Life In The Saddle

Sleep is the unsung hero of so many aspects of life. Good sleep is critical to recovery, physical performance, and mental health; for cyclists and athletes, a good night's sleep will probably make more difference than weight savings on your bike, or what you eat the night before a big ride. Yet, we do not, or sometimes cannot always prioritise sleep. There are multiple factors that can deprive us of good sleep: life factors such as work or family, as well as controllable factors known as 'sleep hygiene'. I became a dad at the start of this year – a 'life' factor, and the sleep deprivation is very real and uncontrollable. I have felt the effect on my energy levels, recovery and performance. The feeling of getting poor sleep, sometimes 2.5 hours a night for several weeks, made me realise how important sleep is to your wellbeing and your cycling. It also got me wondering, how many people suffer from poor sleep longer term? And while we cannot always control 'l...

Sleep is the primary pillar of effective recovery—getting enough quality sleep is therefore fundamental to endurance sports performance. I have learned the hard way what a lack of sleep can do to your health, wellbeing, and cycling success; in this post I look at seven of those lessons, and tips on how you can improve your sleep quality and recovery. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night is a critical part of recovery. It is during the deep sleep period that our bodies begin to fully repair and rejuvenate themselves, readying themselves for the next effort. Key growth hormones are released when you are in undisturbed sleep—so it makes it a fundamental part of performance improvement. 1 – The Sleep Routine The most important ingredient in getting superior quality sleep on a regular basis, is to create a regular sleeping schedule. You often hear people say "I wake up at the same time, even when I am tired…"—this is natural—it is because our bodies like routine and so we h...

Sleep quality and sleep hygiene are widely recognised as key factors in athletic performance. The Lumie Bodyclock Alarm Clock series is designed to improve and regulate sleep patterns, which could provide a significant boost to the recovery of cyclists and other endurance sportspeople. Sleep is a crucial part of recovery. It is during the deep sleep period that our bodies begin to fully repair and rejuvenate themselves, readying themselves for the next effort. Key growth hormones are only released when you are in undisturbed sleep, so it makes it a fundamental part of performance improvement. The Lumie Bodyclock range is designed to regulate your sleep cycle, by using a natural lighting sequence to soothe you into the sleep cycle, and then to wake you up in the morning. The light emitted from the Lumie clock progressively dims in 'sunset' phase, and brightens for the 'sunrise' alarm. The gentle wake up call is designed to mimic a natural waking pattern, which is...