LeBron's #1 Performance Tool
When it comes to recovery and performing better, whether it's physical or mental, athletes will try many different things from magical healing minerals to freezing their bodies at extreme temperatures to wearing all sorts of devices that alters their energy flow and brain waves.
However, when LeBron James was asked what his secret to a full recovery and performing at a high level, he said...
SLEEP!
This was LeBron's #1 tool to get to his body to fully recover, so he can perform at 100% day in and day out...
He said he sleeps 8 to 9 hours every night.
And if he doesn't get those 8 to 9 hours, he'll take naps up to 2 1/2 hours during the middle of the day.
It must be working!
LeBron is one of the greatest players of all-time. He's in his 17th season and has maintained playing at an elite level as long as anybody else with relatively few injuries.
LeBron also said that he turns off all electronics 30 to 45 minutes prior to bedtime. If you have trouble sleeping, some experts will recommend turning off all electronics 2 hours or more before bed.
Proper Sleep Makes Your Faster, Quicker, and Make Better Decisions!
In one study, the Stanford Men's basketball team found that when they boosted their sleep from less than 7 hours of sleep to more than 8.5 hours of sleep a night, these things improved.
- Sprint times went from 16.2 seconds to 15.5 seconds
- 9% improvement in free throw percentage
- 6% improvement in 3-Point shooting percentage
Quite simply, your brain and your body repairs itself during sleep.
On average, when you don't sleep enough...
- Reaction time is slower
- You run slower
- Decision making is slower
- Harder to maintain max efforts in strength and power
- Fatigue happens quicker
- You have less energy
- Concentration is more difficult
- Memory is worse
And from a general health perspective...
- Immune system is weaker (you are more prone to sickness)
- More prone to heart disease and stroke
- Harder to manage your weight
- Risk of cancer increases
- Testosterone can get too low
Tips to Improve Sleep and Maximize Recovery
Obviously, what measures you take to get better sleep depends on your sleep quality. If you sleep great with your current routine, there probably isn't much need to change.
However, if you're struggling with your sleep, getting better quality sleep could be a game-changer for how you perform and how you feel!
And while there is no shortage of tips out there to improve your sleep, here are some that I have experience with...
Begin a relaxing routine 2 to 3 hours before bed - You typically don't want to watch an intense TV show or work out right before bed.
It's best to read a calming book, do some breathing exercises, and even journal. I actually found that watching a comedy on TV helped me.
However, I do understand that you can't always control the time of your practices and games.
Just pay attention to how your body or brain feels after an activity. If it hypes you up, it might affect your sleep. If you sleep fine, then you're probably okay.
Adjust lighting in your house 1 to 3 hours before bed - There are some theories and preliminary research that dimming the lighting in your house prepares your body to sleep. It could be evolutionary. Over thousands of years, we were accustomed to gradual darkening of the sky as the sun went down. And we didn't have all of these bright lights surrounding us until the minute we went to bed
So I try to turn off all fluorescent and LED lights around 8pm. I have some lights that have the old school incandescent lights. Some experts even say that utilizing amber lights is better. We use those for our children's nightlights.
You can use blue light blocking glasses if you want to continue watching TV.
Turn off blue light setting on smartphone or completely shut off - Sleep experts advise turning off the blue light on your smartphone. There are settings on your iphone that you can change to turn off the blue light. I do this and mine is set to an amber color.
I do this every night. I try to stop using the iphone altogether at least one to two hours before bed, unless I'm using it strictly for relaxation purposes.
Consistent wake up time and bedtime - You want to stay regular on your bedtime and wake up cycles.
This helps produce a regular sleep cycle where you go through REM, Deep, and light sleep more efficiently. Each one is vital for different aspects of your body's recovery.
Darken your bedroom - You want as little light as possible. You can shut off all lights including any electronics and get black out curtains as well. That way your body doesn't think it's the daytime and wants to wake up.
Cool your bedroom - Some experts recommend cooling the room from 60 to 68 degrees at nighttime to help with sleep.
However, you have to be careful when it's warm out. My AC guy said not to set it below 70 degrees from April to September because I live in Florida. This would create too much condensation on the pipes and cause water damage to the interior walls and ceilings of the house.
No alcohol or other drugs - Alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs can destroy recovery during your sleep. There is a big difference between sedation and recovery during sleep!
When I used an Oura ring to track sleep and I had just a couple of alcoholic drinks prior to bed, it really wreaked havoc on my deep sleep and my vitals.
If you're not dreaming, it probably means you're not getting the vital deep sleep or REM sleep that you need.
Get a sleep study - If you still find yourself struggling with sleep or you find yourself constantly struggling with your energy or mood, you might want to seek out a professional who specializes in sleep disorders.
My Experience With Sleep Apnea, Nocturnal Bruxism (TMJ/TMD), and Fatigue
I incorporated all of the tips above and still was having sleep issues that were mostly random.
My doctor recommended an at-home sleep study which cost me approximately $200.
After doing this twice, we found out that I had a mild case of sleep apnea. Right now, it appears that I had a restricted breathing airway, so I wasn't getting enough oxygen.
This also led to nocturnal bruxism. It might sound counterintuitive, but by clenching your jaw during sleep, it actually relaxes muscles in your throat to create a bigger breathing airway.
This led to jaw issues, chipped teeth, migraines, daytime sleepiness, and fatigue.
To be blunt, even "mild cases" of sleep apnea suck!
So far, I feel much better during the day after utilizing a CPAP machine.
Well, I hope these tips help you in some way, whether it's improving your recovery, enhancing your performance, or just making you feel better.
What do you think? Let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions...
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