It’s football time in Tennessee! We all welcome the cooler fall air, orange t-shirts, and watching the Vols take home a win. Some of us plan our Saturdays around the University Of Tennessee football schedule! Something we may not think about though is what it really takes to be an athlete. A commitment to health and fitness is obvious, but where does sleep come in? As it turns out, quality sleep is critical to athletic performance. 

Speed & Accuracy

When it comes to most sports, speed and accuracy are two important skills. Research has shown that both of these can be measurably affected by a change in sleep. In fact, according to sleepfoundation.org  “A Stanford study of men’s basketball players who extended their sleep to 10 hours a night found several positive outcomes…(their) shooting improved by at least 9% for both free throws and three-point shots.” 

3 Pillars Of Health

According to the National Center For Biotechnology Information (NCBI), sleep is one of the three key pillars of health. They note that “especially for elite athletes, sleep should be emphasized and included as a top priority (as important as their exercise routine and diet).” 

Optimizing diet and exercise takes a lot of diligence, sleep should be a welcome reward for all that hard work! 

Risk Of Injury

Athletes of all ages are at more risk for injury with a lack of sleep. Professional athletes typically have a team of experts on their side to guide them. However, younger children and teen athletes also need to learn proper sleep hygiene. Sportsinjurybulletin.com shares that “Teens who sleep less than eight hours per night are 1.7 times more likely to suffer a sports injury than those who get a full night’s sleep.” An injury can end an athletic career before it even begins. It’s never too early to start prioritizing quality sleep. 

Bed’r Athletes

As former athletes ourselves, we know first hand about the importance of quality sleep. At your locally owned Bed’r Mattress, you’ll find knowledgeable sleep professionals that are sports inclined. We’ve helped countless athletes sleep Bed’r including Erik Ainge, former NFL player and Matt Duchene, NHL star. Let us help you reach your peak performance with the power of a bed’r night’s sleep.

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