Tip Of The Week – March Recap

Coach Monika says… Week 1: Contrary to popular belief, training or more training per se does not make stronger, faster or fitter. Those benefits are achieved afterwards during proper recovery when so-called adaptation takes place. Week 2: Sleep deprivation is accumulative, meaning that an athlete getting only 7 hours a night accumulates a sleep debt of 10 hours by the weekend. Week 3: Getting an extra 2-3 hours of sleep on the weekend makes one feel better initially but often translates into feeling tired and irritable on Monday morning due to the effects of accumulated sleep debt. Week 4: Sleep deprivation affects ‘proprioception’ – the sense of balance – that allows us to feel our weight shift, even when our eyes are closed. Balance is more likely affected, increasing the potential of falling when athletes are deprived of sleep, according to medical experts. Week 5: According to medical research, adolescent athletes who slept eight or more hours each night were 68 percent less likely to be injured than athletes who regularly slept less.