In an interesting story titled “Poor Sleep Nearly Doubles a Runner’s Risk of Injury, Study Finds” published by HealthDay News yesterday, the writer said “If you’re a regular runner, logging miles on little sleep might be doing more harm than you think. A new study found that runners who slept poorly were nearly twice as likely to get hurt."
The study, published in the journal Applied Sciences, surveyed 425 recreational runners and tracked their sleep habits and injuries over a year.
Participants who reported shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep quality or frequent sleep problems were 1.78 times more likely to be injured, with a 68% chance of suffering from an injury within 12 months.
The research provided “compelling evidence that sleep is a critical yet often overlooked component of injury prevention,” study lead author Jan de Jonge said in a news release. He’s a work and sports psychologist at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands and adjunct professor at the University of South Australia.
The research provides new evidence that sleep plays a critical role in injury prevention, especially for the 620 million people worldwide who run recreationally.
Up to 90% of them experience an injury at some point, costing millions each year in health care and missed work.
“When sleep is disrupted or insufficient, the body’s ability to repair tissues, regulate hormones and maintain focus diminishes, all of which can increase injury risk,” de Jonge said.
The findings also suggest that problems such as trouble falling asleep, waking often at night, or feeling unrested in the morning significantly raise the risk for injury.
Experts recommend seven to nine hours of sleep each night, with athletes often needing even more rest, including naps, to help the body recover.
“Sleep quality and sleep duration are both important, but quantity often provides the bedrock," de Jonge said. "Sleep should be recognized not only as a recovery tool, but also as a potential predictor of injury vulnerability in recreational sports."
Wow, right? Unfortunately sleep deprivation isn’t only linked to an increased risk of injury in runners, but to a litany of other diseases, illnesses, and mental health issues including depression and dementia in all people! As you can see then, consistently getting enough sleep is very important for our overall well-being.
And while there are many reasons people experience sleepless nights, one of the biggest causes can be linked back to anxiety-- with the two conditions often creating a vicious cycle where each worsens the other. Anxiety can prevent you from relaxing and falling asleep, while the resulting lack of sleep can increase your anxiety levels.
And since anxiety, or feelings of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome, generally come from fear and unbelief, every believer would do well to avoid walking in the counsel of the ungodly, standing in the path of sinners, or sitting in the seat of the scornful. You see, those who aren’t following the Lord have plenty to fear—as their attitude and actions typically lead them into trouble. And when we choose to fellowship with these types of people, we take on their attitudes and actions, which means trouble and unrest follows us as well.
On the contrary, the one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD” and who meditates on it day and night naturally makes better choices—choices that come with little worry of impending doom because of something they said or did. Furthermore, those whose "delight is in the law of the LORD" choose godly friends who help keep them on the straight and narrow and display godly attitudes and actions that are beneficial for their physical and mental health.
“My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” Psalm 119:148 NIV
Now this doesn’t mean that a believer won’t ever experience sleepless nights, what it does mean, though, is that a believer will eliminate many of the biggest reasons people stay up at night worrying. Furthermore, the person who trusts in the Lord is ready to meditate on the many promises of God—a practice which can not only reduce but even redeem nights of insomnia. By following the counsel of David who declared, “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises,” we can lessen our anxiety by remembering that even sleepless nights can serve a purpose when we give it to God.
Think about it… Praying, worshiping, and meditating on Scripture are great ways to make the most of those nights when we can’t sleep. If it's Satan preventing restful sleep (which is indeed a tactic of the enemy), you can be sure he won’t appreciate our method of handling the insomnia and may even withdraw his attack. Additionally, when our consciences are clear and we’ve entrusted our cares to the Lord, by faith we can trust that whatever sleep we do get will be sufficient for the day ahead. And being able to do that oftentimes lulls us back to sleep.
So, knowing how important sleep is for our minds, bodies, and spirits, do the things that will help you rest my friend. Make sleep a priority by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, creating a cool, dark, and quiet bedroom, and establishing a relaxing nighttime routine that includes meditating on the Word and avoiding screens and caffeine before bed (among other things).
But most importantly, choose friends that will help keep you on the right path and inspire you to meditate on God’s Word day and night. Doing so will provide the peace of God we all need to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus so that we can get the restorative sleep that will allow us to wake up refreshed and on fire for the Lord each and every day.
Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that getting adequate sleep is crucial for our mental and spiritual health. Help us to understand this Lord that we might prioritize sleep for our health, knowing that we can serve You better when we are refreshed and energized. Help us to avoid the world's lie that working at the expense of sleep is a badge of honor to be worn proudly--and in this way be set apart as followers of You. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.
Happy Running!
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