Sleep

Everyone wonders what is the magic supplement, food, or recovery modality that is going to help them recover, perform and have longevity in the sport of triathlon. Well, let me tell you that is can be as simple as getting MORE sleep. Many high performance individuals who have demanding jobs and demanding training schedules dig themselves a hole of fatigue that only results in chronic fatigue and health issues, all leading to overtraining syndrome. 

When you are in REM sleep your body secretes a human growth hormone which provides your body with the ability to recover from a tough day of training and build lean muscle. These sleep cycles can last about 90 minutes so trying to accumulate as many 90 minute cycles throughout the night is a good starting point. Think about someone who gets 6 hours compared to someone who gets 9 hours of sleep. That is 2 more cycles of deep sleep EACH night! This alone will have a profound impact on your recovery.