Sleep and Recovery
By Clint Choquette DPT, Habits Physical Therapy, Nampa, ID
In the world of physical therapy, we often spend so much time on exercise selection and form to help people recover from an injury, but I think there is so much more to it than that. Our nutrition, stress, and sleep also play a huge role in our bodies ability to heal. Whether you're returning from an injury, training for a race, or just trying to stay active and pain-free, getting enough quality sleep can make a massive difference in your progress. For active individuals I think sleep can be a silent contributor to overuse injuries.
When we think about overuse injuries we primarily focus on the activity that led to the injury. We can also look at it in terms of under-recovery. I think it can be especially important factor when an injury occurs without a clear cause. Often injuries happen with a spike in activity levels that our bodies weren’t accustomed to handling. But I do see injuries where volume has not changed much, and at a level and intensity that the person has previously managed just fine. I think looking into other factors can be important. When we are not recovering as well our bodies will not tolerate the same amount of stress.
Sleep isn’t just rest—it’s essential for optimal physical function. In fact, studies have shown that people who regularly get fewer than 7 hours of sleep per night have significantly higher rates of injury. When we get less sleep, our immune system suffers and we often have more inflammation and slower recovery.
If you're dealing with an injury or recovering from surgery, quality sleep is essential for healing.
During sleep, your body:
Repairs damaged tissue
Releases growth hormone to rebuild muscles and tendons
Reduces inflammation
Processes pain—yes, sleep can literally help you feel less pain!
Without enough deep and REM sleep, your recovery timeline may stretch out longer than necessary. Even worse, poor sleep can lead to reinjury or plateaus in progress. Whether you’re running, lifting, or just keeping up with your kids, sleep affects how well you move and how strong you feel.
Adequate sleep improves:
Strength and power output
Cardiovascular performance
Mental clarity and decision-making
Motor learning and coordination (critical for rehab and retraining movements)
If you want to get the most out of your workouts—or your physical therapy—don’t skimp on sleep. One of the things I enjoy about my clinic is I am able to schedule out hour long appts. That gives plenty of time get in the exercises needed for recovery but also time for me to spend with patients going over things like sleep. Establishing as many healthy habits as we can, will improve our outcomes. Along with your physical therapy we can spend time addressing other barriers to your recovery like sleep and work together to implement strategies to improve these areas.
📞 Contact:
Habits Physical Therapy LLC
8 6th St N, Suite 102
Nampa, ID 83687
406-560-1048
habitspt.com