How to sleep well the night before a marathon

It’s all set. Training is done, your race bib is ready and your kit is neatly laid out at the foot of the bed. All that’s left is to get to sleep so you’re ready for tomorrow’s big event. Easier said than done: sleep can be hard to come by on the eve of a marathon. Here are a few tips to help you get a good night’s rest.

Sleep is one part of the winning formula. Alongside training and nutrition, it’s the third pillar of an effective endurance plan. Sleep helps the body recover from the fatigue that builds up during training. While you sleep, the body restores energy and repairs the systems involved in keeping you moving. So when sleep refuses to come on the eve of a race, it’s bound to cause some concern.

Tips at a glance

Tip 1 – Take care of all the race-day logistics
Tip 2 – Eat a light dinner for a peaceful night’s sleep
Tip 3 – Set the right temperature
Tip 4 – Use mental imagery
Tip 5 – Try some coherent breathing exercises
Tip 6 – Read a book instead of looking at screens

Tip 1: Take care of all the race-day logistics

To go to bed with a clear mind rather than a head full of racing thoughts, focus on the things you can control. That means laying out your race kit, as well as what you’ll wear while waiting and warming up. Make sure you have a trusted person or a designated place to leave the jacket or trousers keeping you warm before the start. On the logistics side, check where you’ll park and how far it is from the start line. Sorting out these small details now means they won’t keep you awake later.

Tip 2: Eat a light dinner for a peaceful night’s sleep

Load up on slow-release carbohydrates to make sure your glycogen stores are topped up for race day, but don’t overdo it. Skip the second helping and eat until you’re comfortably full. Stay well hydrated, and avoid alcohol as well as tea and coffee.

Tip 3: Set the right temperature

Take care not to overheat the bedroom. Research shows that falling asleep is easier when body temperature drops. The ideal room temperature is generally considered to be between 16 and 18°C.

Tip 4: Use mental imagery

Before drifting off, try some gentle stretching or mental imagery. Picture yourself moving through the key moments of your marathon: waking up, getting ready, warming up, lining up in the starting pen, running the first few kilometres and so on. As you imagine yourself doing these things, your brain activates and strengthens the relevant neural pathways. This helps prepare the neurons involved in movement and can significantly influence your mindset for race day. The exercise can become part of your training routine and a useful way to retreat into your own bubble before the start.

Tip 5: Try some coherent breathing exercises

As well as helping to reduce stress, coherent breathing can make it easier to fall asleep by lowering cortisol levels, the hormone associated with wakefulness. At rest, we generally breathe 12 to 15 times per minute. Coherent breathing is based on slowing that rate to just six breaths per minute. When you inhale, your heart rate increases as the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated; when you exhale, it slows as the parasympathetic nervous system takes over. The aim is to reach a state of balance and relaxation.

Tip 6: Read a book instead of looking at screens

According to the French National Institute for Sleep and Vigilance (INSV), “Exposure to the blue light emitted by screens strongly stimulates the retina’s receptors, sending the body clock a ‘daytime’ signal that delays sleep onset and shifts the sleep phase. Even extremely faint light signals can have an impact by suppressing melatonin secretion.” In other words, on the eve of your marathon, put the screens away and stay off social media. You’ll have plenty of time for that once the race is over and your Strava data is uploaded.