How to Improve Recovery: Why Sleep Matters

Recovery Starts With Sleep

We often think of recovery as stretching, massage, foam rolling, ice, compression, or other recovery techniques. While these strategies can have a place in a recovery routine, one of the most important things we can do for recovery happens every night: sleep. Sleep is not simply a period of rest; it is an active process that allows the body and brain to recover from the physical and mental demands of the day.¹ Whether you are an athlete, someone who exercises recreationally, or simply dealing with the demands of everyday life, getting enough sleep is an important part of recovery.

Why Sleep Matters for Recovery

Sleep plays an important role in physical recovery, athletic performance, concentration, coordination, mood, and overall well-being. While we sleep, the body has an opportunity to recover from the physical and mental demands of the day. Adequate sleep supports processes such as tissue repair, hormonal regulation, immune function, and brain function, while also helping the body adapt to the physical demands placed on it.¹ On the other hand, consistently getting less sleep than your body needs can lead to increased fatigue, difficulty recovering between workouts, decreased concentration, and reduced physical and mental performance.² Sleep is therefore an important part of recovery for everyone—not just athletes or those who are physically active.

How Much Sleep Do You Need?

Sleep needs vary depending on age and individual factors.^3,4

Athletes or individuals with particularly high physical demands may benefit from additional sleep.

Why Is Sleep Especially Important for Young Athletes?

Young athletes place unique demands on their bodies as they balance the demands of school, training, and competition with the normal growth and development that occurs throughout childhood and adolescence. Adequate sleep supports both recovery from physical activity and these developmental needs. This combination of high physical and mental demands with limited time makes prioritizing sleep especially important for young athletes.

Common Challenges for Young Athletes

• Early school start times
• Late practices and games
• Homework and studying
• Travel for tournaments and competitions
• Screens and social media
• Balancing school, sports, and other responsibilities
• Inconsistent sleep schedules between school days and weekends

Because of these competing demands, sleep can easily become one of the first things sacrificed when a young athlete’s schedule becomes busy.

How to Improve Your Sleep

Don’t try all of these at once. Start by picking one or two of the points below that you think are most applicable to you and your situation, and try them for a few weeks. If you’re still struggling, slowly incorporate additional strategies into your routine.

• Give yourself enough time in bed to meet your sleep needs by establishing a predictable wind-down routine before bed, and keeping your bedtime and wake-up time relatively consistent.
• Limit screens, bright light, and other stimulating activities close to bedtime.
• Limit caffeine, particularly later in the day.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet.
• Find the bed and pillow combination that works for you.
• Utilize naps, but limit them to earlier in the day and 30 minutes or less. Naps should supplement your normal sleep, not replace it.

For additional tips and strategies to improve the quality of your sleep, visit the National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Tips page.

What Else Can You Do to Support Recovery?

Sleep is one of the foundations of recovery, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Nutrition and hydration are also important parts of supporting recovery.⁵

Nutrition

• Your body needs adequate energy and nutrients to recover from physical activity and the demands of everyday life.
• Protein provides the building blocks needed for tissue repair and muscle recovery.
• Carbohydrates help provide energy for exercise and replenish energy stores.
• A balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutrient-dense foods can help support overall health and recovery.

Hydration

• Stay hydrated throughout the day rather than waiting until you are thirsty or about to exercise.
• Hydration becomes especially important during longer workouts, practices, games, and other activities that cause significant fluid loss.

While sleep, nutrition, and hydration are some of the most important factors in recovery, other aspects of your daily life also play a role. Managing everyday stress gives both your body and mind a chance to recover. Work, school, relationships, travel, and other responsibilities all contribute to your overall workload.

Appropriate rest between workouts allows the body time to adapt to training. It does not have to be passive rest. Active recovery in the form of light movement, such as walking or mobility exercises, can help you stay active without adding significant stress. Techniques such as massage, stretching, foam rolling, compression, or cold therapy can also be useful tools for managing soreness, but they should complement—not replace—the basics of recovery.

Signs You May Not Be Recovering Well

Pay attention to these changes as they may indicate that your body needs more recovery:^6,7

• Persistent soreness or fatigue
• Declining performance or difficulty completing normal activities
• Changes in mood, concentration, or motivation
• Frequently feeling constantly tired despite adequate sleep
• Recurring pain or minor injuries

Bottom Line: Don’t Ignore Persistent Pain

Soreness after a difficult workout or increased activity is not necessarily a problem. However, pain that worsens, repeatedly returns, changes how you move, or consistently interferes with activity should not simply be pushed through. These symptoms may indicate that you need to modify your activity, allow more recovery time, or seek an evaluation.

The Takeaway

Recovery doesn’t have to be complicated. Before looking for the newest recovery tool or technology, start with the basics: getting enough sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, and giving your body adequate time to recover.

Recovery is not about finding one perfect technique; it’s about consistently giving your body what it needs to recover and perform. For young athletes, this is especially important as they balance training and competition with the demands of growth and development. The goal isn’t to eliminate every source of stress or soreness, but to build enough recovery into your routine to allow your body to adapt, perform, and stay healthy.

If pain, soreness, or a lack of recovery is keeping you from doing the activities you enjoy, it may be time to take a closer look at what’s contributing to the problem. At M3 Chiropractic & Sports Medicine, we can help identify the factors affecting your recovery and develop a plan to get you moving and performing at your best.

References

1. Zielinski MR, McKenna JT, McCarley RW. Functions and Mechanisms of Sleep. AIMS Neurosci. 2016;3(1):67-104. doi: 10.3934/Neuroscience.2016.1.67. Epub 2016 Apr 21. PMID: 28413828; PMCID: PMC5390528.
2. Craven J, McCartney D, Desbrow B, Sabapathy S, Bellinger P, Roberts L, Irwin C. Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Physical Performance: A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review. Sports Med. 2022 Nov;52(11):2669-2690. doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01706-y. Epub 2022 Jun 16. PMID: 35708888; PMCID: PMC9584849.
3. Paruthi S, Brooks LJ, D’Ambrosio C, Hall WA, Kotagal S, Lloyd RM, Malow BA, Maski K, Nichols C, Quan SF, Rosen CL, Troester MM, Wise MS. Recommended Amount of Sleep for Pediatric Populations: A Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. J Clin Sleep Med. 2016 Jun 15;12(6):785-6. doi: 10.5664/jcsm.5866. PMID: 27250809; PMCID: PMC4877308.
4. Watson NF, Badr MS, Belenky G, Bliwise DL, Buxton OM, Buysse D, Dinges DF, Gangwisch J, Grandner MA, Kushida C, Malhotra RK, Martin JL, Patel SR, Quan SF, Tasali E. Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Sleep. 2015 Jun 1;38(6):843-4. doi: 10.5665/sleep.4716. PMID: 26039963; PMCID: PMC4434546.
5. Haller N, Hübler E, Stöggl T, Simon P. Evidence-Based Recovery in Soccer – Low-Effort Approaches for Practitioners. J Hum Kinet. 2022 Apr 26;82:75-99. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2022-0082. PMID: 36196351; PMCID: PMC9465732.
6. Steinacker JM, Zügel M, Schumann U, Machus K, Schneider M, Harald H, Sareban M, Treff G. Monitoring rowers to determine under-performance. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil. 2015 Aug 11;7(Suppl 1):O15. doi: 10.1186/2052-1847-7-S1-O15. PMCID: PMC4535195.
7. Kreher JB, Schwartz JB. Overtraining syndrome: a practical guide. Sports Health. 2012 Mar;4(2):128-38. doi: 10.1177/1941738111434406. PMID: 23016079; PMCID: PMC3435910.