Sleep: The Secret Weapon for CrossFit Success

CrossFit and Sleep

Good CrossFit athletes are often said to “eat and sleep” the program. Based on a great deal of athletic performance research, this may not be such a good thing. Among the overwhelming majority of high-performing athletes, quality sleep is an essential training component. Let's look at the connection between good sleep and fitness.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The quality and amount of sleep athletes get is often the key to winning. REM sleep in particular provides energy to both the brain and body. If sleep is cut short, the body doesn’t have time to repair memory, consolidate memory, and release hormones.”

High intensity exercise such as CrossFit depletes energy, fluids, and breaks down muscle. Hydration and the right fuel are only part of training and recovery. “What athletes do in the moments during and immediately after competition also determines how quickly their bodies rebuild muscle and replenish nutrients. This helps maintain endurance, speed and accuracy.”

The Stress Hormone: Cortisol

Many athletic trainers and physicians have noted that sleep deprivation can result in an increase in the “stress hormone” known as cortisol. An article in Psychology Today noted that “The stress hormone, cortisol is public health enemy number one. Scientists have known for years that elevated cortisol levels interfere with learning and memory, lower immune function and bone density, increase weight gain, blood pressure, cholesterol, heart disease. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol levels also increase risk for depression, mental illness, and lower life expectancy.

Cortisol is released in response to fear or stress by the adrenal glands as part of the “fight-or-flight” mechanism and adequate sleep helps to reduce its incidence in the body. Sleep deprivation has also been seen to decrease production of glycogen and carbohydrates that are stored for energy use during physical activity. In short, less sleep increases the possibility of fatigue, low energy, and poor focus at game time. It may also slow recovery after a workout.

Reduction of Injuries

CrossFit class in session

Anyone who has gone through a grueling CrossFit session has first-hand knowledge of the potential for injuries in this setting. A University of California study concluded that injury rates in youth athletes increased during games that followed a night of sleep fewer than six hours. Another study looking at injury rates in high school athletes found that sleep hours was the strongest predictor of injuries, even more so than the hours of practice.

What accounts for this? First, fatigue affects reaction time and a tired athlete is slower to react to potential twists and turns of a CrossFit WOD. Secondly, fatigue affects the body’s immune system, making athletes more susceptible to illness. Finally, shorter sleep periods don’t provide the body with sufficient time to regenerate cells and repair from the abuse of workouts, games, and daily activities. As the research notes, “Over time, game-earned injuries, health issues, and the inability to fully recover can wear on an athlete and contribute to more time spent on the sidelines.”

Sleep Deprivation Can Drive You Crazy

Sleep deprivation can also have profound effects on one’s mental state. Dr. Joyce Walseben, a psychiatrist and the former director of Bellevue Hospital’s Sleep Disorders Center noted in an article in The Atlantic, “Sleep loss can cause psychological damage because sleep regulates the brain’s flow of epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin, chemicals closely associated with mood and behavior.

“Mood and sleep use the same neurotransmitters,” she said. “It’s very hard to tell if someone has sleep loss or depression.” Walseban added, “When these neurotransmitters are disrupted by sleep loss, the chemical changes in the brain can also result in manic feelings and behavior similar to bi-polar disorder: high highs of ecstasy and low lows of depression and anger.”

Can You Make it up on the Weekend?

Working too Much

Everyone has heard about the athlete, student or business tycoon who regularly lives on fewer than five hours of sleep each night. While this is certainly possible to do, the long-range health dangers of this type of lifestyle are extremely real.

Some believe they can regularly pull all-nighters and then “make it up” on the weekend, or sometime later. This is also a fallacy. It is a similar problem found in jet-lag. “The problem, the researchers write, is that many people who chronically lose sleep live in societies where their work and school schedules are not aligned with the body’s circadian rhythms. So they never make up for lost sleep from the nights before, and build up a “sleep debt” that is never repaid. The consequence of chronic sleep debt is “social jetlag”—a chronic slowing of concentration and hampering of bodily systems.”

If you want to accelerate you CrossFit training impact, get some rest – anywhere from 8 to 9 hours each night. This will also speed your recovery time and give clear head when it comes time to go to the grocery store and buy some healthy food.

Have you had any experience with the benefits of enough sleep and workout success? Post them below and we’ll share with our readers.

12 Comments

Natasha Thompson

November 19, 2022

My name is Natasha Thompson from the USA/Texas.. Am so overwhelmed with gratitude to let the world know how Dr Kachi, the great spell caster changed my life for good. It all started when I lost my job and I was down financially and emotionally because I couldn’t be able provide for my two kids and staying home all day Jobless it’s not easy until I was checking on the internet when I saw a series of testimonies hearing people winning the Powerball lottery, I didn’t believed, but being poor no job you have no option. I gave it a try and I contacted Dr Kachi who told me what i have to do before I can become a big lottery winner and I accepted. He made special prayers for me in his temple and gave me the required numbers to play the lottery game and when I used the numbers to play it, I won a massive $344.6 million Powerball jackpot. I was so happy and I choose to review my winning in any platform, I would love other people to seek help from Dr Kachi through WhatsApp/number and Call: +1 (209) 893-8075 or email drkachispellcast@gmail.com by his website: https://drkachispellcast.wixsite.com/my-site

Dexter Tamara

May 31, 2022

My mom was suffering from Type 2 diabetes and Lupus for over 17yrs. She tried many drugs but at last became dependent on saferoom and metformin due to the weakness and constant pains, She found that life was just sinking & there was no way of hope. Then she consulted Chief Dr Lucky for herbal treatments, Which she had been hearing so much about, After some couple of days taking this herbal medicine, Things started to change, The symptoms started to decrease and after 19 days of taking it, She became healthy and fully free from all the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes and Lupus. My mom’s life is totally different now. That’s why I decided to let everybody know about the wonderful healing of Chief Dr Lucky herbal, If you are having any health challenges kindly visit email chiefdrlucky@gmail.com or WhatsApp +2348132777335
Facebook page http://facebook.com/chiefdrlucky
Website https://chiefdrlucky.com/.

https://www.gamja888.com/ - 마닐라카지노

April 19, 2022

https://www.gamja888.com/ – 온라인카지노,카지노사이트,바카라사이트,온라인바카라,카지노게임사이트,Gamja888
https://gamja888.com/ – 퀸즈슬롯
https://gamja888.com/ – 맥스카지노
https://gamja888.com/ – 비바카지노
https://gamja888.com/ – 카지노주소
https://gamja888.com/ – 바카라추천
https://gamja888.com/onlinebaccarat/ – 온라인바카라
https://gamja888.com/millionclubcasino/ – 밀리언클럽카지노
https://gamja888.com/safecasinosite/ – 안전카지노사이트
https://gamja888.com/baccaratsiterecommendation/ – 바카라사이트추천
https://gamja888.com/ourcasino/ – 우리카지노계열
https://gamja888.com/slotmachine777/ – 슬롯머신777
https://gamja888.com/royalcasinosite/ – 로얄카지노사이트
https://gamja888.com/crazyslot/ – 크레이지슬롯
https://gamja888.com/onlineblackjack/ – 온라인블랙잭
https://gamja888.com/internetroulette/ – 인터넷룰렛
https://gamja888.com/casinoverificationsite/ – 카지노검증사이트
https://gamja888.com/safebaccaratsite/ – 안전바카라사이트
https://gamja888.com/mobilebaccarat/ – 모바일바카라
https://gamja888.com/howtowin-baccarat/ – 바카라 필승법
https://gamja888.com/meritcasino/ – 메리트카지노
https://gamja888.com/baccarat-howto/ – 바카라 노하우

youube.me
instagrme.com
youubbe.me
Instagrm.me
Instagrme.net
instagrme.site
instagrme.live
naverom.me
facebookom.me

https://instagrme.com/ - 모바일카지노

April 19, 2022

온라인카지노
카지노사이트
카지노게임사이트
바카라사이트
퀸즈슬롯
맥스카지노
비바카지노
카지노주소
바카라추천
온라인바카라
밀리언클럽카지노
안전카지노사이트
바카라사이트추천
우리카지노계열
슬롯머신777
로얄카지노사이트
크레이지슬롯
온라인블랙잭
인터넷룰렛
카지노검증사이트
안전바카라사이트
모바일바카라
바카라 필승법
메리트카지노
바카라 노하우

https://youube.me/
https://instagrme.com/
https://youubbe.me/
https://Instagrm.me/
https://instagrme.net/
https://instagrme.site/
https://instagrme.live/
https://naverom.me/
http://facebookom.me/

https://youubbe.me/ - 밀리언클럽카지노

April 19, 2022

https://www.youubbe.me/ – 카지노사이트,슬롯사이트,바카라사이트,온라인카지노,카지노주소
https://youubbe.me/ – 카지노검증사이트
https://youubbe.me/ – 안전한카지노사이트
https://youubbe.me/ – 슬롯카지노
https://youubbe.me/ – 바카라게임
https://youubbe.me/ – 카지노추천
https://youubbe.me/ – 비바카지노
https://youubbe.me/ – 퀸즈슬롯
https://youubbe.me/casinosite/ – 카지노사이트
https://youubbe.me/baccarat/ – 바카라
https://youubbe.me/baccaratsite/ – 바카라사이트
https://youubbe.me/pharaoh-casino/ – 파라오카지노
https://youubbe.me/제왕카지노/ – 제왕카지노
https://youubbe.me/mgm카지노/ – mgm카지노
https://youubbe.me/theking-casino/ – 더킹카지노
https://youubbe.me/coin-casino/ – 코인카지노
https://youubbe.me/solaire-casino/ – 솔레어카지노
https://youubbe.me/casino-game/ – 카지노게임
https://youubbe.me/micro-gaming/ – 마이크로게이밍
https://youubbe.me/asia-gaming/ – 아시아게이밍
https://youubbe.me/taisan-gaming/ – 타이산게이밍
https://youubbe.me/oriental-game/ – 오리엔탈게임
https://youubbe.me/evolution-game/ – 에볼루션게임
https://youubbe.me/dragon-tiger/ – 드래곤타이거
https://youubbe.me/dream-gaming/ – 드림게이밍
https://youubbe.me/vivo-gaming/ – 비보게이밍

youube.me
gamja888.com
instagrme.com
Instagrm.me
Instagrme.net
instagrme.site
instagrme.live
naverom.me
facebookom.me

https://www.youube.me/ - 식보게임 사이트

April 19, 2022

https://www.youube.me/ – 온라인바카라,카지노사이트,바카라사이트,바카라게임사이트,인터넷카지노
https://youube.me/ – 퀸즈슬롯
https://youube.me/ – 카지노주소
https://youube.me/sandscasinoaddress/ – 카지노검증사이트
https://youube.me/royalcasinoseries/ – 로얄카지노계열
https://youube.me/slotmachinesite/ – 슬롯머신사이트
https://youube.me/maxcasino/ – 맥스카지노
https://youube.me/baccaratgamesite/ – 바카라게임사이트
https://youube.me/casimbakorea-casino/ – 카심바코리아 카지노
https://youube.me/mobilecasino/ – 모바일카지노
https://youube.me/real-timebaccarat/ – 실시간바카라
https://youube.me/livecasino/ – 라이브카지노
https://youube.me/onlineslots/ – 온라인슬롯
https://youube.me/sandscasinoaddress/ – 바카라 이기는방법
https://youube.me/safecasinosite/ – 안전카지노사이트
https://youube.me/ourcasinosite/ – 우리카지노사이트
https://youube.me/sandscasinoaddress/ – 샌즈카지노주소
https://youube.me/baccarat-rulesofthegame/ – 바카라 게임규칙
https://youube.me/baccarat-howtoplay/ – 바카라 게임방법