For top British athletes, getting a good night's sleep is as crucial as perfecting their technique or building their strength. Elite performers share their unique approaches to achieving quality rest, revealing just how far they'll go to get ahead in the world of sports. From dietary tweaks to high-tech tracking and innovative relaxation methods, these stars demonstrate the lengths to which they're willing to go to ensure they're well-rested and ready to compete.
Two-time Olympic silver medallist heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson prioritises sleep for maintaining precision across her seven events. Typically aiming for nine hours of sleep from 10pm to 7am, she's recently started eating a kiwi fruit two hours before bed, believing its vitamins and antioxidants can enhance sleep quality. The 33-year-old also uses a satin sleep mask and recommends a weighted blanket to reduce restless movement.
Johnson-Thompson employs a strategy of 'sleep banking', aiming for 10-11 hours of sleep per night in the week leading up to an event, supplemented with naps. However, during major competitions, she often has limited sleep between days, sometimes getting as little as four hours. To cope with pre-competition anxiety, Johnson-Thompson seeks advice from psychiatrist Steve Peters and dedicates specific times the following morning to address worries, rather than dwelling on them before bed.
Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, a three-time gold medallist and world record holder, focuses more on sleep quality than duration, particularly while balancing early morning training with family responsibilities. The 31-year-old uses a Whoop device to monitor his sleep cycles and depth, as well as consulting a sports science team that analyses blood biomarkers related to sleep, such as melatonin and magnesium levels.
Peaty has an unusual method for falling asleep on planes – watching six hours of Second World War history facts on YouTube. Both athletes highlight the challenges of maintaining optimal sleep while travelling or competing abroad. Johnson-Thompson notes that environments like the Olympic Village can be particularly demanding, recommending that when adjusting to a new time zone, individuals should open curtains immediately to expose themselves to daylight.