SLEEP

When we sleep, the body’s temperature, pulse, stress hormones and blood pressure go down. On top of this, the muscles relax and the immune system is activated, which means that the body heals and recovers. When we sleep the body also produces important hormones that make us feel better during the day.

Increased hormone production during night time is one of the reasons children and teenagers should sleep more than adults, as it is during night time that growth hormone is produced!

How much sleep we need depends on how long we have been awake and how long, and how well, we have slept during the preceding nights. Sleep requirements can vary from 6 & 1/2 to up to 9 or 10 hours a night. Young people under the age of 13 need around 10-11 hours sleep per night, whilst teenagers need between 9-10 hours sleep. A good night’s sleep means that we fall asleep relatively quickly and wake rarely, or not at all. Sleep deprivation can greatly reduce quality of life and often has negative consequences for sports performance.

Temporary sleep deprivation does not affect gross motor functions such as muscle strength and endurance. However, it can impair so-called psycho-motor functions such as mood, reaction time and concentration. The longer the sleep deficit lasts, the greater the effect. Many athletes find that their performance deteriorates dramatically due to acute sleep deprivation. This may be due to the fact that sports performance relies on both good decision-making and physical ability, and that results are influenced by mood and motivation.