There is a reciprocal relationship between sleep and exercise. If you sleep properly, you will probably perform well during your next workout or race, and if you exercise regularly, you will be able to sleep well. By understanding and applying the science of sleep, you will know how to optimize your health, fitness and performance. How Sleep Works Scientists recommend that people get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night because that is the amount of time required for all of the critical sleep-based recovery processes to occur. A very lucky and small percentage of the population has a gene that allows them to recover fully on about 4 hours of sleep - but the rest of us need much more! When you sleep, your body takes advantage of the regenerative processes that occur during this highly relaxed state. Acute exercise experiments that have measured sleep physiology directly from subjects who either performed, or refrained from, daytime exercise indicate that exercise is associated with a small, but reliable increase in Stage 2 and slow wave sleep.1 Exercise may improve sleep quality by regulating body temperature although the exact physiology to explain how exercise improves sleep is still being explored by researchers. However, because body temperature does play a key role in sleep, it has been suggested that people should sleep in a cool room that is about 21 degrees C. One example of a critical restorative process that occurs while you are sleeping is the release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). HGH promotes fat breakdown and increases in muscle mass, which allows the body to recover from the physiological stresses that occur during training. If you are sleep deprived and have less HGH in your system, not only will you restrict your bodys ability to recover while you are sleeping, but it also appears that you will limit your ability to exercise the next day. Lower levels of HGH may decrease the amount of time an athlete can exercise at maximum effort due to reduced energy stores in their muscles.2 One of the most important things to know about sleep is that it is critical that you attain a highly relaxed state while sleeping. This means limiting the amount of stress in the hours leading up to when you want to fall asleep. The problem with stress goes beyond lying awake thinking about whatever is causing you stress. When you are in a stressed state, you secrete increased levels of a hormone called cortisol into your body and your body can respond to the apparent stress with changes like increased blood pressure and more rapid processing of glycogen. Cortisol is really helpful when you are faced with a stressful situation – like meeting a deadline or saving your family from a sabre tooth tiger – but it inhibits the adaptive processes of your body. The mental effects of sleep are well known to all of us. If we are well rested, we are more able to cope with lifes stresses, stronger and more effective in our exercise, sharper in our work and just plain more fun to be around. The catch is that the North American attitude toward sleep tends to be that it isnt particularly important. As you plan for your next race, or even if you are just reassessing your life in general, the more you can commit to getting a proper amount of sleep, the healthier and more effective you will be. What The Research Tells Us Some research on sleep that is relevant for runners has to do with understanding the ideal conditions for a good nights sleep so that you can promote the secretion of key hormones that regulate sleep, in particular melatonin. Melatonin is produced by your pineal gland, which is located deep inside your brain, and organizes the sleep cycle by controlling sleep-wake cycles. Because the pineal gland responds to light via neurons that project from your eyes, you have to ensure that you are in a dark space while you sleep. You also need to limit your use of your TV or computer since looking at a bright screen may disrupt sleep patterns by inhibiting the release of melatonin. Time to cut out the late night talk shows! An interesting finding related to sleep and eating is that research is discovering links between sleep and weight loss. The conclusions are only beginning to form but it appears that there are hormones released while we are sleeping that help to regulate our weight. Not to mention that you are less likely to dive into the sugar and fat to keep yourself going if you are exhausted. It is also important to avoid caffeine within six hours of heading to bed as caffeine (coffee, tea, green tea, chocolate etc…) will disrupt sleep patterns. In terms of the timing of your sleep, there is also an increasing body of evidence that suggests that sleeping on a regular schedule is even more important than the total amount of time you are asleep. Studies show that when an athletes bed time is shifted around but the total number of hours they sleep remains the same, there is a measurable decrease in athletic performance. So sticking to a consistent routine is critical. Improve Your Sleep Performance Personally, I recommend people get 8 hours on a consistent basis. I also recommend sleeping between 10 pm – 6 am to ensure at least 2 hours of sleep before midnight to allow people to get their 8 hours in while still having time to wake up early and get that morning run in. To ensure that you get the best quality sleep you can, keep the following things in mind: - Keep your stress levels to a minimum, especially in the hours before sleeping - Sleep in a room that is as dark as possible - even clock lights can be a problem - Avoid screen time within 45 minutes of going to bed - Keep the room you sleep in at roughly 21 degrees Celsius - Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule - Try to get into bed a couple of hours before midnight - Avoid caffeine within six hours of going to bed References 1http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/7556348...61IBT5vKEX5.222 VanHelder T, Randomski MW (1989). Sleep deprivation and the effect on exercise performance. Sports Medicine 7(4):235-247. Greg Wells Ph.D. (www.drgregwells.com, @drgregwells) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology. He was the sport science analyst for the Olympic Broadcast Consortium during the 2010 & 2012 Games, and is the author of Superbodies: Peak Performance Secrets from the Worlds Best Athletes. Jessica Caterini is a member of the Human Physiology Research Unit in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Toronto. http://www.drgregwells.comhttp://www.twi....superbodies.tvFake Jerseys From China .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft. Cheap Fake Jerseys . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. http://www.fakejersey.com/fake-college-jerseys/ . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Fake MLB Jerseys .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey. Fake Adidas Jerseys .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. When it began to look as if Laetitia Beck would represent Israel at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janiero, the second-year LPGA golfer was reminded about the sports very low profile in her country as she inquired about her apparel and equipment for the Games.My Olympic committee doesnt know much about golf, said Beck, Israels only LPGA player. Im responsible for everything. They told me to do what I want as long as its according to the rules, and they would reimburse me. I had to find someone to make my uniform, order a bag and get my hats. Im a very independent person, but it was a little stressful because I want to represent Israel and its culture the right way.With so much attention having been focused on which stars wont compete for various reasons in golfs return to the Olympics after 112 years, players like Beck are a reminder that its a big opportunity -- and a priority -- for others. Although currently ranked outside the top 200 in the Rolex Rankings, Beck was 42nd in the final Olympic qualifying list for the 60-player womens golf field because individual countries are allowed a maximum of four, and in most cases, two, entrants.This is special to me, being able to represent my country and help Israel have a bigger overall Olympic team, said Beck, a two-time golf gold medalist (2009, 2013) at the Maccabiah Games for Jewish athletes. We tend to be big in judo, track and field and wind surfing, but the numbers are pretty small, around 45 people. Being able to be an ambassador for Israel is important. And it will be great to be part of the team.Beck, 24, moved from Belgium to Israel with her family when she was 6 years old. They settled in Caesarea, in the Israeli coastal plain between Tel Aviv and Haifa, home to the countrys only 18-hole golf course, Caesarea Golf Club. From age 8 to 12, golf became part of Becks active sports life along with tennis and soccer.My mom says, I dont how you happened because youre so different from all of us. But Im super athletic and always had very good hand-eye coordination, Beck said. I would play golf twice a week, tennis three times a week and soccer at school. When I was 12, the pro at my club encouraged my mom to sign me up for the Israeli Ladies Championship. I was not good -- I only broke 90 the last round -- but I won in a playoff.Inspired by the victory, Beck dropped other sports and concentrated on golf, becoming a scratch player in a year. At 13, she won the national title by 30 or 40 shots, Becks prowess prompting her family to send her to the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, the following year. Beck continued to improve at the Academy, also the training ground for fellow LPGA players Paula Creamer and Jessica Korda. Beck earned a womens golf scholarship to Duke University, where she was a two-time All-American and a key member of the Blue Devils sixth national championship in 2014.dddddddddddd Later that season she tied for 11th at LPGA Q-School.After finishing 111th on the 2015 LPGA money list, Beck has struggled for consistency in 2016 -- she is currently 223rd in earnings -- although she had consecutive top-20 finishes in May at the Yokohama Tire Classic and Kingsmill Championship.I think I have as much talent as the best players, Beck said. With me, it seems to be in my head. Im a long way from my potential, and I think I can beat them all. I want to be the best, but I want to do something with it too.Beck has worked with some golf mental coaches but hasnt found the right fit.Its hard for me. I can get a little tough on people. I definitely need to find someone I can trust.That can take time, as Becks college coach, Dan Brooks, recently told the schools student newspaper, The Chronicle.When she came in as a freshman, I didnt know if she and I were going to make it, Brooks said. I probably have had no greater evolution of a relationship than she and I had. By the time she left, we were real tight and continue to be.Said Beck of her attitude: Im such a big perfectionist. Thats what gets me coming back the next day, to see if I can get better.Now living in a community with a large Jewish population in Miami-Dade County, traveling home to the Middle East for only a few weeks a year, Beck is proud of her heritage.Being the only Israeli golfer out here, I want people to know where I come from, she said.Beck always wears a Star of David necklace and has the symbol stitched on her golf bag, which is in the Israeli colors of blue and white.Im not too religious, Beck said. Its more about the culture than religion. On the high holy days Ill go to temple.Beck bypassed a college tournament in 2001 because it conflicted with Yom Kippur, and she adheres to a Kosher diet.It was interesting at Passover during the Swinging Skirts event this year, she said. No bread and no yeast, and I usually eat pasta and make a peanut butter sandwich or have an energy bar on the course. The only thing I could have was fruit.Diet doesnt figure to be a problem at the Olympics. The news of how Beck fares in Rio will travel back to Israel, if awkwardly.Slowly, there are more articles back home if I do well, Beck said. But the articles are pretty funny because they dont know much about golf. Theyll say things like, She advanced into the final. In judo, you advance.By whatever description, though, Beck will be glad to be there representing her country.The first time I was at the Maccabiah Games, when I was 13, the opening ceremony was very emotional, she said. I was born in Belgium and live in the U.S. But I consider Israel home. ' ' '