If you’re training hard but still feel flat, sluggish or constantly run down, it might not be your nutrition or training load that’s holding you back. It could be your sleep. And no, it’s not just about clocking more hours in bed.

In this blog, we unpack why sleep is the most powerful (and underrated) recovery tool for triathletes. With expert insights from Dr Michael Grandner, a leading sleep scientist and Director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona, we’ll cover:

• What sleep actually does for recovery
  
• How much sleep triathletes really need
  
• What to do if you’re not getting enough
  
• Why sleep trackers aren’t always telling you the truth
  
• Simple strategies to get better quality sleep starting tonight
  

Why Sleep Matters More Than You Think

We’re used to thinking about recovery in terms of protein shakes, foam rolling and rest days. But Dr Grandner says:

"Training without recovery is just injuring yourself on purpose."

Sleep is when the real gain...