But thats just what you need to do when the clubs in your hand What about the other 20 hours of the day The truth is what you do off the course is just as important as what you do on the course
If you want to make the most of your game and consistently improve you need to be paying close attention to your nutrition hydration supplementation and sleep For many of us the first three are the easy ones
But most of us dont understand the interesting links between golf and better rest Or rest and better golf Heres what you should know about how one affects the other and how you can maximize both of them
The Effects of Lack of Sleep
A lack of good quality sleep can have some nasty consequences You may not feel them acutely if youre only slightly sleep deprived But if you dont make up your sleep as time goes by the symptoms can eventually become debilitating
Sleep is when the brain consolidates the events of the day and the body heals If you dont get enough of it both your brain and your body dont get time to rest and recover As you can imagine this leads to some unpleasant symptoms including
Impaired cognitive performance
Difficulty paying attention
Irritability mood swings
Increase in anxiety depression
Dull sluggish reflexes
Weight gain
Lowered immune system
Another unfortunate side effect of restless or fragmented sleep is that any practice you did during the day may go to waste if your memory and muscle memory arent properly consolidated during the night
Its also important to note that sleep deprivation isnt just what you see in the movies Its not just something that happens to insomniacs and takes days and days of no sleep to really set in
Just one night of less sleep than usual can have a negative impact Night after night less sleep than you truly need can add upyou may not notice it immediately but the effects are there
How Does This Affect Your Golf
Its true that golf isnt the most physically demanding sport out there But it is one of the more mentally taxing sportsyou cant really play a good game of golf without strategic thinking
Not getting enough sleep can have a noticeable effect on your golf game Youre not likely to lose all your skill or be a complete mess on the golf course after a bad nights sleep but consistent sleep deprivationeven losing an hour a night due to fragmented sleepcan have striking and unfortunately negative effects on your gameplay
Lack of focus and clear thinking make it difficult to implement your strategy
A less rested body means your endurance may suffer across 18 holes
Lack of physical energy may dampen the power of your swing
Tiredness can ruin your mood and make your round less enjoyable
If you have a run of a few days of poor sleep you may notice some of these signs on the golf course But what happens when youre constantly getting less sleep than you need
Your handicap may get worse over time as your form suffers
You may be more prone to injury as your body isnt in optimal condition
Its possible that you may stop enjoying the game as much
The Effect of Golf on Sleep
If you flip things around theres plenty of evidence to suggest that exercise has a positive effect on sleep Playing golf regularly can actually help you to sleep better Heres why
Exposure to sunlight provides the body with much needed vitamins
Being away from the screen can help to reset the brain and rest the eyes
Time in nature is proven to offer multiple health benefits including better sleep
Physical exercise increases circulation boosts endorphin release and improves rest
The Solution
Its clear that sleep has an effect on golf and golf has an effect on sleep But if one suffers it has a negative effect on the other Of course if you stop playing golf you can still get great sleep But its much harder to play good golf if you arent well rested
If you want the best of both worlds heres what we suggest
Figure Out Whats Causing Your Lack of Sleep
Understanding sleep deprivationeven if its just losing an hour a nightcan be the key to fixing it The first step is to figure out what exactly is causing your sleep loss
Are you going to bed too late Being exposed to blue light before sleep Is the room too warm too cold too noisy or too light Do you have a pet in the room Find the cause of your sleep disruption and fix it and you may find that you suddenly have more energy and clearer thought processes
Optimize Your Bedtime Routine
Being a little more thoughtful about your actions before you go to bed can make a huge difference For example if you usually find yourself getting up to go to the bathroom you can improve your sleep simply by not drinking for a few hours before you go to sleep
Avoid the phone or TV screen for at least 30 minutes before bed Do something to wind down like journaling meditating or reading
Choose Your Golf Time Better
If youre more of a night owl playing golf early in the morning probably isnt the best choice Not only is your mind still waking up but your reflexes probably arent at their best either
Choose to golf when you feel most alert and physically strong For some this is the morning For others the afternoon or evening is the optimal time Take some time to figure out when your best time of the day is and try to golf at that time
Sometimes in spite of all our efforts to enhance our sleep we may be fighting against sleep disorders that cannot simply be overcome without professional help If you feel tired throughout the day or believe there are other reasons you are not sleeping well visit your local sleep specialist for help They will examine your sleep habits and help you get the sleep you deserve
If you live in Alaska and would like to speak with a sleep specialist please click on the banner below
About the Author
Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman who understands the impact of sleep on life work and sporting performance When hes not coaching young golfers or working on his own game he writes for his own website Golf Influence
