We all know that getting enough sleep is good for the body and for the mind. This is especially true for athletes and golfers looking to improve their game. Having the right technique, the best clubs, and a great trainer will take you to the top, but getting the right amount of sleep could give you that competitive edge.
How Sleep Affects Athletes?
The amount of sleep you get at night directly affects your reaction time, mental focus, recovery time and surprisingly, your body’s proneness to injury. In golf, much like when you play Aussie slots at https://australianslotsonline.net/, reaction time is not particularly important, but it couldn’t hurt to have sharper reflexes. Where you are most likely to benefit is from improved mental focus. It is said that golf is a mental game where focus is the key to winning. Improved sleep patterns and getting enough quality sleep will boost your mental awareness and decision making skills.
Injury recovery is another major benefit resulting from improved sleeping patterns. Whether it is a twisted ankle, a torn ligament, or a shoulder injury, sleep helps your body heal faster and reduces recovery time. This is time that you can spend back on the course, honing your skills.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
It is said that the average adult should get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep a night. Of course, everyone is different, and some people need less sleep than others. Studies have shown that athletes should get even more sleep if they want to perform at their best. Studies done on football players, swimmers, runners, and basketball players all showed that an increase to 10 hours of sleep dramatically improved performance, mental focus, and injury recovery times.
What About Naps?
Not everyone is able to fit in 10 hours of sleep a night, especially if you have a family, work commitments or a hectic sports schedule. In such cases, napping can give you that added boost. It is important to remember that naps should be kept to 30 min or less and should not be taken just before you play.
It’s the Quality of the Sleep that Counts
Going to bed a 7pm is great but sleeping is the goal here. The quality and depth of your sleep is what counts. Deep sleep and REM sleep offer restorative benefits and can be interrupted if you are trying to sleep in an area of high light or with excessive noise. Your bedroom should be dark, quite and at the right temperature. Drinking caffeine or alcohol before bed can also disrupt your sleep patterns, so its best to avoid these when going to bed.
Dealing with Jetlag
Jetlag is something every athlete will face at some point in their career. Whether you are an amateur golfer or an aspiring pro, getting jetlag is going to affect your game. The key here is to arrive at your location a few days ahead of schedule and get lots of sleep to recover.
