Overview
- High-performance programs now plan sleep as part of training, with specialists warning that adaptation stalls when rest is neglected.
- During deep sleep, the body ramps up protein synthesis and growth hormone release that repair muscles and bolster immune and cardiovascular function.
- REM sleep consolidates motor memory and supports emotional regulation, which helps retain skills and sustain concentration.
- Eduard Estivill’s advice centers on a quiet wind‑down, warm lighting, avoiding late screens, and skipping alcohol or cannabis to enable restorative sleep.
- Estivill says Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo sleep about 11 hours as a recovery strategy, a claim reported without independent verification, while general guidance calls for 7–9 hours for adults and brief naps of roughly 20–26 minutes to prevent grogginess.