SLEEP / 003 [CAN MORE SLEEP MAKE YOU PERFORM BETTER?]

Question
Can sleeping more actually make you perform better?

Study
Researchers followed 11 players from the Stanford University basketball team, around 19 years old. For two to four weeks, they slept as usual. Then, for five to seven weeks, they tried to spend at least 10 hours in bed every night.

Findings
The players ended up sleeping almost two hours more per night: from about 6.7 to 8.5 hours. Their sprint time dropped from 16.2 to 15.5 seconds. Free throws and three pointers both went up by about 9%. They also reacted faster, felt less sleepy, and reported better mood and more energy during training and games.

What It Means for Athletes
If you regularly sleep too little, extra sleep might give you more than an extra training session. That does not mean everyone needs 10 hours. The players got 10 hours in bed, but actually slept around 8.5. Keep in mind that this was a small group from one team, so see it as a strong signal, not a guarantee.

Try this: pick something you already measure, like a sprint time, shooting percentage or a lift. Write down where you are now. Then add 30 to 60 minutes of time in bed for three weeks and compare.

Source
Mah, C. D., Mah, K. E., Kezirian, E. J., & Dement, W. C. (2011). The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep, 34(7), pp. 943 to 950.

BEHIND THE SCIENCE
Translating sports science into information athletes can actually use.