SLEEP – The super power within us

Sleep is a superpower that resides within each of us. When harnessed effectively, it holds the potential to turbocharge our health and fitness endeavors. During sleep, our bodies engage in essential functions, including repair and restoration, hormonal and metabolic regulation, memory consolidation, immune system support, and brain health maintenance.

Good-quality sleep is, therefore, a key factor in overall well-being. For those who engage in fitness routines ranging from moderate to intense, as well as nutrition regimens, quality sleep can exponentially boost the benefits of these efforts. Conversely, poor sleep can significantly hinder the effects of even the best exercise and diet plans.

Thankfully, we have full control over our sleep patterns, unlocking this innate superpower.

The Four Pillars of Sleep: Dr. Matthew Walker’s QQRT Framework

Dr. Matthew Walker, author of the international bestseller Why We Sleep and a leading expert in sleep science, outlines four simple pillars for measuring sleep. These are encapsulated in the acronym QQRT: Quantity, Quality, Regularity, and Timing.

(Source: Dr. Matthew Walker’s SleepDiplomat.com)

1. Quantity

Quantity refers to the total hours of sleep you get. This is the easiest metric to track, though many mistakenly see it as the only measure of “good” sleep.

The recommended quantity of sleep varies by age:

• Adults (18–65 years): 6–9 hours
• Older adults (65+ years): 6–8 hours
• Teenagers: 8–10 hours
• Young children: 9–12 hours
• Infants: Up to 15–16 hours

2. Quality

Quality measures the efficiency of your sleep. With the advent of smartwatches, which provide significant sleep data, awareness of sleep quality is growing.

The simplest way to assess quality is by calculating the ratio of hours you’re asleep to the hours you spend in bed. The recommended threshold is 85% or higher. Sleep quality also involves continuity—fewer awakenings during sleep generally indicate better quality.

There’s much more to understand about sleep quality, but I’ll avoid delving into those details here.

3. Regularity

Regularity measures how consistently you go to bed and wake up at the same times. The recommended range is within +/- 20 minutes of your usual bedtime and wake-up time every day. Research suggests that people with high sleep regularity have significantly reduced mortality risk and, unsurprisingly, enjoy better health.

4. Timing

Timing is an intriguing parameter, especially for night owls. Every person has natural preferences for sleep and wakefulness, influenced by genetics and circadian rhythms—this is called your chronotype. When someone identifies as a “morning person” or a “night owl,” they’re referring to their chronotype.

To determine your chronotype, try this easy-to-use toolkit: Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ).

Ideal Sleep Ranges by Chronotype:

Chronotype	Ideal time range for sleep
Extreme Morning	8pm to 4am
Morning	9:30pm to 5:30am
Neutral/Intermediate	11pm to 7am
Evening	12:30am (midnight) to 8:30am
Extreme Evening	2am to 10am

For example, if your chronotype is Neutral/Intermediate, the ideal sleep range would be between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Aligning your bedtime with your chronotype can maximize the benefits of your sleep.

By prioritizing these four pillars of sleep health, we can unlock the full potential of this superpower, enhancing the benefits of our fitness and nutrition efforts and drastically improving overall well-being.

---

Like all my other notes, I write purely out of my passion for the wonderful sport of running. There’s definitely some personal bias here, but if you’ve made it this far, thank you so much for reading. If you found this article helpful, do the community a favor—share it within your network so others can benefit as well. Stay inspired, and keep running.