Athlete's Sleep Guide: Science-Backed Methods For Better Recovery

In a world obsessed with biohacking, supplements, and squeezing more into every hour, the simplest performance booster is hiding in plain sight: sleep. It's free, it's natural, and for athletes, it might be the most underrated recovery tool you have. Sleep affects everything from energy and immunity to muscle repair and hormone regulation - yet nearly half (48%) of all Australian adults report at least two sleep-related problems. If you've ever wondered how to sleep better, the answer often comes down to understanding how your biology actually works. Here's a science-backed, gender-specific guide to falling asleep faster, sleeping deeper, and recovering better.

Sleep Tips for Women: Hormones, Menopause & Motherhood
Sleep Tips For Men: Testosterone & Recovery
Magnesium For Sleep: Deep Sleep & Muscle Recovery
Mouth Taping & Nasal Strips For Better Sleep
Sleep Hygiene Tips For Better Recovery

Sleep Tips For Women: Hormones, Menopause & Motherhood

Women are around 40% more likely than men to experience insomnia compared to men ². Hormones are mainly responsible for this gender discrepancy. The fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone during the menstrual cycle can cause physical and emotional changes that alter sleep. Then you have the menopause transition, where sleep tosses and turns. During this transition, women may have more trouble falling asleep and wake more frequently, especially early in the morning.

Interestingly, matrescence - the physical, hormonal, and psychological transition into motherhood - seems to reshape sleep itself. Research on co-sleeping, breastfeeding mothers shows they wake in sync with their babies far more often than non-co-sleeping pairs, with some researchers proposing this lighter sleep helps regulate an infant's own arousal responses 3. Breastfeeding mothers also get more deep, slow-wave sleep than formula-feeding mothers - yet still report feeling more tired ⁴.

Montmorency tart cherry juice is naturally high in melatonin - around six times more than other tart cherry varieties - which is why it's the one used in most of the sleep research ⁵. Have it about 30-45 minutes before bed to give the melatonin time to take effect.

Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an adaptogen that helps reduce cortisol and anxiety and regulates body temperature.

Recommended products → Switch Nutrition - Ashwagandha Capsules and Herbs of Gold Mind Ease .

Rhodiola: Rhodiola is also an adaptogen that can help balance neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (both are happy hormones regulating mood, which can affect sleep).

Sleep Tips For Men: Testosterone & Recovery

Males are generally able to fall asleep faster than females; however, they tend to get less deep sleep, are more likely to snore and have obstructive sleep apnea ⁶⁻⁸. Females experience the urge to sleep earlier than males, while males are more likely to be “night owls” with a preference for staying up later ⁶.

For males, poor quality of sleep has been linked to erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms, hypogonadal symptoms, low testosterone, and male infertility ⁹. Since males tend to get less deep sleep, a magnesium-melatonin-vitamin-B supplement or even collagen peptides may be helpful if your Woop tells you your deep sleep is lacking.

Collagen Peptides

One recent study on physically active males found that a 15g/day glycine-rich collagen peptide supplementation 1 hour before bed across a week reduced awakenings and improved one specific measure of cognitive function in physically active males with sleep complaints ¹⁰. More research needs to be done in this space; however, it was an interesting finding.

Recommended products → PILLAR Performance - Collagen Repair, Switch Nutrition Collagen Peptides, Rhise ReCharge Collagen Hot Chocolate

Magnesium For Sleep: Deep Sleep & Muscle Recovery

Magnesium is naturally found in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Magnesium can help you fall asleep and induce deep sleep with its muscle relaxant properties. Magnesium supplementation can improve sleep efficiency in deep sleep and reduce early morning awakening and insomnia ¹¹.¹².

One research study on 60 men and women who were diagnosed with insomnia found that participants who took a magnesium-melatonin-vitamin-B supplement for three months significantly improved their sleep ¹¹.

Recommended products → Switch Nutrition - Magnesium Glycinate, PILLAR Performance - Triple Magnesium Recovery Powder, Herbs of Gold Magnesium Night Plus

Mouth Taping & Nasal Strips For Better Sleep

Pro tip for that extra bit of shut eye: don’t forget the nose and mouth strips! They may look funny, but who cares when you’re asleep? Mouth tape such as Switch Nutrition Sleep Plus Mouth Tape OR On The Nose Sleep Mouth Tape help you breathe through your nose, which filters and humidifies the air to improve oxygen uptake for more restful sleep ¹³. Nasal strips, like On the Nose Nose Strip and Switch Nutrition Sleep Plus Nasal Strips gently open your airways, reduce snoring and boost airflow to help get that better night's sleep.

Sleep Hygiene Tips For Better Recovery

Keep your bedroom dark.
Cool room.
Have a hot shower or bath.
Choose your quiet or white noise.
Use a supportive, ergonomic pillow such as BlackRoll Memory Foam Recovery Pillow to keep your neck and spine aligned overnight.
Last meal 2 hours before bed.
Eat a Mediterranean diet with lots of plant variety.
Avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine in the evening.
Choose your supplements right.
Try to sleep seven or more hours per night regularly to promote optimal health 15.
If sleep is reduced or broken overnight, aim for a power nap of 10-30 mins in the early afternoon to help restore clarity, decrease blood pressure and may support healthy blood pressure ¹⁶.

Ash Miller
Dietitian and Nutritionist (Masters)
Bachelor of Physical and Health Education
Instagram: @ashthomo_nutrition

References

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McKenna JJ, Mosko S, Dungy C, McAninch J. Sleep and arousal patterns of co-sleeping human mother/infant pairs: a preliminary physiological study with implications for the study of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Am J Phys Anthropol. 1990;83(3):331-47.
Blyton DM, Sullivan CE, Edwards N. Lactation is associated with an increase in slow-wave sleep in women. J Sleep Res. 2002;11(4):297-303.
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Disclaimer:
The content in this blog is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always speak with your doctor or allied health team before changing your diet, exercise, or taking supplements, especially if you have a health condition or take medication. Please use this information as a guide only. Aid Station doesn't take responsibility for individual outcomes.