Method
What I do is I analyze my bedtime and wake-up time using the smart band and add it to an app called Obsidian to track all my sleep stats.
This is one of my habits I started this year and the one that has the highest ROI.
I can go to the weekly view and figure out my Sleep debt.
Sleep Tracking Apps
You can use an app like the Rise Science Sleep Tracking App, which focuses on your sleep debt and circadian rhythm to optimise your sleep.
Optimize your Sleeping Environment
Ideal Sleeping Environment
An ideal sleeping environment should be cool, dark and quiet.
Most of the recommendations for ideal temperature fall between 65-68° F (18-20 degrees Celsius).
Matthew Walker, the famous sleep scientist, recommends 65°F as the ideal temperature and recommends against going below 55°F (13°C) or above 70° F (21°C).
Sleep Hygiene
Reduce light inside the room by using blackout curtains.
You can use a Smart bulb in your bedroom and program it to:
Gradually dim in the hours before bed
Shift to warmer tones as bedtime approaches
The key benefits of using a Smart bulb are:
Warm light helps produce sleep hormones
Slow fading of light intensity is a gentler transition to darkness
It mimics the natural daily light cycle, setting your circadian rhythm for sleep
Maintain the temperature of the room in the optimal range throughout the night.
There should be no electronics around, the best thing to do is to use an alarm clock as it limits your excuses to use your mobile for alarm (this has been the single biggest factor that has helped me to optimise my sleep). You can also install a yellow light filter and activate it as the sun goes down.
Establishing a consistent sleep schedule.
Avoid Caffeine six hours before your typical bedtime.
The mattress and pillow should be as per your comfort.
If you live in a polluted environment or Urban area, adding an air purifier could help immensely as air purifiers can provide a range of benefits that optimize the quality of the air you breathe while sleeping, reducing irritants, improving airflow, and somewhat muffling noise - all of which can translate to better sleep.
Relaxation Routine
Use relaxation techniques to prepare for sleep, like:
Meditation,
Yoga,
Deep breathing techniques,
Warm Bath,
Massage,
Reading and
Journaling.
Nutrition
Have a well-balanced diet throughout the day and it will help you sleep better and recover faster.
Avoiding heavy late-night meals can be beneficial.
Reduce sugar and processed food in your diet throughout the day.
Avoid following
Caffeine
It can be very potent and can help you be aware throughout the day but if taken after mid-day it can result in sleep disorders throughout the night.
Make sure to not take any form of caffeine 6-8 hours before you go to sleep as it can interact with your brain and make you proactive and you can have problems falling asleep faster.
Your pre-workout may contain caffeine (100-300 mg of caffeine), Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours and a quarter-life of 10-12 hours, meaning 50% of caffeine ingested will remain in your system in 5-6 hours and 25% Caffeine will remain in the system in 10-12 hours, therefore you should avoid caffeinated pre-workout drinks in the later part of the day, while you can still take decaffeinated pre-workout supplements.
Nicotine
It should be avoided as it is a potent stimulant and can disrupt your sleep cycle, thereby reducing the quality and quantity of sleep.
Alcohol
Alcohol should be avoided as it may initially feel like it is helping you sleep, but it can interfere with your REM Sleep which can lead you to feel fatigued the next day.
Chronic use of alcohol can result in problems with the normal sleep-wake cycle.
Sleeping Aid / Medication
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone that defines your sleep cycle. The more it is optimised the better your sleep will be.
Melatonin supplements are available in the market but should be taken only after a doctor's prescription.
Be cautious while taking Melatonin supplements as most of them are overdosed as explained by Sleep scientist Matt Walker in Huberman Lab Podcast.
Chamomile Tea
The flavonoids and terpenoids in chamomile have mild sedative effects that can aid sleep. Drink a cup for 1-2 hours before bed.
Valerian Root Extract
Can help sleep better but the evidences are not strong and need more studies.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha can help decrease your stress hormones (cortisol) which can help you sleep better.
It may also increase your serotonin level which can help improve your sleep-wake cycle.
Food Items that Promote Sleep
Carbohydrate ingestion may have small benefits on sleep parameters (limited evidence), while tart cherry juice, herbal supplements, kiwifruit, and protein interventions have been shown to improve both sleep quality and quantity.
However, more studies are required to be conducted to make a solid conclusion about the role of nutrient intervention in the quality and quantity of sleep.
Hydration
Dehydration can impact your sleep cycle and you may have more awakenings throughout the night, thereby decreasing your sleep efficiency.
Adequate hydration throughout the day is important to optimizing sleep.
Products that can help you sleep better
White Noise Machines
White noise machines can produce certain frequencies that are optimized to relax the brain which can help to decrease sleep latency and improve the sleep quality and total sleep time.
Mouth Tape
Mouth tape can prevent mouth-breathing and can help you breathe through your nose which directly affects the quality of your sleep.
Eye Masks for Sleeping
Eye masks block out light and can help create a dark environment and promote the release of sleep-inducing melatonin. Especially useful while travelling or in a team environment.
Ear Plugs
Ear plugs can block out disturbing noises that interfere with sleep, helping you sleep faster and better.
Blue Light Blocking Eyeglasses
Use blue light-blocking eyeglasses and save your eyes from harmful blue light emitted by electronic devices. This can be beneficial if you spend most of your time in front of electronics.
Smart LED Bulbs
Smart LED bulbs can be programmed to be used in such a way that they mimic the natural transition of the outside from bright daylight to a warmer night light. Warmer light can help promote Melatonin release.
Sleep Pod
Sleeping Pods are the new hot tech in the town and are being used by top-tier clubs to maximize the recovery of a footballer as the pods are optimized for an ideal sleeping environment so that professional players can train and perform at their optimal levels.
Sleep Pods deserve a dedicated article of their own.
Summary
The tools and techniques listed in the above article for optimizing a footballer’s sleep can be a game changer and can help them become stronger, faster and better.
Sleep along with proper nutrition, deliberate training and optimized recovery techniques can help you become the best possible version of yourself.
For more information, connect with us at contact@thefootballfit.com
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