Sleep is one of the most commonly sacrificed pillars of health, and Tom Rowland uses this Physical Friday episode to explain why he changed his mind about it after reading Matthew Walker's book Why We Sleep. Drawing on Walker's research and his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience, Tom argues that skipping sleep to train or work harder usually works against the exact goals people are chasing.
Tom recommends Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, a book he says cites incredible research showing how important sleep actually is for health and performance.
Tom points to Joe Rogan Experience episode #1109 with Matthew Walker as a podcast option covering the same research as the book, for anyone who would rather listen than read.
Tom says that if you are trying to make gains in your training and you are not sleeping well, it is affecting you, and that when you are truly tired, the better move is often to ask whether you should train or sleep instead.
Matthew Walker is the author of Why We Sleep and a guest on Joe Rogan Experience #1109, where he discusses the science behind sleep's role in performance, health, and recovery, the same appearance Tom points listeners toward in this episode.
Tom suggests starting by cleaning up your sleep environment and sleep hygiene, and encourages listeners with poor sleep habits or questions from the book to reach out directly by email.
I have often disregarded sleep, and I think it is probably one of the most commonly sacrificed pillars of health for a lot of us. The more I learned about it, the more concerned I became about my own sleeping habits, and I think that will be true for a lot of people listening once they actually dig into the research the way I did with Why We Sleep.
If you are wanting to make advancements in training, do better at work, or encourage your kids in school and sports, this is worth looking into. When you are really tired, I think the better question is not whether you can push through a workout, but whether you should train or whether you should sleep instead. That is not the answer I would have given a few years ago.
Cleaning up your sleep environment and your sleep hygiene is the first practical step I'd point people toward. If you want the deeper research behind why that matters, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker lays it out, or you can hear him cover a lot of the same ground on Joe Rogan Experience #1109 if you would rather listen than read.
If you have poor sleep habits or questions after reading the book, let me know at podcast@saltwaterexperience.com. Please also go rate and review this podcast on iTunes. See you next week, no excuses.
Tom Rowland is a professional light-tackle and fly fishing guide in the Florida Keys and host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, where his Physical Friday segments cover the fitness, recovery, and mindset habits, including sleep, that he uses to stay sharp on and off the water.
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