Travel PT professionals: Setting sleep for maximum performance

Living in different regions across the country is the name of the game for those on travel physical therapy jobs. For therapists who make their way between different time zones frequently, a lack of sleep could be slowing them down. As travel PT professionals know, sleep loss impairs performance.

The human body has a sort of inner clock. It runs on a circadian rhythm that can get disrupted by flying between time zones.

Take this example: During the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, the Boston Bruins traveled to Vancouver to face the hometown Canucks. Since the Vancouver team held home-ice advantage, Dr. Charles Czeisler, chief of the Division of Sleep Medicine, was called in to help the out-of-towners level the playing field, so to speak. After learning about the Bruins' travel schedule, Czeisler discovered that the Bruins' napping times were off.

The players were napping in the afternoon, when they should have been napping in the morning in Vancouver, because that is afternoon in Boston. Basically, to maximize their energy and mood, the players were advised to keep their bodies on Eastern Time.

"There is a circadian rhythm to athletic performance," Czeisler told Men​'s Fitness.

Travel physical therapy experience may have taught you that there's a the physiological window for optimal focus, reaction time, strength and physical flexibility that arrives in late afternoon or early evening. At this time, the body is sending out its strongest drive for wakefulness, Czeisler explained to the source.

Since the opening face-off for the deciding game was scheduled for 5 p.m. Vancouver time, the Bruins canceled their morning practice to sleep. Much to Czeisler's joy, the game fell into the wakeful sweet spot and the Bruins won 4 to 0. Whether the sleep shift played a role, there are many teams in competitive sports who try to manipulate sleep to their advantage.

Sleep beyond sports
For physical therapists and their patients, optimizing sleep patterns goes beyond the realm of sports. It is a public health issue, and regarded by Czeisler as the "third pillar" of good health, alongside diet and exercise. Sleep is crucial in our schedules, and if you don't get enough, you could be at a substantially higher risk for injuries.

In a study published in the American Academy of Pediatrics, adolescent athletes who slept eight or more hours each night were found to be 68 percent less likely to get injured than athletes who regularly slept less. Researchers attributed this to sleep's ability to affect cognitive skills and worsen fine motor skills, leading to poor judgment and decreased coordination. The research also showed that the older the athlete, the greater the likelihood of injury.

Over time, sleep loss increases the risk of high blood pressure, weight gain, inflammation and diseases associated with diabetes and heart disease.

"It's very easy to become significantly sleep deprived because we all have many priorities which seem to preclude or reduce sleep, such as work, school, or the Internet," Dr. Michael Bonnet, a professor of neurology at Wright State University School of Medicine and the director of sleep laboratory at the Dayton Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, told WebMD. "We have information overload all the time, and that makes people believe that sleep is less important."

How much sleep do you need?
While the amount of sleep one needs depends on various factors, age is perhaps the biggest factor. Travel PT professionals can advise their patients that school-age children should get around nine to 11 hours of sleep and adults seven to eight hours.

Tips
Here are some other tips to get a more refreshing night's sleep:

  • Establish consistent sleep and wake schedules, even on weekends
  • Create a bedtime routine such as listening to soothing music, reading a book or taking a bath
  • Finish eating at least two to three hours before bed
  • Exercise regularly
  • Steer clear of caffeine and alcohol products close to bedtime
  • Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex – avoid watching TV or doing work in bed, as these are considered "sleep stealers"

Getting a good night's sleep can also help you perform better at work.