The Connection Between Athletics and Sleep

All humans need sleep—it’s a biological necessity. Without appropriate and healthy sleep, we place ourselves at risk for developing potentially life-threatening health ailments, and worsening current conditions. Why? Because the body recovers during sleep. Without it, we miss out on vital processes that our bodies depend on.

Generally, it’s recommended that the average person receive 7-9 hours of sleep a night; but what if you’re not average? What if you consistently push your body to limits that the “average” person doesn’t? That’s what sports legend Lebron James does, and it’s why he sleeps an average of 12 hours each night.

In fact, many athletes are known to sleep many more hours a night than the average person—for example, Usain Bolt, Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova sleep an average of ten. All are athletes who have accomplished incredible feats, and who therefore also need incredible sleep.