sleep and recovery

A study published in the Journal of Alternative Medicine shows promising benefits from the consumption of Goji juice.

increased ratings for energy level, athletic performance, quality of sleep, ease of awakening, ability to focus on activities, mental acuity, calmness, and feelings of health, contentment, and happiness

You can read the full abstract here, although note the study was sponsored by a producer of Goji berry products:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical study of the general effects of a standardized Lycium barbarum (Goji) Juice, GoChi.

This story from Wired has been getting a lot of coverage on the Internet, but given our earlier post, we had to include it as well:

Scientists say that a successful midday nap depends on two things: timing and (no kidding) caffeine consumption. Experiments performed at Loughborough University in the UK showed that the sleep-deprived need only a cup of coffee and 15 minutes of shut-eye to feel amazingly refreshed.

1. Right before you crash, down a cup of java. The caffeine has to travel through your gastro-intestinal tract, giving you time to nap before it kicks in.

2. Close your eyes and relax. Even if you only doze, you’ll get what’s known as effective microsleep, or momentary lapses of wakefulness.

3. Limit your nap to 15 minutes. A half hour can lead to sleep inertia, or the spinning down of the brain’s prefrontal cortex, which handles functions like judgment. This gray matter can take 30 minutes to reboot.

Cheat on the Need to Sleep - Wired How-To Wiki

Rosekind argues more would get done a lot faster if workers simply took the time to sleep. And yes, there are simple things we can do to make that happen. Naps at work are good. And caffeine used strategically can stoke performance. (Naps and coffee. I love this man.)

SiliconValley.com interviews Mark Rosekind, a sleep consultant, who preaches the merits of good sleep to Silicon Valley’s business elite.

Cassidy: Sleepless in Silicon Valley? One man says no - SiliconValley.com.

Backcare week kicks off on the 4th and 5th of October with ‘The Back Show’ at London Olympia 2. The week is organised by Backcare, the charity for healthier backs which enjoys it’s 40th birthday this year.

Information packs containing an abundance of publicity and resources are available to order for anyone wishing to host thier own event during the week. On Tuesday 8th, the Manchester PCT Physiotherapy Department are teaming up with Chorlton High School to host an information and activities day focusing on healthy backs for children.

SpeedEndurance ran an interesting article that covered an athlete’s sleep needs. A little emotive, but it will have you sleeping like a baby to achieve those performance improvements.

How Much Sleep Do I Need? | SpeedEndurance.com.

Science Daily reports that:

Getting extra sleep over an extended period of time improves athletic performance, mood and alertness, according to a research abstract that will be presented on June 9 at the SLEEP 2008 22nd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies (APSS) in Baltimore, Md.

Extra Sleep Improves Athletic Performance.

The European Sleep Research Society are holding their 19th Congress in Glasgow on 9-13th September 2008.

More details at: ESRS2008.