Sleep Tips Leading Up to the Big Race

Sep 09, 2017

In addition to training hard and eating right, it’s equally important to optimize your sleep environment to ensure you receive the highest-quality sleep.

Sleep before a race helps to provide your body with the energy reserves it needs to tackle every mile and sleep post-race helps your body recover and repair. The below tips can help you customize your sleep routine to best suit your individual needs for training, racing and beyond.

Stay Dry and Cool
Temperature makes all the difference in the condition of your sleep—this means keeping your room temperature cool (between 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit) and controlling humidity by keeping moisture away from your body with breathable fabrics.

When your body gets overheated, you toss and turn in order to cool yourself down, so sleeping at the right temperature makes it easier for your body to follow its natural circadian rhythm of dropping two degrees at night for cellular rejuvenation and reduces sensations of restlessness. BEDGEAR’s patented, air flow enhanced fabric technologies work to wick away heat and moisture to help your body regulate its temperature in order to generate a cooler, drier sleep environment.

Keep Your Spine Aligned
Spinal alignment is essential for maximizing your recovery while you sleep and is dependent on choosing the right, personalized products that work for you and support your body’s needs.

Pressure points and the pull of the heavier parts of your body such as the hips and thighs in runners, and can cause your lower back to torque, compelling you to unconsciously change position during your sleep, in order to get more support from your mattress. Having the right pillow to support the weight of your head, neck and shoulders—even the addition of a leg pillow can help you stay in one position longer, which will lead to a more restful night. BEDGEAR is the only brand to fit you for 100% of your total sleep comfort with a personalized Performance pillow and four levels of support in their all-new M3 Mattress.

Stay On Your Sleep Path
It is important not to change any habits before the race like your sleep position or your diet to ensure that you perform at your best. While the sleep patterns that occur in the weeks and months during training build the reserves you need to conquer each mile, the night or two before can do damage if you are uncomfortable! If traveling, be sure to bring the pillow that you know fits you, so you don’t risk neck strain or tossing and turning from having the wrong gear in your hotel room.

Rest and Recovery
Make sure you are getting adequate rest and recovery—the weeks leading up to the race build your sleep reserves to help you power through a long course and achieve your personal best. After the race, a great-fitting sleep system helps your body recover quickly. Sleep Fuels Everything.