So many variables affect how we perform as triathletes. The right balance of work/rest, hydration, nutrition, strength training, stretching, and sleep all contribute to our performance.
In this blog, we'd like to talk about the importance of sleep as part of recovery in an athlete's training plan.
Few people appreciate the physiological benefits that take place during rest, especially sleep. While sleeping, the body releases growth hormones to repair the damage from the day’s training stress and to strengthen our bodies weakened by training.
With such clear benefits, you would expect that athletes take sleep as seriously as training, but according to surveys performed by Dr. Shona Halson at the Australian Institute of Sport, this is seldom the case, even amongst elite athletes.
So, what can we do as athletes to ensure that we are managing our sleep so that it helps us recover rather than causes additional stress on our bodies? We need to start treating our sleep like we do our training.
With every training session, we have a warm-up, the main set and a cooldown. Let's consider how that could look if we were tracking our sleep:
3. Cooldown - Post wake evaluation
As Triathletes, we know that data collection is key in figuring out what is working and what is not working. You can't change what you don't acknowledge, so if you know that your sleep is less than perfect, then read the full Training Peaks article [here] and get to work making the changes necessary.
This month inside Team Triumph we are issuing a Sleep/Wake Challenge to our members. We will be providing them with tools to evaluate their pre-bed routine and how they are feeling upon waking.
Let the challenge begin.
Julia Aimers, Head Coach
Team Triumph Triathlon Club
A huge thank you to my Triathlon coach, Julia Cooper-Aimers. She took the time last week to drop off (from a distance because of COVID19 restrictions) some tri shorts I ordered along with a well-appreciated note to remind me that there will be ups and downs and that things will get better. She has gone above and beyond to support all of her athletes and our Team Triumph club, by providing almost daily strength, yoga, and spinning videos that have been uploaded to Youtube for anyone who needs a little motivation during these challenging times as well as many words of encouragement. I am grateful for her support and encouragement. ❤️
Anita Lacelle Taylor
Training with Team Triumph for 7 months (so far) made me faster and stronger while building nourishing connections with like-minded fitness nuts and shattering the expectations I had of myself. TT is a crew of inspiring people pursuing epic individual goals and encouraging each other along the way. Julia and her team have expert knowledge and provide a thoughtful evidence-based group program that works. I am privileged and thankful to have Team Triumph in my neighborhood and can't wait to get back to the pool!
Alex Bourne
I want to thank you for always putting our well-being at the forefront of your business model. You suspended face-to-face programs in a timely manner, leading the way in a fitness business world that took much too long to respond and put their members’ health and the community at risk. You « triumphed « in quickly acting to flatten the curve.
Your caring nature resulted in a series of innovative and fun virtual sessions and opened them to the community. I am missing the live interaction now that I am working for a few months but I appreciate that I can access the videos according to my schedule. Yin/yang session tonight, just what I needed.
Not to mention the check-ins, the home deliveries, the charitable events. Priceless.
Simone Rose-Oliver