How much sleep is needed to increase productivity?
Occasionally, I come across a study and I’m like, “Really? Ok, that’s interesting. I’m going to have to try that.” Today, I came across one of those studies.
In a study conducted at Stanford University, researchers had measured the athletic performance (timed sprints and shooting accuracy) of 11 NCAA basketball players for 2-4 weeks. They also monitored reaction time and mood. Additionally, the researchers found that the subjects also slept, on average, 6 hours and 41 minutes a night.
After the initial testing was done to establish baseline, the researchers asked the basketball players to extend their sleep each night to a minimum of 10 hours. They wore actigraphy devices (think FitBit) to monitor their sleep. They did this for 5-7 weeks.
What the researchers found was that sprint times and shot accuracy (free throws and 3 pointers) improved. Additionally, there was an improvement in reaction time and overall mood.
What this study suggests is that getting 10 hours of sleep at night can improve athletic performance and mood. However, I’m not entirely sold. Unfortunately, the research team didn’t have a control group. So in this case that would be a group of players who didn’t extend their sleep whose results could be compared to those who did sleep longer. With that in mind, maybe the athletes just got better with time. Who knows for sure until they conduct a more extensive study.
Regardless, I still think it’s worth a try. So the next time someone gives you a hard time about sleeping in, tell them you’re doing it to improve your athletic performance. That and chances are you’d be in a better mood if they let you sleep in a little longer. Lol.
Mah, CD et al. (2011) The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players. Sleep. Jul 1;34(7):943-50.