9781422278772

releases melatonin in low-light environments, which is why sleeping in a room with limited amounts of light is key to a good night’s sleep. It is also important for the room to be set at a good temperature. A warm room is not conducive to sleeping. The body’s temperature follows its circadian rhythm, a built-in twenty-four-hour cycle tied to environmental cues. As night falls, so does the body’s temperature, reaching a minimum shortly after falling asleep. In a warm room, the body cannot lose its heat, and it will be difficult to sleep well. Noisy environments are obviously not desirable when trying to fall and stay asleep. If some external noise factors cannot be controlled, introducing a steady background noise into the sleep environment, such as a fan or white noise machine, can help to counteract those external elements. Nutrition A rested body needs the proper fuel to help it perform well. Wrestlers also need to be stricter with their eating habits as maintaining a certain weight is vital. It is a balancing act to provide enough energy without storing any excess amounts. As with most other high-activity sports, carbohydrate-rich foods give the muscles the energy they need for a tough match. A pre- meet meal should have a healthy serving of foods from grains (bread, cereal, rice, corn, and pasta) and fruits and vegetables.

“I train every day of my life as they have never trained a day in theirs.”

– Aleksandr Karelin, nine-time world champion and three- time Olympic gold medalist

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