Whether your children are preparing for a sports competition or stage performance, or the family is predicting a spring season of ballparks and road races, a night of quality sleep should be atop the to-do list.   

Aaron Schneider, assistant professor of health and human physiology in the University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, explains how sleep can optimize your physical performance and the best way to prioritize quality sleep over quantity. 

Q: How does sleep affect a person’s physical performance?

A: A quality night of sleep makes you sharper physically and mentally. Sleep plays an important role in your ability to recover and rebuild several important proteins, especially the proteins in skeletal muscle. It can have a significant impact on a person’s cognitive abilities and reaction times.  

Q: What habits do you recommend for a quality night of sleep, either at home or on the road? 

A: If you want to optimize your physical performance, you need to not just be in bed at a certain time, but make sure the environment you’re sleeping in is conducive to good sleep. If you sleep in a room that is completely dark at home, ensure your hotel or Airbnb is the same. Altering the amount of light or sounds in the room can impact your quality of sleep. Turn off the TV. Power down your phone. These habits can positively impact the quality of your sleep.

Q: How much sleep should a high school athlete (adolescent) get per night and is that number different for coaches, parents, and officials (adults)? 

A: The general consensus among sleep scientists is that adolescents should get eight to 10 hours of sleep at night, which differs from the seven to nine hours recommended for young adults and adults. The important thing to note is that the amount of time in bed "sleeping" is not the same as the quality of the sleep you are getting. For example, you may lie in bed for nine hours, but if it takes 45 to 60 minutes to fall asleep, you’re not getting the recommended amount of sleep. 

Q: Is there a time of day that is most optimal for physical performance?  

A: It has been implied that the best time of day to achieve maximum performance is the late afternoon or early evening when the human body reaches its peak core temperature and muscles are able to optimally function. However, others have suggested that each person’s preference for sleep-wake cycle is the most important predictor. In other words, training an athlete to perform at a specific time of day can play a major role in performance outcomes.  

Q: Are afternoon naps beneficial or detrimental to physical performance? 

A: Naps can be beneficial to any individual, but there is a more information being gathered by scientists on this topic. For younger age groups, the current belief is that after a night of sleep deprivation, a nap can be beneficial. It can either help improve performance or give a performer the perception that it is beneficial.