Sleep is perhaps the most underrated performance tool in triathlon. Master sleep discipline to experience better training adaptation and better energy.
Are you wondering why you can’t sleep or how to make time for more sleep during a busy training schedule? Get tips and tricks from experts. (Photo: Getty Images)
Published on March 23, 2026 at 06:00 AM
Cat Matthews won the $200,000 Ironman Pro Series Pay in the 2024 and 2025 seasons. That pay came with dedication to training, but also with attention to rest and recovery.
A fellow citizen and training partner Ruth Astle said this about Matthews: “Part of that is that she is very disciplined in doing all the little things right — eating, sleeping, recovering.” This sleep component is at least eight hours every night, and sometimes more. If you don’t get enough sleep, Matthews adjusts her training to avoid further taxing her body.
So, if you’re settling for five hours of sleep to get to your masters swimming lessons or staying up late analyzing your training data, you’re doing Triathlon training mistake.
Sleep research is extensive. Whether you need help slowing things down so you can fall asleep or you suffer from poor sleep hygiene practices that result in waking up in the middle of the night, you’ll find the answers to your sleep problems here.
Research explains why athletes sleep poorly
If you’re sleeping poorly during the peak of triathlon training, you’re not alone. Research shows that athletes suffer from poor sleep.
“Regardless of age group or gender, poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep duration affect all athletes,” says Luiz Jose Fruta Solon Jr., Ph.D. Student at Federal University da Paraíba.
While the intensity of triathlon training puts athletes at a sleep disadvantage, researchers have found certain habits that can improve sleep quality and duration.
Benefit from the restorative functions of sleep
Mark Allen, six-time Ironman World Champion, shares some of the important functions that happen in the body during sleep, including the release of:
- Testosterone
- Human growth hormone
- And a host of other vehicles that help you rebuild, repair and renovate
However, as training plans increase to 15 to 20 hours per week, those who work full-time may begin to look for somewhere to derive this time from, and more often than not, sleep time is affected. Learn sleep practices that can help your training be beneficial.
How to sleep well the week before a race
Sleep during race week is essential and often elusive. When you’re down in the race, your mind can wander, routines are disrupted, and travel threatens your sanity.
The good news is that researchers found that as long as you get 4.5 hours of sleep the night before a race, your performance won’t suffer. But night after night of lack of sleep during race week will affect your energy and overall performance.
Sleeping during race week requires some extra attention on top of the regular focus you give the 7-9 hours each day. Find out what affects sleep during race week and what you can do about it.
Why does sleep quality decrease in the summer?
Peak triathlon season, the time of year when you need sleep the most, tends to be the most elusive time. Heat, longer daylight hours, and increased training all contribute to athletes’ sleep being worse during the summer months.
Maintaining the same sleep schedule even with daylight shifts can maintain your circadian rhythm to improve sleep quality during the summer. But it also means not relying on sleeping in on the weekends to “catch up” because going to bed and waking up at the same time consistently helps train your circadian rhythm.
Get everything you need to know about summer sleep from researchers who studied what happens to sleep during this important time of year.
Missing macronutrients that can help you sleep better
Making a change in your diet can help you sleep, and we’re not talking about magnesium or melatonin supplements. Increasing dietary fiber provides a variety of benefits:
- Enhancing communication between the gut-brain axis
- Improving the production of neurotransmitters
- Reduced inflammation
- Vagus nerve stimulation
- Reducing the feeling of hunger during the night
As you make this important change in your diet, consider eliminating some of the food choices that sabotage your sleep, such as high sugar intake (unnecessary to replenish fast carbohydrates during training), caffeine intake late in the day, and regularly eating foods with low nutritional value.
Take a step toward better sleep by knowing how much fiber you need to get good sleep and the necessary dietary changes that can change how well you rest.
Why doesn’t sleep come easily after a hard day of training?
After a long bike ride or a particularly strenuous running session, you may feel like you can’t sleep for days. But then you turn off the lights and your seemingly exhausted body won’t fall asleep.
Even when you time your training sessions to avoid intense training too soon before bed, you may experience this phenomenon. There are physiological reasons for this, such as the fact that training raises the body’s core temperature, while sleep is stimulated by cooling the body’s core temperature.
Understanding what happens in the body after a hard day of training can help you build habits that reduce the impact on your sleep. Explains Jenny Hansen, former professional triathlete and physical therapist.
7 foods that help you sleep better
Some foods provide energy for training, while others provide the micronutrients your body needs to rest, recover, and restore its systems. Just as you fuel your training sessions, you should fuel your sleep.
Some foods you may consider adding or adding to your diet include:
- spinach
- Nutritional yeast
- hummus
- Almond butter
- Cherry
- kiwi
- Organic corn
Learn why these foods are important and some creative ways to include them in your diet.
Yoga poses that help you get a good night’s sleep
Although triathlon training exhausts you, it’s not necessarily the best workout for restful sleep, which may seem like an oxymoron. For better sleep, yoga is the perfect solution. Plus, you’ll gently stretch and strengthen your muscles along the way to improve mobility and strength.
You don’t need to become a full-fledged yogi to get the sleep benefits of this practice. Incorporating a few movements after cardio training or shortly before bed can hold the key to better rest.
Habits that prepare the body and mind for sleep
Your daily habits affect the duration and quality of your sleep. So, if you’re having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, you should review those daily habits, like completing your hardest workout six to eight hours before bed and eating dinner at least three hours before you plan to sleep.
Adjust your thermostat for sleep, enjoy a comforting snack routine before bed, and train your circadian rhythms with routines that support restorative sleep even during the most intense periods of training.
