Most people recognize that getting a good night’s sleep is essential to healthy living, but what many athletes may not realize is the quality of their sleep can have a big impact on their athletic performance. And while everyone’s sleeps needs are a little different based on their age, physical condition, activity levels and other factors, everyone receives similar benefits when they maximize the quality of their sleep.
What do we mean by quality of sleep? While the term, quality of sleep is somewhat subjective based on each person’s individual sleep needs, sleep scientists typically refer to sleep quality as being made up of four factors:
- How quickly a person falls asleep
- How long they sleep without waking up
- How often they wake up at night
- How deeply they sleep
Because sleep is such an individualized matter, it is therefore possible that a person who sleeps eight hours per night but wakes up four times each night has a lower sleep quality than someone who sleeps seven hours but doesn’t wake up at all.
Athletes, particularly younger ones, typically require additional amounts of sleep to help them recover from their workouts. The more intense their activities, the greater their bodies need sleep to repair and restore muscle and nerve tissues that were stressed during training. This is especially important for athletes who train on a daily basis. Anyone who has ever tried to work out after a poor night of sleep knows that their energy level is lower and they tend to get fatigued faster.
One of the recommendations we offer many of our athlete clients to help improve their sleep is the Biomat. The Biomat is an FDA licensed medical device that combines state of the art Far Infrared light and Negative Ion technology with the healing power of Amethyst crystal. Infrared rays penetrate deep into the body, gently elevating the core temperature. Blood vessels expand, oxygen rich blood floods in, stimulating the body’s detoxification process. Negative ions from the amethyst assist in eliminating toxins and may help to balance internal organ function. The gentle heat promotes relaxation and helps to reduce stress and muscle tension. Patients who have experienced the Biomat regularly report having more energy and improved sleep.
At Shakthi, our integrative medicine approach is supported by years of research, allowing for the use of numerous forms of therapy aimed at treating the body as a whole to help you reach optimal health and healing. By combining the very best therapies for healing, proven practices and modern medicine, we are better able to help relieve chronic pain, reduce stress, restore well-being and transform the resilience of our patients, including helping them sleep better!
If you’re an athlete at any level who wants to improve your performance, or if you just want to learn more about our services, schedule an appointment for a consultation or call today at 301-703-5067.