Sleep and Performance

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Sleep isn’t just rest—it’s training.

In this episode, I explore how sleep shapes every aspect of athletic and mental performance. Drawing from the latest research in sports science, neuroscience, and physiology, this conversation breaks down what really happens during the sleep cycle, how it impacts recovery and skill development, and why consistent, high-quality rest is the hidden edge that separates good athletes from great ones.

Learn how to recognize the signs of sleep debt, understand the role of deep and REM sleep in physical and cognitive recovery, and apply practical, science-based strategies to improve sleep quality—from pre-sleep routines to optimal nap timing and travel recovery.

Whether competing at an elite level or simply striving to perform better in daily life, this episode offers actionable tools to strengthen the mind, body, and performance —one night of sleep at a time.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker (00:01):
I'm Dr.
Nassim Ebrahimi, and welcome toBecoming My Stronger Me, a
podcast designed to help youbecome stronger in mind, body,
and heart.
In season two, the mentalperformance series, we'll
explore the intricaterelationship between mental
performance, sports excellence,leadership, and personal growth
to help you become your strongeryou.

(00:21):
Today's episode is aboutsomething so simple yet so
powerful that it can completelytransform performance.
Not just in sports, but inlife.
Today, we're talking aboutsleep.
Sleep is often the first thingto get sacrificed when schedules

(00:41):
fill up.
Athletes will train for hours,dial in their nutrition, and
still think of sleep asoptional.
But the truth is, sleep is oneof the most potent performance
enhancers available.
And it's free, legal, andscientifically proven.
Let's start by talking aboutwhat actually happens when we

(01:04):
sleep.
Sleep isn't just shutting downfor the night.
It's one of the most activerecovery periods the body
experiences.
Each night, the body cyclesthrough several stages, light
sleep, deep sleep, and REMsleep.
During deep sleep, musclesrepair, tissues recover, and

(01:25):
growth hormone is released.
This is when the physical bodyrebuilds from the stress of
training.
Then, during REM sleep, thebrain goes to work,
consolidating memory, refiningmotor skills, and regulating
emotion.
In fact, studies show thatathletes who get consistent REM

(01:46):
sleep learn new plays andtechniques faster because the
brain is literally integratingwhat was practiced that day.
One study published in theStrength and Conditioning
Journal explained that deepsleep supports immune and
hormonal balance, both crucialfor athletes under heavy load.
Another from the Flow ResearchCollective and Stanford

(02:08):
University showed thatbasketball players who extended
their sleep to around 10 hoursimproved sprint times and
shooting accuracy by nearly 10%.
Think about that.
A measurable bump inperformance, not from more reps
or drills, but from more rest.

(02:30):
So why is sleep so powerful?
Because it affects nearly everysystem connected to
performance.
Reaction time slowsdramatically with even minor
sleep loss.
Focus and decision making,essential for every sport,
decline after just one night ofrestricted sleep.

(02:51):
Sleep deprivation also impairsrecovery.
Muscles stay sore longer,inflammation rises, and the risk
of injury increases.
Some studies even show thatathletes who sleep less than
eight hours are 1.7 times morelikely to get injured.

(03:12):
But the other side of the storyis that small improvements can
make a big difference.
Research from 2024 looking atrugby players found that
athletes with consistent sleepand wake times, what's called
sleep regularity, slept about 25minutes longer on average and

(03:32):
had fewer wakeups during thenight.
It wasn't just the number ofhours, but the consistency and
quality that mattered.
So regularity may be just asimportant as duration.
For coaches and parents, thisis a reminder that late night

(03:53):
practices, screens, andinconsistent routines aren't
just part of the grind.
They chip away at an athlete'sability to recover and perform.
Now let's talk about whatbetter sleep actually looks
like.
The sweet spot for mostathletes is between eight to ten

(04:15):
hours per night.
That might sound like a lot,but recovery demands are higher
for anyone pushing the body toits limits.
For younger athletes, thatnumber can be even higher.
Creating structure around sleepcan be as simple as keeping a
consistent bedtime, even onweekends, and waking up around

(04:37):
the same time each day.
The environment matters too.
The best sleep happens in adark, cool, quiet room, ideally
around 65 degrees Fahrenheit.
Blue light from phones or TVscan suppress melatonin, so
screens should be off at least30 minutes before bed.

(05:00):
Building a short wind-downroutine, maybe stretching,
journaling, or slow breathing,signals the brain that it's time
to rest.
Think of it like a pre-gameroutine, but for sleep.
For athletes who can't alwayscontrol their schedule, naps can

(05:20):
help fill the gap.
Studies show that a 20 to 30minute nap can restore alertness
and boost reaction time after apoor night's sleep.
Longer naps, around 90 minutes,allow for a full sleep cycle,
including REM and deep sleep,but should be timed to be

(05:41):
earlier in the day, ideallybetween 1 and 3.
And here's a small butimportant tip.
Always allow about 30 minutesto fully wake up before jumping
into physical activity to avoidthat heavy grogginess called
sleep inertia.
Coaches, this is an area whereleadership really matters.

(06:02):
Teams that normalize recovery,including sleep, perform better
and burn out less.
Consider asking athletes totrack how much sleep they're
getting alongside their trainingload.
Make it part of the performancediscussions.
Instead of asking, did you lifttoday or did you run today?
Start asking, how did you sleeplast night?

(06:25):
That small shift reframes restas a key component of training
rather than an afterthought.
Parents play a vital role too.
Encouraging consistent bedtimeroutines, limiting screens, and
prioritizing rest on travel dayscan help young athletes stay

(06:47):
sharp and resilient.
And maybe most importantly,model it yourself.
When adults show that rest ispart of a healthy,
high-performing lifestyle,athletes are more likely to
believe it.
At the biological level, it'salso important to remember that
sleep happens in cycles ofroughly 90 minutes.

(07:10):
Each cycle includes phases oflight, deep, and REM sleep, and
every stage contributesdifferently to recovery.
Waking up mid-cycle can leaveyou feeling groggy even after
eight hours, while completingfull cycles leave you refreshed.
That's why tools like sleeptracking or even bedtime

(07:33):
consistency can be so powerful.
They help align that wake uptime with natural rhythms.
If you're listening to this andrealizing sleep has been the
missing piece, here's the goodnews: it's one of the easiest
things to start improving.
By adding 30 minutes to yournightly rest, notice how you

(07:55):
feel after a week.
Pay attention to your focus,your energy levels, and your
mood, not just during workouts,but throughout the day.

The bottom line (08:04):
sleep isn't downtime, it's training time.
It's when the body rebuilds,the brain resets, and the
athlete becomes stronger.
Without it, performancesuffers.
With it, everything gets betterfrom skill learning to
emotional control.

(08:25):
So as you plan your next weekof training, recovery, and
competition, make sleep part ofthe plan.
Treat it as a non-negotiable.
The most successful athletes inthe world do, and the science
keeps proving why.
Until next time, don't forgetto subscribe to the podcast,

(08:45):
join our Facebook group, send inyour stories and feedback.
And if you're looking for amental performance coach or want
more information, go towww.becoming my strongerme.com.
I can't wait to hear from you.