The BioForce Baseball Blog     

Why am I talking about sleep? Well, recently I went in to see a nose doctor to get a blood vessel cauterized. I was getting too many nose bleeds. The blood vessel was to thin… at least something was thin on my body.

Anyway, after a talk with the doctor about my nose, sinuses, etc, the next thing I know, I’m going in to get a sleep study at a local clinic. Weird.

I was reluctant at first, but after it was done, I was so glad I did the test. I won’t bore you with all the details, but I am now getting a great nights sleep and I’m full of energy the next day.

What I have learned along the way is how really important proper sleep is to every function of our body. From your brain, your immune system, the ability to handle stress, your mood, and a lot more. I’ve copied some benefits of good sleep below from a website on the subject.

Sleep and Concentration

When people do not have enough sleep, they cannot concentrate well the next day and have problems forming memories. Researchers believe that during sleep, neurons can shut down and repair any damage done during the day. Without these repairs, the neurons may not function correctly due to a buildup of waste products. Sleep also seems important for the formation of memories.

Growth and Repair

Important hormone production is regulated during sleep; in children, human growth hormone (HGH) is released during deep sleep. Insufficient sleep can affect hormonal balance in adults as well. Tissue repair also occurs during sleep, including repair to the daily skin damage done by UV light. Getting enough deep sleep will help your skin repair itself.

So, how does this relate to the youth baseball player? Well, all the repair from your workouts, competition, and whatever else you are doing happens during the quality sleep. If you haven’t repaired properly, then you will always be in a deficit. Not to mention you won’t make the gains with the workout you have done.

It’s like taxes, you make $100, and end up with $70 in your paycheck. You think, man, I’ve worked hard for the $100, I would like all the benefit.

You work hard in the weight room, or doing drills, or running, and you want all the benefit. Not getting proper rest will result in not getting all your benefit.

So, listen to your mom or dad, get your rest, eat right, and work out hard!

Until next time…

Train and Sleep Like a Champion Today!

Coach Bill Mooney