12 Months to Marathon - Episode 57 - Why Sleep Matters

Why Sleep Matters 

Let’s start with the basics: sleep is when your body repairs, rebuilds, and recharges.

It’s not just 'rest' it’s active recovery.
 When you sleep:

• Your muscles repair microscopic damage from training
• Your immune system strengthens
• Your nervous system resets
• Your brain processes motor learning and stores movement patterns

In other words, sleep is when you become a better runner.

Studies show that sleep deprivation can:

• Reduce time to exhaustion
• Increase perceived effort
• Decrease glucose metabolism in the brain (which affects focus)
• And even lower pain tolerance—making that long run feel way harder than it should

And here’s the thing: even just one bad night of sleep can affect your next session. So imagine what happens when it’s three… five… a week?"

Personal Reflections & The Data Trap 

Let me be honest, I’ve had nights where I’ve slept well, but my watch tells me otherwise. Or vice versa. It’s tempting to let that sleep score dictate how you feel that day. But sleep quality isn’t always captured perfectly by a device.

You’ve got to check in with how your body actually feels.

But that said, I’ve also had times where I knew I was short-changing myself on sleep. Trying to squeeze in early runs with late nights, and then wondering why I felt flat, moody, or unmotivated. It wasn’t overtraining. It was under-recovering.

Sleep isn’t a luxury. It’s training.

How Much Do Runners Actually Need? 

So how much sleep do you actually need?

Most adults need 7–9 hours. But for runners, especially when you’re building mileage, training hard, or tapering for a race—you might need more.

Elite athletes often sleep 9–10 hours a night. Some even nap during the day.

You might not have that kind of schedule, but here are signs you’re not getting enough:

• You wake up feeling groggy even after a full night
• You crash mid-afternoon
• You have trouble focusing on runs
• You’re more irritable than usual
• Your heart rate variability drops or resting heart rate spikes

If you’re stacking great workouts but still feeling off—look at your sleep.

Tips to Improve Sleep Quality 

Let’s get practical. Here are a few things that have helped me, and many other runners, sleep better:

1. Regular Bedtime & Wake Time
   Your body loves rhythm. Try to keep your sleep schedule consistent, even on weekends.
2. Cut Caffeine Early
   Caffeine has a half-life of 5–6 hours. If you’re training in the afternoon and still wired at night, it could be the coffee.
3. Digital Detox
   Blue light from screens suppresses melatonin. Try to shut down phones and laptops at least 30–60 minutes before bed.
4. Cool, Dark Room
   Sleep thrives in a cool (around 18°C or 65°F), dark environment. Blackout curtains, white noise—whatever helps you settle.
5. Wind-Down Routine
   Reading, stretching, journaling, deep breathing—do something that signals to your body that it’s time to shift gears.

And one more thing: don’t panic about one bad night. It happens. It’s the pattern that matters."

So here’s the takeaway:

 Sleep isn’t just recovery—it’s part of your training plan. It’s where you lock in the gains, sharpen your focus, and protect yourself from burnout and injury.

So if you’re serious about running—be serious about sleep.

Remember to follow me on Instagram for all your running content 

https://www.instagram.com/12monthstomarathon 

JH