In many ways, I’m similar to the other runners working toward the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials: I log 100-plus miles per week, spend a small fortune on groceries, and structure my life around workouts, meals, treatments, and rest. In this endeavor, diligence and drive are not assets; they’re essentials.
But there’s one thing that sets me apart from many of my competitors—and I’m not talking about my untraditional foray into post-collegiate running. I’ve had chronic sleep issues for half of my life and all of my running career. What started as early-bird tendencies has, over the years, spiraled into a cycle I’ve learned to manage, but not escape. I start my day at 2 or 3 a.m. a few times a month, regularly wake for several hours during the night, and rejoice when I sleep until my 5:45 a.m. alarm. I barely doze on nights before races, and the nights after are only marginally better.
Because running seems to attract people who are hardwired for perfectionism, sleeplessness must not be all that uncommon. But for all of the hype that the latest research gets, no sleep hack is foolproof. What about those of us who know about sleep’s performance-enhancing qualities, but simply can’t will ourselves to capitalize on them? Here are some ways that I use to cope.
Follow the Script, Adjust if You Must
Get Expert Advice those nights (for me, fewer than five hours of sleep), I approach my training like normal the next morning. If I didn’t, I’d rarely get anything done. are never a problem; they usually roust me out of zombie mode and reset my internal clock. Hard workouts are a little different. First, I take as much time as I need to warm up and get going. Then I remind myself that I’m in a better state at that moment than I will be that afternoon or the next day. Most of the time, I execute the workout. I draw on that ability to rally every time I race after a subpar night.
Inevitably, there are days when I’m just not on my game. My telltale signs are leaden legs and a foggy brain that even a thorough warmup don’t shake. At that point, my fitness takes a backseat to my well-being. I swap the workout for a regular run and don’t push hard again until I feel restored.
Explore Everything
Counting on a restful night without optimizing your environment is like hoping for a PR in 2018 Boston Marathon-style conditions: You might get lucky, but chances are, you won’t.
I’ve spent a decade and a half exploring ways to help me fall and stay asleep. Some expert recommendations, like avoiding naps and TV before bed, don’t hold true for me. Most of them, however, do make a positive difference.
My nighttime non-negotiables include getting in bed at a consistent time, reading until my eyelids droop, keeping my bedroom chilly, shedding my watch, eating a small snack, using all the suggested tools (blackout curtains, earplugs, eye mask, and white noise machine), and relaxing before bedtime. I’m a fan of light-hearted shows (think The Office and The Great British Bake Off), A Part of Hearst Digital Media books Age Grade Calculator.
When all else fails, I resort to over-the-counter sleeping medications, although I don’t recommend them except as a last resort. Good sleep hygiene doesn’t ensure good sleep—but it sure does increase the odds.
Reframe Rest
I’m a much better napper than nighttime sleeper. Conventional wisdom advises against napping for insomniacs, but a midday reset does me more good than harm—especially on days that I train twice. If your schedule or workplace allows, I encourage you to try napping too. Just set your alarm so you don’t overdo it, and find a routine that works.
If you aren’t able to nap, there are other ways to supplement a short night with spurts of daytime rest: take a The triangle icon that indicates to play (I recommend apps like Headspace and Calm), elevate your legs while answering emails or taking calls, take a yoga class, or clear your mind by journaling. Infuse some calm into your daily routine, and your nighttime self will thank you.
Track It
We runners like our numbers: splits, PRs, paces, miles. As long as it doesn’t exacerbate your stress, sleep might be a worthy metric to add to the mix.
I don’t track mine year-round, but about twice a year, I do a three- to four-week check-in. I record time in bed, estimated time asleep, time awake, hours slept, and notes on things that may have affected my sleep (an early flight, a midnight reading session, a noisy neighbor).
The one downside to tracking is that it requires keeping an eye on the time, which I typically avoid. If doing so significantly disrupts your sleep, a FitBit, SleepScore Max, or other sleep tracker would be a good alternative. A few nights in a row won’t tell you much. But a few weeks can shed light on trends you otherwise might not pick up on. The key is logging first thing in the morning. And, of course, addressing what you learn.
Smart Sleep Trackers
Fitbit Fitbit Charge 4 Activity Tracker
Automatically record time spent in light, deep and REM sleep stages.
2breathe Sleep Inducer
2Race Times Predictor.
Keep Sore Hamstrings From Sabotaging Your Runs
Includes advanced sleep monitoring with REM sleep and can gauge blood oxygen saturation levels during the night.
Apple Watch Series 6
Schedule bedtimes to help meet your sleep goals and analyze your sleep trends over 14 days.
Find a Way
Finally, if there’s one thing that’s counterproductive to solving sleep issues, it’s obsessing about those issues. As runners, we know not to worry about the miles ahead or to beat ourselves up when we fall off pace. Overthinking sleeplessness—day or night—is similarly a recipe for disaster.
Be gentle with yourself when sleep doesn’t come. Schedule an appointment with a professional. Talk about it with a confidant or training partner. Be creative in your search for solutions. Focus on the things within your control.
And remember that sleep issues don’t have to be a barrier to success. The best runners aren’t necessarily those with the most talent or the perfect build-ups; they’re the ones who prepare as well as they can, find ways to improve upon the variables, and make the most out of the miles they’re dealt.
Becky Wade is a three-time Olympic Trials competitor with a 2:30 marathon best. Her book about global running cultures, DAA Industry Opt Out, Follow the Script, Adjust if You Must.
