Another Training Component - Sleep

An integral piece of the overall training picture is getting enough sleep.  A sleepless night here and there is nothing to worry about, but if you consistently do not get the sleep you need and are training hard, your recovery from training will suffer.  Circulating cortisol and C-reactive protein (a biomarker of inflammation) levels in the body increase dramatically in even short-term sleep deprivation.

Everyone's sleep requirements are different, so how do you know how much sleep you need?  You should sleep until you just naturally wake up, without an alarm clock or someone waking you.  That's how much sleep you need.

In addition to the recovery benefits, research shows that adequate sleep improves motor skill performance (e.g. running) in adults.  Takeaway:  Make sure you sleep well most nights, and especially after a hard workout.