How to Improve Your Sleep for Better Performance

Aug 25, 2025

They break down a soccer-team study testing 18 sleep-hygiene tactics like screen curfews, temperature tweaks, caffeine cutoffs, baths, masks and earplugs. Players picked practical changes and slept longer and faster. The conversation highlights how simple evening habits can shift sleep duration, recovery and on-field distance and speed.

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INSIGHT

Study Design And Population

A sleep hygiene protocol was tested with semi-elite university soccer players across an eight-week tournament.
The intervention alternated two weeks normal, four weeks sleep hygiene, two weeks normal to compare effects directly.

ADVICE

Pick Ten Practical Sleep Habits

Choose at least 10 of 18 sleep-hygiene strategies and track daily adherence to build better sleep habits.
Prioritize practical items you can sustain rather than attempting all recommendations at once.

ADVICE

Dim Evening Light To Wind Down

Reduce evening light exposure: avoid screens late, use warm screen settings, and dim bedside lighting before bed.
Try orange-tinted glasses or a single low-watt lamp in the final wind-down period to signal sleep time.

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Getting good sleep is one of the best things you can do to increase muscle growth, strength gains, fat loss, and general performance.

In today's episode, we examine a study in which soccer players implemented different sleep hygiene tactics to improve their sleep.

The tactics they had to choose from were:

Avoid all electronic stimulants (TV, mobile phones, and computers) from 8 PM.
If not doing the above, avoid them 30 minutes before going to bed.
Change any electronic stimulants screen to the warm light setting from 7 PM.
Wear SleepSpec glasses before going to bed.
Minimize excess light from 9 PM to 9:30 PM by only having a bed lamp on.
Change the bed lamp to a low-wattage globe.
Manipulate the room temperature to 19–20 °C/66–68 °F.
Avoid consuming caffeine or any supplements from 5 PM.
Have the last large meal at least 2–3 hours before sleep.
Consume a glass of lukewarm milk before going to bed.
Consume a glass of chamomile tea before going to bed.
Take a warm bath or shower before going to bed.
Wear an eye mask whilst sleeping.
Wear earplugs whilst sleeping.
Remove any timing instruments (i.e., clock) from the room.
Avoid any sleep disruptions (for instance, bathroom visits).
Sleep at least eight hours.
Avoid napping from 2 PM.

Which of these did the soccer players choose to abide by? Did it work? What were the effects on their performance? And what might this mean for you?

Let's discuss!

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