World Sleep Day
World Sleep Day is celebrated on Friday 17th March 2023 and this year the theme is ‘Sleep is important for health’. Finally, when asked about his intense training program after the 2008 Olympics, Usain Bolt said the most important aspect was sleep.
Restonic SA, a leading bedding brand in Southern Africa, is spreading a similar message around #PowerOfSleep. In March, Restonic focuses on how sleep is a mandatory component of athletic success.
South African athletes harness the power of sleep
World Sleep Day almost coincides with the start of this year’s Absa Cape Epic (the most televised mountain bike race in the world). dr Craig Uria, winner of the 2021 Absa Cape Epic Masters, and his racing partner Prof Mike Posthumus will be driving the Restonic team.
“Sleep is an essential part of overall health and well-being and plays a particularly important role in athletic performance, including cycling,” says Dr. Uriah. “Adequate sleep is essential for physical recovery, cognitive function and overall health, all of which are critical to optimal cycling performance.”
dr Uria is a distinguished chiropractor (M. Tech Chiropractic (BA) MCSA) and holds International Certification in Pediatrics from the Angolo-European College of Chiropractic and an International Chiropractic Sports Science Diploma (ICSSD). He is also the 2023 SA Champs winner and the 2021 Absa Cape Epic Masters winner. He and Prof. Posthumus, a sports scientist, sports performance consultant and trainer, recently won the Tankwa Trek 2023 and Attakwas Endurance 2023 races together.
They trained hard for the Absa Cape Epic and focused on getting enough sleep. “Sleep is considered the best recovery strategy available to any athlete,” says Prof. Posthumus. “This is believed to be because it is an optimal condition for cell growth and repair, particularly during the slow sleep (also called deep sleep) phase.” In addition, during sleep, the body produces growth hormone and testosterone, which are essential for muscle repair and growth.”
dr Uria says research studies have shown that increasing sleep duration leads to improved physical and cognitive function in sleep-deprived athletes. “More specifically, the results have shown improvements in sprint times, response times, and competency-based tasks. Studies on sleep deprivation in athletes have also shown that sleep deprivation affects athletes’ performance on both a physical and cognitive level. This is particularly important for cyclists as cycling is a demanding sport that requires a high level of physical endurance as well as skill and alertness to race safely and avoid catastrophic injury.”
Sleep is not only important for cyclists, but for every athlete. International rugby player Sibusiso Sangweni believes sleep is his superpower. “We put a lot of stress on our bodies during the day,” he says. “I think it’s very important to have a great bed because after a hard game your body has taken a toll and you just want to sleep undisturbed. The power of sleep will help me one day win the Rugby World Cup trophy.”
How to sleep like an athlete
The World Sleep Society (the organization behind World Sleep Day) states that “like good food and exercise, sleep is a behavior fundamental to a person’s physical, mental and social well-being. However, sleep is not yet universally recognized as an essential behavior for good health. World Sleep Day is an opportunity to promote sleep health.”
Adele de la Rey, Group Marketing Manager at Restonic, says the company’s goal is to help people unleash the power of sleep in their lives. “We encourage people to make sleep their superpower, whether they consider themselves athletes or not,” she says. “Everyone can benefit from learning to sleep like a champion. Just as athletes develop a training regime, we can all work to improve our sleep and enjoy the benefits in our lives by developing a better sleep regime.”
That means improving your sleep hygiene, which is happening both inside and outside of the bedroom. According to Restonic, all successful sleep strategies should include:
- Creating a comfortable place to sleep—one free from distractions
- Establish a relaxing routine before bed
- Stick to a regular sleep schedule
- Adopt healthy habits like good nutrition, hydration, and exercise throughout the day
“It’s about figuring out what works for you,” says De la Rey. “If you take concrete steps to build habits that make sleep a priority, you should hopefully see improvements in a short period of time. On this World Sleep Day, we hope more people will take action to make sleep their superpower.”