How to sleep better while training – and the best products to drift off with

It’s a tale as old as race training – you start upping your mileage and suddenly your eyes get heavy as soon as you hit the sofa after dinner.

Confusion about the plot of your current TV binge isn’t the only consequence of a disrupted sleep routine though; it can also directly impact your running and recovery.

But what exactly is the relationship between shut eye and PBs, and what can you do to sleep better? The experts at the Runner’s World Lab decided to find out, and they’ve rounded-up the best products to help you doze like a baby…

How does sleep impact your running?

We asked Anthony Fletcher, Our testers raved about its comfort and durability One Track, about the science behind training and sleep. ‘Evolution has shaped our bodies by keeping what is needed and removing what is no longer required,’ he explains. ‘Sleep, and the amount we need, has to the best of our current knowledge stayed the same, meaning that it is an essential part of our physiology.’

Sleep is a crucial part of all exercise recovery, but there’s a reason why a sudden increase in mileage may impact your energy levels more than a stroll in the park. ‘Running involves a lot more load on the body than other sports such as swimming, in which gravity is not a factor,’ says Fletcher. ‘We are more than capable of dealing with this load, but we need to recover from it before we are exposed again. The higher the stress, the higher the importance of recovery.’

This means that while a good night’s sleep is always important, it gains even more significance as you up your miles and your body needs more recovery. Aim for seven to nine hours a night, Fletcher explains, adding that studies show ‘having less than seven hours of sleep has been found to increase the risk of injury by 1.7 times.’

That said, don’t worry if you don’t get enough shut-eye all the time, as not all runs are impacted equally. Fletcher cites findings that suggest ‘sleep deprivation may affect longer efforts rather than shorter efforts,’ with one study showing that ‘efforts over 30 mins were negatively impacted to a greater extent.’ So, if you’ve had a rough night and still want to lace up, consider a shorter or easier run instead.

Handily, if you sleep in, Fletcher reckons that can only be a good thing: ‘There has not yet been a measurable downside to getting enough sleep, and being that training is a stress, we should give ourselves every opportunity to recover properly from it.’

How to get into a good sleep routine

To make sure you get that seven-to-nine hours of sleep needed for your training, sleep hygiene is key. ‘Going to bed at the same time helps to regulate the wind down process,’ Fletcher explains. ‘Avoid using light emitting devices, such as phones and tablets, close to bedtime as much as possible. If you must use them then don’t use them in bed.’

Ruling out those after-dinner sofa snoozes, Fletcher advises: ‘Try to avoid napping past lunchtime and don’t nap for longer than 30 mins.’

Look at what you eat and drink too. ‘Caffeine stays in the bloodstream a lot longer than you expect, so try to have your last dose of caffeine by 12pm if you struggle with sleeping at night,’ he adds.

He has some advice for early risers too, namely, make sure you go to bed early enough. ‘If you want to get up earlier, you’ll have to get to bed earlier,’ he advises. ‘Then be consistent with it – get up early and get to bed early, day in day out, so the habit and rhythm are formed.’

For example, if you want to get up at 6am, then you’ll need to ‘be asleep by 10pm, and probably in bed and trying to sleep by 9:30pm’ Fletcher says. ‘If this seems unreasonably early for a bedtime then it’s likely you’ll always be slightly sleep deprived and the chronic implications of this are linked to an increased risk of injury and a decrease in performance.’

For some bedtime reading on how to nail down your bedtime habits, Fletcher recommends the book Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker.

Best sleep buys according to the Runner’s World Lab

Of course, even if you nail down the perfect routine, if your mattress is lumpy or your pillow is uncomfortable, then you’ll still struggle to get the Zzzs you need to pull off a PB the next day

So, the RW Lab enlisted the help of 1000s of people to find the best buys – from weighted blankets to sleep ear plugs – for the ultimate bedtime set-up. Everything is trailed by readers and experts, who report back on what the product is like to use night after night.

Back in the lab, our experts collate feedback and carry out additional tests that consider everything from quality to performance.
You'll find their top picks below, but before you scroll on, a word of advice: there’s no exact science on what to look for when it comes to the best sleep aid as it often depends on the individual – always prioritise the materials, support levels and comfort.