With more than 40 percent of Americans getting less than the ideal amount of sleep, it’s easy to understand why it’s such a hot topic among doctors and sports scientists. Lack of sleep causes health problems such as weight gain, increased stroke risk, and other illnesses, in addition to research showing that sleep quality can have a significant impact on active performance.

Professional athletes such as LeBron James, Roger Federer, and Usain Bolt are on record as saying they need to sleep 10-12 hours a night to perform at their highest level. Two-thirds of athletes report worse-than-normal sleep the night before a competition, while an evaluation of professional hockey players shows the number reporting sleep disturbances doubles in season. Student athletes who sleep less than eight hours a night are twice as likely to suffer an injury.

Sleep deprivation can lead to decreased alertness, slower reaction time, and poor memory. Sleep loss can lead to potential decreases in immune function and a reduction in the release of human growth hormone, as well as a reduction in the hormones leptin and adiponectin – both of which play a significant role in fat gain and loss.

Sleep has been shown to directly impact exercise abilities:

  • Well-rested tennis players had a 4.2-percent increase in hitting accuracy.
  • Well-rested swimmers showed a 17-percent improvement in starting times.
  • Well-rested football players dropped 0.1 second off their 40-yard dash time.
  • Well-rested basketball players increased free throw and 3-point shooting percentage by 9 percent each.
  • Under-rested athletes lost 20 pounds off their bench press after only four days of inadequate sleep.
  • Perceived exhaustion increased 18 percent after only 30 hours of sleep loss.
  • Sleep loss led to an 11-percent increase in time to exhaustion.

And while exercise certainly benefits sleep, athletes experience greater-than-average stress that negatively impacts sleep. Get the good rest you need with Thorne’s Sleep Bundle for Athletes, a trio of supplements designed to support restful sleep and recovery.*

For deeper insights about the efficiency of your sleep-wake cycle and personalized recommendations, take Thorne's at-home Sleep Test.

In addition to supplementation, the foods you eat can play an important role in your ability to sleep.

Protein consumption before bed is linked to improved recovery from exercise and ability to train the next day, while also promoting increases in strength gains and muscle mass. Adding some cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, or a small protein shake to your dinner can help your sleep.

Although warm milk has long been believed to help achieve a good night’s sleep, many of the early theories have been disproved. Now, however, studies show that milk from cows that are milked at night have higher levels of melatonin, which helps regulate sleep, as well as vitamin D. Melatonin and vitamin D supplementation have been shown to decrease the time it takes to fall asleep. Shop Thorne’s Melaton-3™ and Vitamin D Liquid.

Tart cherries promote sleep by helping individuals fall asleep faster and spend less time awake throughout the night.

Kiwifruit consumption in individuals with self-reported sleep disorders improved both total time asleep and the amount of time spent in bed actually sleeping.

Pineapples, bananas, oranges, oats, and tomatoes naturally contain melatonin.

Nuts and seeds are high in the mineral magnesium, and deficiencies in magnesium can lead to insomnia and restless legs at night. Magnesium helps maintain normal levels of blood pressure and blood sugar and promotes relaxation, which promotes a better sleep environment.* For additional magnesium support, consider supplementing with Thorne’s Magnesium Bisglycinate, an ideal formula for active individuals wanting to unwind.* In addition to magnesium, this supplement contains the amino acid glycine, which also contributes to a restful sleep.*

The takeaway

These foods and supplements can help, but they aren’t the only things you can do to improve your sleep. One of the easiest things you can do? Turn out the lights. One study showed that two hours of exposure to smartphones, tablets, and laptop displays decreased melatonin by more than 20 percent.

Use of these devices should be limited before bed. But if you’re going to use your cell phone, at least put it on night mode.