By Coach Eric Hammer
Training is where athletes break down. Sleep is where they get better. You can have the best program in the world, but if your athlete is sleeping six hours a night, they won’t get the full benefit of it.
The number: 8–10 hours
Teen athletes need 8–10 hours of sleep a night. Most get far less. Between early school start times, practice, homework and phones, six or seven hours is common, and it adds up fast.
What short sleep costs
When athletes don’t sleep enough, we see it in the gym:
Slower reaction time and sloppier technique
Less energy and motivation to train
Poorer recovery between sessions
Worse focus in school
Sleep is also when the body does much of its repair and growth. Short sleep makes it harder to recover from hard training.
Simple habits that help
Same bedtime, same wake time, even on weekends, as much as possible.
Phones charge outside the bedroom. This one makes the biggest difference.
Cool, dark, quiet room.
No big meals or caffeine late at night.
Wind down for 20–30 minutes: shower, read, stretch.
Game nights and late practices
Late games happen. When they do, keep the next morning lighter if you can, protect the following night’s sleep, and don’t try to “catch up” with a 3-hour nap that wrecks the next bedtime. A short nap (20–30 minutes) early in the afternoon is fine.
Adults, this applies to you too
Adults need 7–9 hours. If your training feels harder than it should, look at your sleep before you look at your program.
How we help at Propel
Recovery is part of every plan we write. We talk about sleep with our athletes and their parents, and we plan training around the season so athletes stay fresh, not worn down.
Want a plan that includes recovery? Start your free trial →
