Extensive research has shown the impact that sleep debt has on cognitive function, mood and physical performance. But new research that looks at sleep from the opposite view: the effect that sleep extension can have on performance—specifically athletic performance—may add a whole new dimension to sports training.

In a study published in the July issue of SLEEP, Cheri Mah, a researcher in the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory, has shown that basketball players at the elite college level were able to improve their on-the-court performance by increasing their amount of sleep.

The researchers asked the players to maintain their normal nighttime schedule (sleeping for six to nine hours) for two to four weeks and then aim to sleep 10 hours each night for the next five to seven weeks. During the study period, players abstained from drinking coffee and alcohol, and they were asked to take daytime naps when travel prohibited them from reaching the 10 hours of nighttime sleep.

At the end of the sleep extension period, the players ran faster 282-foot sprints (16.2 seconds versus 15.5 seconds) than they had at baseline. Shooting accuracy during practice also improved with a 9% increase in free throw percentage and a 9.2% increase in 3-point shooting. The athletes also reported less fatigue following sleep extension and improved practices and games.

Making Sleep a Priority

While nutrition and physical training are part of an athlete’s daily regimen, Mah said competitive athletes haven’t really focused on optimizing their sleep. They are usually just told to get a “good night’s sleep” before a competition. The findings suggest that it’s important for sleep to be prioritized over a long period of time, not just the night before “Game Day.”

She called optimal sleep an “unrecognized, but likely critical factor in reaching peak performance.”

Benefits Beyond Basketball

Over the last several years Mah has investigated sleep extension in other Stanford sports teams including football, tennis and swimming. She has presented abstracts with preliminary findings on these sports that suggest a similar trend: More sleep led to better performance. And, she says, the findings may be applicable to all skill levels: recreational athletes and those at the high school, semi-pro or professional level.

Mah now works with many of the Stanford sports teams and coaches to integrate optimal sleep and travel scheduling into their seasons and also consults with professional hockey, football and basketball teams.

Source:

Stanford School of Medicine