It’s always interesting when one’s personal and professional lives intersect. I preach the importance of adequate sleep, and I’m usually pretty good at taking my own advice – fully aware of the importance of sleep to wellness, mental acuity and athletic performance.
Sometimes, however, things don’t always work out. Last weekend, my youngest daughter and I went on an overnight camping trip. We had a great time and really enjoyed ourselves. The weather was perfect and we camped alongside the shoreline of a lovely lake. The problem was, the lake was home to who-knows-how-many Canadian Geese, all of whom spent the entire night making an unbelievable racket. I’ve never heard that much honking! Needless to say, it wasn’t the most restful night.
But the point of this story is what happened after we returned home. I went for a bike ride and had perhaps half of my usual stamina. One night of poor sleep, and I wound up huffing and puffing my way through my usual route. So to anyone interested in physical performance – don’t overlook your need for sleep. Recovery is an essential part of training, and sleep is an essential part of recovery.
