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Last Updated April 29, 2025
How much sleep do athletes actually need to perform at their best? It’s a question that doesn’t get nearly enough attention, especially when training schedules and recovery routines tend to hog the spotlight. But no matter how dialed in an athlete’s routine might be, if they’re not getting enough quality sleep, their performance is going to suffer. Big time. In this article, we’ll break down how much sleep athletes really need, why it matters so much more than most people think, and what can happen when sleep becomes an afterthought instead of a priority. Let's dig in!
Key Takeaways:
According to Dan Lepping, athletic trainer at the Sports Medicine Center at Children's Hospital Colorado, sleep is one of the three pillars of health, along with nutrition and physical exercise.
During sleep, your body repairs strained muscles and restores energy. It’s also when the immune system strengthens itself. Without this nightly reset, it becomes harder to recover fully, which can lead to fatigue or even injury over time.
Sleep has a major impact on an athlete’s mental health as well. As we all are aware, sports require split-second decisions, razor-sharp focus, and the ability to process complex plays in real time. Without enough sleep, cognitive functions like attention and reaction time begin to slide.
Multiple studies have highlighted just how powerful sleep can be for athletic performance.
One well-known Stanford study followed men’s basketball players who extended their nightly sleep to 10 hours. The results were impressive. Players sprinted faster in both half-court and full-court scenarios, and their shooting accuracy jumped by at least 9% for free throws and three-pointers. Just as important, the players also reported feeling better — physically and mentally.
Another study showed that swimmers who got 10 hours of sleep each night experienced sharper reaction times off the blocks, quicker turns, and stronger kick strokes. Even their sprint times over 15 meters improved.
Athletes push their bodies to the limit, day in and day out, so it makes sense that they need more sleep than the average person. While most adults do fine with seven to nine hours a night, athletes often perform better when they’re closer to the higher end of that range or even beyond it.
For elite athletes, a sleep duration of at least nine hours is a key part of the training plan. Recovery doesn’t just happen in the gym or with a protein shake. It happens while you’re asleep - when the body is busy repairing muscles and getting everything back in working order for the next day.
Of course, sleep doesn’t always go as planned. Travel, stress, and early morning training sessions - it all adds up. When that happens, a quick nap can help fill in the gaps. It’s not ideal for everyone, especially if you have trouble sleeping at night, but for many athletes, even 20 to 30 minutes during the day can make a real difference.
There’s also something to be said for getting a little extra sleep in the days before a big event or long trip. Think of it like stocking up, so you’re not running on empty when it matters most.
The impact of early mornings is one thing that often goes overlooked. Some studies have shown that cutting sleep short at the end—waking up too early—can hurt performance more than staying up late. Strength and power tend to dip, which isn’t great news if your sport depends on bursts of energy.
If you’re finding that early wake-ups are taking a toll on your sports performance, it might be worth talking with your coach about adjusting your schedule.
Now, let's see what happens when athletes fail to get enough sleep.
When sleep gets cut short, the impact shows up quickly. Athletes become more prone to making tactical errors and struggle to maintain focus under pressure.
Sleep loss also reduces endurance by shortening the time it takes to reach exhaustion. That means you can’t push as hard or recover as efficiently. Training sessions become less productive, and during competition, that edge you’ve been working for? It might not be there when you need it most.
Lack of sleep affects coordination, balance, and motor control. That makes missteps and awkward landings more likely, along with poor decision-making under pressure.
In one study, adolescent athletes who got fewer than eight hours of sleep per night were 1.7 times more likely to suffer sports-related injuries compared to those who got at least eight hours of sleep.
Athletes who don’t get enough rest often experience increased levels of anxiety and depression. They may also struggle with focus and decision-making.
Daytime sleepiness becomes more common as sleep debt builds up. This persistent tiredness can make training feel harder than it should and reduce alertness during practice or competition. When athletes feel sluggish throughout the day, it often points to poor sleep health.
Over time, this can lead to burnout. Your motivation dips, and your confidence may drop. Even the most dedicated athlete can lose their drive when they’re mentally exhausted.
Top-tier athletes prioritize sleep because they understand what’s at stake. Take LeBron James, for example. He reportedly sleeps 10 to 12 hours per night and considers it a key factor in maintaining performance across his long career.
Tennis legend Roger Federer has been known to sleep up to 12 hours a night during tournaments. Olympic sprinters and swimmers often build sleep into their training schedules just like they do strength and conditioning work.
Even with access to the best trainers and recovery tools, pros still struggle with sleep, especially during travel-heavy seasons or high-pressure competitions. The difference? They work to fix it. They hire sleep coaches. They block out time. They treat sleep like training.
Sure, getting enough sleep matters, but the quality of that sleep can be just as important. Deep, uninterrupted sleep allows the body to repair itself in ways that light or broken sleep simply can't. Athletes rely on these restorative stages—particularly deep sleep and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep—to recover, rebuild, and stay sharp.
Deep sleep is where a lot of the physical healing happens. This is the stage that helps muscles repair, bones strengthen, and the immune system stay on point.
REM sleep, on the other hand, plays a huge role in brain function. It's tied to memory, emotional balance, and learning new skills — essential for athletes trying to master techniques or stay mentally focused during competition.
When sleep is fragmented or shallow, these important stages can be cut short, and that can affect everything from energy levels to decision-making.
A fascinating study involving Norwegian chess players backs this up. Those who improved their performance had more deep sleep, less REM sleep, and slower breathing rates, suggesting their bodies were reaching more restful states.
While every athlete is different, the takeaway is clear: quality matters. If you’re getting a good night’s sleep but still waking up tired, your sleep might be lacking the depth it needs.
Let’s break down what you, as an athlete, can do to improve sleep habits.
A solid bedtime routine can help signal your body that it's time to wind down. Make sure you avoid high-stimulation activities late in the evening. Try stretching, journaling, deep breathing, or even a warm shower to calm your system. You should aim to create a sense of predictability that helps you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.
Food choices affect sleep more than people realize. Heavy meals close to bedtime can interfere with digestion and keep you from entering deep sleep. The same goes for caffeine, which can linger in your system for 6-8 hours.
Alcohol might help you fall asleep faster, but it disrupts REM sleep and often leads to fragmented rest. Aim to cut off caffeine after mid-afternoon and keep meals lighter in the evening.
Your bedroom should be optimized for one purpose, and that is - sleep. Keep it cool (around 65°F is ideal), dark (blackout curtains work wonders), and quiet. If you can’t eliminate noise, consider using a white noise machine or earplugs. Remove distractions like mobile phones as these signal your brain that the space is for something other than rest. Over time, this reinforces sleep-friendly habits.
Late-night games and long-distance travel can all throw off your body clock. Do your best to plan ahead. If you're flying across time zones, gradually shift your sleep schedule in the days leading up to your trip. After late games, try to create a consistent post-game wind-down routine, even if it means going to bed later than usual.
Mental pressure is part of the game, but if it bleeds into bedtime, your recovery takes a hit. Stress can keep your nervous system in a high-alert state, making it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Incorporate mental recovery techniques like mindfulness, meditation, or visualization to help your brain disengage. Even just 5-10 minutes of deep breathing can help shift your body into a more relaxed state.
Sleep is when your training turns into results. It’s the time your body rebuilds muscle, restores energy, and locks in new skills. Skip it, and you’re not just losing rest - you’re limiting your performance, no matter how hard you work.
If you're aiming to level up, treat sleep as part of your training plan. Set a consistent bedtime, unplug from screens an hour before, and make your room a calm, cool place to recover. Show up for your sleep, and your body will show up for you!
Habitual sleep duration refers to the average number of hours an individual sleeps each night over an extended period. For athletes, establishing a consistent habitual sleep duration (ideally 8 to 10 hours) helps regulate the body’s recovery systems and maintain optimal performance.
Irregular sleep patterns or constantly shifting bedtimes can confuse the body’s circadian rhythm, leading to decreased energy levels and poor recovery outcomes.
Yes. Deep sleep is important for physical recovery. The more intense your training, the more deep sleep your body needs to repair muscles and replenish energy.
Occasionally, sleeping longer than 10 or 11 hours isn’t a problem - it’s often a sign your body is catching up. But if you consistently need that much and still feel tired, it could signal an underlying issue like overtraining or poor sleep quality.
Insufficient sleep actively hinders an athlete's ability to perform at a high level. Even one night of poor rest can affect reaction time, accuracy, and endurance. Over time, consistent sleep deprivation leads to a steep decline in overall performance.
Absolutely. In some cases, amateur athletes may even need more sleep. That’s because they’re often balancing training with work, school, or family - all of which add to physical and mental fatigue.
The demands may not look the same as a professional training regimen, but the body still needs time to recover and adapt. If anything, sleep is even more crucial when life outside of sport is equally draining.
Both sleep quantity and quality matter, but quantity tends to lay the foundation. Athletes who don’t get enough total hours will still miss out on important stages of recovery, especially deep sleep and REM cycles. That said, poor sleep quality (frequent awakenings, difficulty falling asleep) can diminish the benefits of a full night’s rest. The sweet spot? Prioritize both! Aim for longer, consistent sleep while improving conditions that affect sleep quality.
Student-athletes often require more sleep than their non-athlete peers. Balancing academics with training, games, and travel puts a significant strain on the body and mind. The average sleep duration for many student-athletes falls short of the recommended 8 to 10 hours, which can lead to chronic fatigue, reduced performance, and increased risk of injury.
The Sleep Deficit Index is a way to measure how much sleep someone is missing over a period of time compared to how much they actually need. It helps quantify chronic sleep deprivation.
Related blog posts:
1. 4 Postures to Help You Sleep Better
2. 3 Noises That Will Help You Get More Quality Sleep at Night
4. Foods That Make You Sleepy – And the Ones That Keep You Awake!
Disclaimer: What is said in this article has been referenced from multiple sources and is intended only for educational and informational purposes. Please note that no content in this article is a substitute for professional advice from a qualified doctor or healthcare provider. Always consult an experienced doctor with any concerns you may have regarding a health condition or treatment, and never disregard any medical suggestions or delay in seeking treatment because of something you read here.
