A good snooze
The wellbeing of our equine athletes might be our number one priority, but do not underestimate the power of a rider’s sleep for boosting performance in the saddle, says
The power of sleep for riders
‘We practise in our wakeful time but we learn while we sleep’
DR jONAtHAN BlOOmfielD
EARLY mornings and late nights — riders’ busy lives leave little time for sleep. But could more time in the land of nod give you the edge in the saddle?
Other top athletes take sleep seriously. Roger Federer is said to have around 11 to 12 hours a night, while Usain Bolt and Maria Sharapova both clock around 10. Dr Amy Bender, of the Centre For Sleep in Calgary, specialises in working with elite athletes. “Sleep is a basic need — we all have to sleep or we die,” she says. “Every cell in our body is affected when you don’t sleep as you should, as is every biological process.”
With elite equestrian sport becoming ever more competitive, the margins between winning and losing are increasingly close. Dr Bender worked with members of Canada’s Winter Olympic squad in the run-up to PyeongChang 2018.
“With sufficient sleep you make better decisions, you are in a better mood, you are able to train harder and you are just better recovered in general,” she explains. “Getting a medal could be the difference of 0.001 second and so those athletes are looking for any advantage that they can get.”
Dr Jonathan Bloomfield, a sports scientist, coach and sleep specialist, agrees that sleep is a major factor in performance.
“We can get a little carried away with fine details of performance, but if you fail to look after the major things — sleep, exercise, nutrition, mental health and relaxation — then the little things don’t really have the impact that they should,” he says.
“The body demands that we sleep for between seven and nine hours a night to help repair and restore itself, but also to mentally charge and consolidate the memories that we have learnt. We practise in our wakeful time but we learn when we are asleep.” This is one reason why it can be helpful for riders to walk the course the day before.
But lack of sleep does not simply affect performance — it also adds further danger to what is already a risk sport.
Dr Bloomfield warned sleep deprivation has a direct impact on cognitive impairment. “Your reactions slow down, your judgement starts to get a bit impaired, you may be a bit more forgetful — you make silly mistakes,” he says. “You become a bit of a risk to yourself as well as not really performing to your best level.”
Crissie Flemming, of Petasfield Stables in Hertfordshire, took on the running of the yard shortly after the birth of her second child. “I was living on about four hours sleep, trying to run a business — I had a baby who would cry all day and be up all night,” she says. “I was so much more disorganised and forgetful because my brain wasn’t firing on all cylinders.
“I had moments of exhaustion where I would think, ‘I just can’t’ — but when you have a business to run and people, animals and children relying on you, you just get on with it.”
For eventer Simon Grieve, a memorable trip to Norfolk made him realise the importance of sleep was not to be underestimated.
“I remember going to Burnham Market when I had five horses to compete each day. I left home at 3.30am and drove all the way there, rode them all, drove back and didn’t get home until 10.30pm. And then I left the next morning at 4am and did the same — all the horses went badly, I was absolutely shattered and it was the most unpleasant weekend. It was no fun for anybody and I vowed never to do that again.”
Simon now balances competition days by sharing the driving or staying overnight.
BRITISH EQUESTRIAN FEDERATION (BEF) chief medical officer Dr Pippa Bennett says one of her key aims is to make sure all the riders see themselves as athletes.
“We talk about the horses being the athletes and sometimes forget the needs of the riders,” she says. “I think for sure the importance of sleep is something that has been
‘With sufficient sleep you make better decisions, are in a better mood, are able to
train harder and are better recovered’
Dr Amy BenDer
underestimated. When we don’t get enough sleep our reaction times and decision-making aren’t as good as they should be.”
She adds this can have an impact on making the right decisions with riding, such as taking the right lines across country.
Eventer Franky Reid-Warrilow said being on the World Class Programme has made her “more aware” of how vital sleep is.
“I have, luckily, always been a good sleeper,” says Franky, adding that she finds it easier to stick to her routine and not have a lie-in on her day off. “I always wake up around the same time and I tend to go to sleep at about 8.30pm to 9.30pm. When it comes to the competition season — that’s when it becomes harder.”
Franky adds that she is lucky that her parents and partner drive the lorry to and from events, meaning she is able to relax.
“That’s important from a competitive point of view, if you are getting up at one, two or three in the morning and driving say three hours, you are already starting tired,” she says.
Dressage rider Joanna Thurman-Baker says that she finds a routine and good nutrition is key to beating fatigue.
“I find even if I have a lie-in, I’m still wide awake at 6.30am — I can’t remember the last time I slept past 7am, which is good in some respects as I don’t find it hard to wake up,” says Joanna.
Dressage rider Katie Lawrence balances a full-time job as a project manager for a defence firm with training and competing her six-yearold mare.
She credits having clear plans and goals with making her routine work.
“Once I’m up I’m OK,” she says, adding she gets up between 4.30am and 5.30am to fit in riding or the gym before work.
“I have a light-up alarm clock which does wonders for helping get up in the morning. I also pack everything the night before, as it makes getting up so much easier. I do try and head to bed by 10pm at the latest. If I have a really long day then I will try and catch up at weekends — early nights are far better than a lie-in and I do take the odd nap.
“Once it becomes routine it’s much easier to stay on track — the busier I am I find the more motivated I am, and the more I want to cram into a day.”
WHILE riders can feel physically exhausted after an adrenalinfuelled competition, sleep can still be frustratingly elusive.
“Bedtime routine is important for toddlers and babies and is really beneficial for adults as well,” says Dr Bender. “You can’t just expect to fall right to sleep — you have to prepare your mind and body.”
Late night classes under artificial lights can also make it harder to switch off. “I call it ‘the snowglobe effect’; your body gets very excited and it takes time to settle and rest and unwind,” says Dr Bloomfield. “You might feel exhausted, but your body is not going to be ready to sleep. Once you have finished your physical performance you need to think, ‘I’m now into the really important phase of unwinding and there’s things I can do to help and things I can do to hinder’.”
No more smartphones in bed then.