SLEEP: The Recovery Connection You Can’t Ignore

Most of us think of exercise and movement as the “work” and sleep as the “rest,” but they are deeply interconnected. Movement during the day helps regulate circadian rhythms, improves sleep quality, and helps you fall asleep faster. In turn, good sleep allows your body to repair muscle tissue, consolidate motor learning (such as a new golf swing or exercise pattern), and replenish energy for tomorrow’s activities.

How Movement Impacts Sleep

• Improves Sleep Efficiency: Research shows that a single session of moderate aerobic exercise can increase slow-wave (deep) sleep by up to 25% that night.

• Regulates Circadian Rhythm: Movement in daylight hours helps reinforce your body’s natural clock, leading to faster sleep onset and better timing of melatonin release.

• Reduces Stress Hormones: Consistent exercise lowers baseline cortisol levels, which is key since chronic high cortisol can delay sleep onset.

• Timing Tip: High-intensity exercise within 1 hour of bedtime can delay sleep onset by about 30 minutes in some individuals — aim to finish training at least 2–3 hours before bed.

 How Sleep Improves Movement

• Faster Recovery: Up to 70% of human growth hormone — essential for muscle repair — is secreted during deep sleep.

• Injury Risk: Athletes who sleep <6 hours per night are 1.7 times more likely to experience an injury compared to those who sleep >8 hours.

• Strength & Performance: Sleep deprivation can cut maximal strength and power output by up to 20%, and reaction time slows by a similar margin — the equivalent of performing while legally intoxicated.

• Learning New Skills: Sleep is when your brain consolidates motor learning, which means better retention of new exercises, sports skills, or PT movement patterns.

Practical, Science-Backed Tips

• Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule: Your body performs best when you keep the same bedtime and wake time within a 30-minute window.

• Aim for 7–9 Hours: Research from the CDC and National Sleep Foundation shows this is the sweet spot for most adults.

• Move Early in the Day: A brisk 20–30 minute walk in the morning improves melatonin release later that evening.

• Use Active Recovery Wisely: Gentle mobility or yoga in the evening reduces muscle soreness and heart rate, making it easier to fall asleep.

• Cool, Dark, and Quiet: Lowering room temperature to 65–68°F can improve sleep efficiency by up to 15%.

Sleep isn’t a passive activity — it’s your body’s most powerful recovery tool. Pair it with the right movement plan, and you can amplify strength gains, lower pain levels, and reduce injury risk.

📅 Schedule an assessment with Chardon Performance Therapy today to optimize your movement plan and get back to sleeping — and performing — at your best.