I say it often to our team, but there is no better recovery tool than your bed. As we venture into the second half of the 2019 cross country season, it is important to remember the value of sleep to a young athlete’s ability to recover properly.
We all know too well the varied commitments our student-athletes face, whether it’s school, homework, practice, family, time with friends … the list goes on. With that in mind, I just want to re-emphasize the importance of sleep, and this is an area where parents can help. Proper sleep benefits their performance in the classroom and on the field of play, and it reduces the chance of developing injuries or succumbing to illness.
Please take a moment to read this article, by clicking here.
From the article: The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens get 9 ¼ hours of sleep per night. But most teens don’t get that much sleep, “One study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 ½ hours on school nights.” (Teens and Sleep, 2013) Without proper sleep, teens will have a harder time concentrating on their studies and their athletic performance will suffer.”