Talking Split S2 Ep2: Managing Court Time and Sleep
21 snips
Feb 15, 2018 
Ian Dunican, a PhD sleep and human performance consultant who works with elite sport, talks sleep science and practical fatigue strategies. He covers recovery timing after games, caffeine and nap tricks, travel and hotel sleep fixes, and using wearables and models to plan performance. Short, actionable takes on routines, post-game calm, and scheduling for peak readiness.
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Sleep Loss Hits Thinking Before Strength
- Expect cognition to decline first after poor sleep, with physical measures affected after ~72 hours.
- Monitor recent sleep over 8/24/48/72 hours because effects are cumulative and individual.
Promote Sleep Immediately After Games
- Prioritise post-game sleep recovery immediately: cool down, eat, then minimise stimulation to promote sleep.
- Manage pre-game caffeine timing (take ~60 minutes before tip-off) to avoid sleep disruption after the match.
Time Caffeine To Avoid Post-Game Insomnia
- Take caffeine about 30–90 minutes before a game (60 minutes typical) and avoid consuming it at halftime.
- Remember caffeine peaks and its half-life delay can keep athletes wired for hours after the match.