All about Sleep & Recovery for Gym & Athletics
(Fundamentals)
MEANING: Recovery refers to the time required to allow muscles (or injuries) to recover sufficiently so that they are ready to be worked out again.
TYPES: There are two main types: recovery between training sessions and recovery from illness or injury.
There are several distinct types of sleep, and it is worth learning about what they are and how to promote better quality sleep, because sleep is probably the most essential part of any recovery. Without sufficient quality sleep, everything else in the body and mind will start to break down, performance will plummet, and injury will inevitably follow.
TIPS: Study for yourself about how you can improve your sleep. The use of regular daily routines, as well as monitoring and controlling bad habits and a poor diet, will all help improve sleep and promote faster recovery.
Sleep is just one part of recovery, although it is undoubtedly an essential part. Inexperienced athletes often overlook the importance of sufficient recovery, which can lead to health imbalances. Every athlete, coach, or mentor MUST give serious consideration to recovery time and recovery types when planning a training schedule. Rest periods can be from several hours to a whole day, several days, or even weeks or months in some cases.
If you have broken a leg, the recovery requirements are significantly different from simply letting your muscles relax and stop hurting after a tough gym session.
Some different ways to recover are:
- Injury Recovery
- Periodisation Planning (as part of a longer-term training roadmap)
- Variety (a change is as good as a rest)
- Diet and Nutrition Planning
- Sleep and Relaxation