Concentration, the ability to maintain ones focus on the task at hand is viewed as a vital ingredient to optimal performance. However, competitive sport is full of possible distractions, which can have a negative impact on concentration and subsequent performance.
Distractions can come from external or internal sources. External distractions may include crowd noises and movements, weather conditions, gamesmanship from opponents, etc. Whereas internal distractions can include ones thoughts, feelings, and/or bodily sensations (e.g. pain or fatigue). The challenge for athletes is to learn and develop strategies that will enhance concentration levels.
Ensuring you get enough sleep is an important strategy you can easily utilise to improve your concentration. I found a neat website https://mysleepprofile.dreem.com which contains a short questionnaire which is designed to assess your current sleep patterns. After completing the questionnaire you will be provided with a score - give it a go!
It is suggested that most people need about 7 to 9 hours sleep per night (athletes and young adults may need more). Studies have shown that sufficient sleep is important to athletic performance, and can effect reaction times, health, focus, memory, learning, and motivation. If you are not getting enough sleep, your ability to concentrate during practice and competition may be impaired.
We did some research with 20 young golfers at an academy, recording the sleep duration of each golfer before competing in a competition - we did this on two separate occasions. We looked at the correlation between sleep duration and their nett scores. We found that increased sleep duration had a positive effect on the golfers performance, i.e. increased sleep led to a lower nett score, on average.
Athletes dedicate so much time and effort on training, but if they do not take care of their sleeping habits, it feels like they may be missing out on getting the full benefit of their efforts.
What can you do to improve your sleep patterns?
Stick to a regular schedule and go to bed at a similar time each night - a time that allows you to get the sufficient time of sleep you require. Working with young athletes, the problem is usually getting to bed/sleep at an appropriate time.
Create a bedtime ritual to help you wind down, which is void of arousal inducing gadgets at least an hour before bed, such as phones, television, etc.
Ensure your bedroom environment is free of any light, e.g. consider getting blackout curtains.
Make sure you have a comfortable mattress and pillow to provide a conformable surrounding.
Alcohol, cigarettes, and caffeine can disrupt sleep so try and avoid these especially in the evening.
Complete the exercise below for a week to learn what your sleep patterns are like:
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