I imagine Seth Rogen and Snoop Dogg just canceled their Trail Runner magazine subscriptions. Since it’s naturally produced by the body, most doctors and studies indicate that side effects are minimal for most people.ĬBD is the second-most abundant compound in the cannabis plant, after THC. Melatonin is a hormone primarily released by the pineal gland in the brain which plays a role in sleep-wakefulness cycles, with a large role played by the onset of darkness (why you should consider putting away your phone and computer before bed and getting a good book instead). What are some common sleep aids and how do they work? That being said, we know lots of athletes are batting this question around in their brain, so let’s delve into the research. But what do the different options mean for athletic performance?īefore trying to answer that question, a reminder: Talk to your doctor about any health concerns you have, and avoid self medication whenever possible. Runners might take sleep aids for anything ranging from diagnosed insomnia to a cold to just trying to catch a bit of shut-eye before a big race. It seems like a question that athletes think about a lot, but is most often discussed in hushed whispers on internet message boards. The triathlon website Slowtwitch is the same (in between threads saying that your bike seat is too high). The running website LetsRun has dozens of threads on sleep aids and running performance (in between threads of high schoolers saying terrible things about pro runners). While a 2013 survey from the CDC found that just 4.1 percent of Americans use prescription sleep aids consistently, the National Sleep Foundation reports that 25 percent take some sort of medication to help them sleep, most without doctor consultation.Īnecdotally, I hear about athletes taking prescription sleep aids like Ambien or Lunesta sometimes, but hear more about over-the-counter options like Nyquil, Benadryl, Tylenol PM, melatonin or even cannabidiol (CBD). I poked around, and this type of story seems relatively common. Nighttime congestion from a cold led the athlete to self medicate, and the persistent symptoms led to persistent self medication. the athlete had taken Nyquil for 12 consecutive days. In that conversation, there was a revelation. We couldn’t just hope it would pass any longer.Īfter talking about the importance of getting to a doctor, we discussed possible causes. What was it? Gosh, hopefully not the start of overtraining syndrome, or mono, or some severe illness. It was bad, with two of the scariest symptoms for an athlete: persistent tiredness on uphills and a heavy, foggy brain. Last week, I opened an athlete’s training log to a harrowing entry. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |