I’m an Orthopedic Surgeon, and This Is Hands-Down the Best Recovery Tool Most People Still Ignore
More gym-goers and regular exercisers are waking up to the importance of post-workout recovery. Once upon a time, recovery protocols like ice baths were strictly reserved for competitive athletes, but now cold plunges, saunas, and red light therapy are seemingly everywhere. The problem with such recovery tools, however, is that they can be pricey and inaccessible to many. And yet, the most science-backed recovery method of them all is often overlooked: sleep.
According to William Workman, M.D., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine expert at DISC Sports & Spine Center and former head orthopedist for the Oakland A's, high-quality, consistent sleep consistently outperforms even the priciest gadgets. Both sleep extension and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule are proven to maximize recovery better than a cold plunge ever could.
"Sleep is when nearly every meaningful recovery process happens: Growth hormone peaks in slow-wave sleep, muscle protein synthesis increases, lymphatic clearance reduces neuroinflammation, cortisol normalizes, autonomic balance shifts toward parasympathetic tone, glycogen replenishment improves, and motor learning consolidates," he says.
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While consistent, high-quality sleep supports recovery, a lack of sleep will quickly start impacting your workouts. Inadequate sleep has been strongly linked to higher injury rates, slower reaction time, reduced force production, impaired glucose control, and higher rates of perceived exertion during exercise.
For example, one study of collegiate athletes found that injury rates almost doubled in those who slept less than eight hours a night, while also displaying declines in both strength and speed.
Aiming for at least seven hours of sleep a night is a solid starting point. Begin by prioritizing consistent bed and wake times every day. If falling asleep proves to be tough, try to stop drinking liquids a couple of hours before bed, add magnesium glycinate supplements, and keep your bedroom cool.
"Recovery is a biological process, not a sensory experience. In other words, the machinery is working inside without you being able to sense it happening," Workman says. "Sleep directly drives tissue remodeling, endocrine restoration, and nervous system recalibration. You can’t out-hack poor sleep with cold plunges, compression boots, or supplements."
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