The Running Clinic shines a light on how sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on your health, wellbeing and endurance performance. So next time you hesitate between sleeping and running, turn off the alarm clock and recover with a big dose of shuteye.

Sleeping should be one of the easiest things for an athlete to do. But in reality most of them don't reach the quality and quantity of sleep recommended.

This exposes them to several consequences:

• Sleep deprivation thwarts reaction times, attention, memory and learning processes.
• It reduces speed and muscle strength.  
• It increases perception of effort, worsens mood, and predisposes to anxiety and depression.
• It inhibits thermoregulation.
• It increases heart rate and breathing frequency.
• It alters levels of cortisol, growth hormones and circulating cytokines, which increases sensitization to pain. 

AND especially for runners, sleep deprivation increases risk of injury and non-functional overreaching.

So whatever you do, try and get as much sleep as possible!

Reference: The Running Clinic alongside Fabrizio Mancini (@thephyziotherapist)