Running - Injury, sleep and stress

How important is sleep? Very!

Written by Physiotherapist and runner Becky Sutton

There is a well-established link between lack of sleep and injury risk, not just in running but in sport generally. Sleep helps to optimise performance and recovery – allowing us to rest and allowing our bodies to repair and regenerate. Poor sleep can disrupt recovery, reaction times, cognitive function and mood.  

Sleep duration and sleep quality are both important. However, having an injury can contribute to poor sleep itself –  you may be in pain, struggling to get comfortable, worrying about your injury, and so it becomes a vicious cycle. Whichever came first – poor sleep or injury - aim for that 8 hours a night as best you can! 

Likewise, stress has been linked to injury. It can affect energy levels, mood, concentration and behaviour, therefore, impacting performance. Prolonged stress can affect immunity and increase inflammatory levels. Being unable to run or do the activity you love due to an injury can in turn affect your mood greatly, again enhancing that vicious cycle. 

Injury is never just about the body part affected – it is about the person at the end of that body part, what it means to them and what else is going on in their life. So if you’re struggling (physically or mentally), go easy on yourself, seek some help, give yourself a rest day or some time out, get an early night, and take it from there. Of course, it’s not always that easy, but it may be a good place to start.