A study from Stanford saw that college basketball players improved their free throw accuracy by 9% when getting more sleep. They also performed better in sprints and reaction time.
Athletes need more sleep than people who are not as active. The recommended amount of sleep is around nine hours for an average teenager so around ten hours for student athletes.
As you sleep, your body produces hormones such as cytokines, which support your immune system and growth hormones, which assist in body repair. This is crucial for athletes because it reduces soreness, grows muscles, and reduces risk of injuries.
According to the Sleep Foundation, more sleep leads to an increase in cognitive function. Although it is important to study, you should make time to sleep too.
Personally, getting around 6 hours of sleep has me exhausted in the morning. If I'm extremely tired, I don't play as well and my brain becomes hazy, which hurts my performance at school. I usually study late into the night, and I have found that a balanced sleep schedule is very beneficial. So remember to catch some z’s.
Comments