Sleep is Your Superpower: The Key to Athletic Recovery & Peak Performance
In a fast-paced world where high-performing athletes and competitors are always pushing for the next personal best, it's easy to overlook one of the most powerful tools we have for performance: Sleep 💤.
This June, as many high school and college athletes step into their pre-season training, it's the perfect time to reset your routines and dial in the recovery habits that fuel long-term success. As a performance and mobility coach, I work with athletes and high performers to not only train their bodies, but also prioritize mental resilience, recovery, and longevity. And at the foundation of it all is high-quality, restorative sleep.
Why Sleep Matters More Than You Think 🧠💤
Sleep might not get the same attention as strength training or conditioning, but it should. During sleep, your body doesn’t just rest — it rebuilds. Hormones reset, muscles repair, and the nervous system rebalances ⚖️. It’s also when the brain clears out waste, consolidates memory, and processes emotions — all crucial for staying sharp under pressure.
Whether you’re prepping for pre-season, rehabbing from an injury, or working toward mental clarity, how you wind down at night can either support or sabotage your progress.
Let’s change the way we look at sleep. Let’s make it your edge.
Summer Is the Season to Reset ☀️
With longer daylight, more time to look at performance when the pressures of academia is less makes summer the perfect time to refine what happens outside of training — including sleep . Without the daily structure of classes, practices, and games 📅, summer gives athletes a rare opportunity to build better habits .
This is the time to explore what helps you:
recover faster,
think clearer,
and feel more balanced ⚖️ — not just physically, but mentally too.
Evening Rituals for Better Sleep 🌜🛁
You don’t need a complete overhaul to improve your sleep — small adjustments go a long way. Here are a few essentials I recommend:
Unplug from screens at least 30–60 minutes before bed. Use blue light–blocking glasses (orange tinted— see below for link) if you must be on devices or even watching TV.
Do 5–10 minutes of breathwork or gentle mobility to calm the nervous system.
Create a wind-down routine: dim the lights, avoid stimulants, and establish a consistent bedtime.
Use recovery tools wisely: this might include targeted supplements, calming practices , journaling before bed 📓, mental visualization and meditation 🧘🏽 to clear the mind.
What’s Happening While You Sleep 🧪🌙
Understanding the "why" can help you stay committed to the practice. Here’s what your body is doing while you sleep:
Hormonal Reset: Growth hormone is released in deep sleep, which aids in muscle recovery.
Nervous System Recovery: Sleep shifts the body into a parasympathetic (rest and digest) state.
Cognitive Restoration: The brain clears waste, consolidates learning, and resets focus.
Mood and Mental Health: A full night's sleep can mean the difference between feeling resilient or reactive.
Make Sleep a Priority — Not an Afterthought.
Performance is about more than training hard — it’s about recovering smarter . If you want to show up sharp, consistent, and powerful, your recovery strategy has to include quality sleep.
This spotlight on sleep is your reminder that
rest is not a luxury — it’s a competitive advantage.
Want to Go Deeper? Here’s What’s Coming Up 🔔
I’m hosting a virtual workshop
WHO: for athletes, coaches and trainers.
WHAT: Recovery + Sleep: Eliminate DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) & establish an effective sleep routine
WHEN: August 27th from 7:30-8:30pm CT
To get access just click on the link below and fill out the Google form and the information will be sent to you to register. Upon registration you will also gain access to the replay if you are unable to attend LIVE, and receive downloadable handouts, and bonus resources: https://forms.gle/YS7L7NMqEaZMoo387
If you're an athlete or high performer looking to optimize your recovery and build long-term resilience, I’d love to support you with my 1:1 coaching program: reach out info@juliemackey.com.
Know someone else who needs personalized sleep + recovery coaching —> share this with a teammate who needs the reminder.
Let’s make recovery your edge.
