In pursuit of their optimal fitness, no athlete can train 24/7; they need strategic downtimes (i.e., sleep, taper periods), and we are no different. In fact, with increasing age, sleep and recovery become an even more critical consideration.
It is also essential to realise that each of us is an individual. Our training programs, tapering schedules, nutritional requirements, and recovery strategies vary. I recently completed hiking the Larapinta Trail in 11 days, and it took a solid two weeks for me to feel back to my regular sleeping, eating, and other bodily functions. This involved only walking and stretching for the first week, then only very light training in the second and third weeks. Having rested and thought I was recovered from the Larapinta Trail, I joined the guys on a 12km (3-hour) coastal hike that I had completed several times before. Yet, my body bombed out after 8 km, with me struggling to keep pace and keep my heart rate under 165.
I may have rested my body, but I hadn’t accounted for the 3 weeks of lost cardio and leg fitness during that recovery period, so I needed to rebuild this before undertaking such an activity. Always learning.
Sleep & Recovery Resources
Sleep is your best friend when it comes to recovery. In 2020, I completed my PhD exploring the relationship between sleep posture, waking sleep pain and sleep quality. If you would like a deep dive into optimising your sleep, I have created a paid Sleep Mastery online course for health professionals that provides all the background education and tools for them to assist their patients. The course has also been completed by non-professionals looking for a DIY solution. You can check out my published research here.
I also created a free, fun & educational 14-Night Sleep Mastery Challenge that examines the key aspects of why some people wake up with neck and/or low back pain and stiffness. This email short course includes discussions about improving sleep posture and the ideal sleep system (e.g., pillow, mattress, and base), which are two of the most frequently asked sleep-related questions in my clinical practice.
In the News
I have conducted several radio and podcast interviews that delve into greater detail on how people can alleviate the nightly stress they inflict on their bodies, at a time when they should be promoting rest and recovery. These are great for assisting the knowledge translation process because the interviewer often poses the same questions you are thinking. Usually, new research takes a long time to gain widespread recognition, and these public conversations are an attempt to speed the public adoption of this new information, plus saving the public money and pain!
Your Ideal Sleep System
Sleep Posture and Pain
A Sleep System Podcast
Spinal Pain & Sleep
Optimising Sleep