Sleep deprivation can significantly impact your athletic performance – including at your weekly MAN v FAT sessions – by slowing reaction times, reducing endurance, and hindering recovery.
We caught up with the team at Simba Sleep, renowned for its innovative Hybrid® mattresses, to find out more and how they’re committed to enhancing sleep quality with advanced design and materials. Prioritising rest isn’t just about feeling refreshed, it’s a critical factor in achieving peak performance, both physically and mentally.
The overlooked factor in athletic performance
When striving to improve athletic performance, most people focus on training, nutrition, and recovery methods such as stretching or ice baths. But one crucial factor is often neglected, quality sleep.
Lisa Artis, Deputy CEO of Simba’s charity partner, The Sleep Charity, highlights its importance: “Prioritising quality rest is not just a luxury; it’s a necessity for physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Athletes who optimise their sleep see significant improvements in performance, recovery, and injury prevention.”
She further emphasises: “Lack of sleep increases levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can negatively affect muscle recovery and endurance. Ensuring adequate rest is just as important as training itself.”
Whether you’re a professional athlete or someone looking to improve your fitness, quality rest can give you the edge you need. Here’s why sleep should be a non-negotiable part of your routine.
Faster recovery and stronger muscles
After an intense workout, your muscles need time to repair and grow. This process primarily occurs during deep sleep.
Lisa Artis adds: “Deep sleep is the body’s natural recovery phase. Without it, your muscles remain fatigued, increasing the risk of injury and delaying improvements in strength and performance.”
Without enough sleep, your body struggles to rebuild muscle, leading to prolonged recovery, increased soreness, and a higher risk of injury. Deep, restorative sleep ensures your body is ready to take on the next challenge.
Sharper focus and faster reactions
In competitive sports, split-second decisions can make or break a game. Whether it’s reacting to an opponent’s move, maintaining precision, or strategising on the go, your brain needs to perform at its best. Even in your weekly MAN v FAT sessions, it can make all the difference in picking up the win or losing your fixture!
Lisa Artis, explains: “Lack of sleep reduces vigilance, alertness, and focus, making it harder to perform tasks that require sustained attention. This can be a serious disadvantage in both training and competition.”
Sleep deprivation impacts cognitive function in a way similar to alcohol consumption. Reaction times slow, decision-making suffers, and concentration declines, none of which are ideal for an athlete aiming to perform at their best. By getting enough sleep, you enhance cognitive function, reaction time, and decision-making ability, giving yourself the best chance of success.
Preventing Injuries and Improving Coordination
Fatigue hampers coordination, delays reaction times, and weakens muscle control—all factors that heighten the risk of injury. Studies have found that athletes sleeping fewer than eight hours per night are 1.7 times more likely to get injured compared to those who get eight hours or more.
Lisa Artis explains: “Sleep is essential for restoring energy and repairing tissue damage. Without adequate rest, balance and motor skills decline, making strains, sprains, and more serious injuries more likely.”
Getting enough rest enhances body control, helping to avoid missteps, awkward movements, and muscle overuse injuries.
Boosted Energy and Stamina
Sleep significantly impacts energy regulation and endurance. Athletes who are well-rested are better at storing and using glycogen—critical for fuelling muscle activity. Lack of sleep can lead to faster fatigue, turning even regular workouts into a struggle.
As Lisa Artis notes: “Sleep supports how your body manages energy. Athletes who get consistent, high-quality rest tend to show better endurance, performance, and stamina.”
When you’re fully rested, your body performs more efficiently, allowing you to maintain power, motivation, and resilience through both training and competition.
Why Your Mattress Matters
Getting enough sleep is crucial—but so is the quality of that sleep. A poor-quality mattress can lead to discomfort, misalignment, and restless nights, all of which hinder recovery and performance.
The Simba Hybrid® Mattress is engineered for high-level support, using Aerocoil® springs that promote full-body alignment and relieve pressure. Its advanced Simbatex® foam layer adds bounce and softness, while the nine-zone foam base supports crucial pressure points like the hips and shoulders. Switching to a supportive mattress can improve sleep quality, reduce aches, and help you wake up feeling recharged and ready to excel.
The bottom line
To train harder, perform better, and recover faster, sleep must be a top priority. Just like a solid training plan and balanced nutrition, quality rest is essential for peak performance. By prioritising deep, restorative sleep, you give your body the recovery it needs to stay strong, sharp, and ready for any challenge.
Investing in better sleep isn’t just about comfort, it’s about unlocking your full potential.
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN IN OUR LATEST MAN V FAT COMPETITION!
We’ve teamed up with Simba to offer our MAN v FAT Community the chance to win a Simba Hybrid Mattress!
For your chance to win, simply send us your name, contact telephone number and the size bed you’d need the mattress for to marketing@manvfat.com! Our competition closes at 5.00pm on Friday 16th May.
