October 5, 2023
At the dawn of esports, players and coaches mostly had one goal: to become the best. Many years after the first-ever LAN tournaments and paid professional gamers, this goal remains the same. But with the professionalization of esports, professionals have to go beyond the game. Coaches and players have started to recognize that we need to do more than simply play and analyze to improve. Instead, they seek to reap the benefits of holistic player development through sleep, mental coaching, physiotherapy, and more!
Today, we will have a closer look at one of these. I spoke to Theresa Schnorbach, Sleep Scientist and Jr. Lead Team at Emma – The Sleep Company. She has previously worked with the German esports team FC Schalke 04, assisting them in achieving their performance goals. This article will discuss how sleep is linked to in-game performance and how you can harness sleep to reach better results in your favorite esports titles.
What makes sleep so important for players’ in-game performance?
Being well-rested is directly linked to better gaming performance. According to Theresa, “faster reaction times, improved information processing, good eye-hand coordination, and the ability to focus are just few examples of the benefits of healthy sleep.”
On top of that, sleep has been shown to lead to an improved ability to control your emotions. This is because sleep strengthens the functional connectivity of regions that trigger emotions, especially the amygdala, as well as those that control and inhibit emotions, such as the medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. In turn, players in control of their feelings can better react to stressful situations and make informed decisions accordingly.
A player’s mindset is particularly crucial in team esports as it can both positively and negatively impact the overall team performance. For instance, maintaining an optimistic attitude may increase a team’s chance of making a comeback after a series of lost rounds.
Finally, Theresa emphasizes the benefits of sleep for professional gamers’ overall physical and mental well-being. Pro players experience a significant amount of stress and pressure throughout their careers, causing many to retire at a young age. Therefore, sleep can contribute to long-term player success.
How much sleep should you get daily?
Personally, I used to be sleep-deprived throughout the entirety of my high school years, dealing with five hours of sleep on average. Consequently, I struggled to focus while studying, and my gaming experience suffered, as well. Nowadays, I know that sleeping enough is an act of self-care that helps me unlock my true potential. But even if we strive to sleep enough, how do we know how much is enough?
Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this question since our need for sleep varies for each person and changes during our life. However, Theresa suggests considering the guidelines of the World Health Organization, which recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep for adults. Despite this, everyone’s sleep needs are different, so Theresa’s advice is to not stress about sleeping for a specific number of hours. Instead, you should keep in mind that we need a certain amount of sleep to reap its benefits. Seven to nine hours of rest are more likely to achieve this than, for example, three. Additionally, long-term sleep deprivation can worsen our ability to assess whether we are well-rested or not. Theresa’s tip is, “If you would sleep longer in the morning without an alarm clock, or if you often feel tired during the day, you are most likely not getting enough sleep yet.”
What is the impact of caffeine on your sleep?
Coffee and caffeinated tea are among the most consumed drinks worldwide, loved for their energizing effects. Another caffeinated beverage, energy drinks, is particularly popular in gaming and esports communities. Not only are various energy drink brands enjoyed at LAN parties or private game sessions, the likes of Red Bull, Monster Beverage, or Rockstar are major sponsors of events, teams, and content creators in the field. Most of us know that caffeine increases the time we take to fall asleep. Yet, there are more factors to explore here.
As a psychoactive substance, caffeine also reduces our sleep time by shortening the deep sleep phase leading to overall worse quality of sleep. Many also underestimate the longevity of the effect of caffeine on our bodies. Although its effects are most potent approximately 20 minutes after consumption, caffeine has a half-life of 5 to seven hours. To illustrate, if you have a caffeinated drink at 3 pm, half of its caffeine may still be active at 9 pm and a quarter even at midnight. Theresa warns that people can easily end up in a cycle of sleep deprivation and increased caffeine consumption by compensating for their lack of sleep with coffee.
However, it is noteworthy that other products, such as chocolate, protein powder, and painkillers also contain caffeine. Moreover, not everyone’s reaction to caffeine is the same. Factors such as age, metabolism, habituation, and BMI may affect the impact of caffeine on your body. With this knowledge combined, Theresa advises that everyone listens to their own body’s response to caffeine to determine how much of it they can consume without negative implications on sleep. “Personally, I love specialty coffee and wouldn’t want to miss it – but I can’t drink any after 4 pm. And believe me, I’m extremely strict about it!”
What can you do to sleep well?
We assume that you understand how important sleep is for your success as an esports athlete. You want to be well-rested and have ascertained your optimal caffeine consumption. However, you might find yourself restless at night, wondering why you will not fall asleep. Here are some tips for improved sleep!
Just like in the game, consistency is key to getting good-quality sleep. Theresa explains that we all have an inner clock that determines when we feel active and when we get tired. Therefore, if you struggle to fall asleep, consider going to bed at a regular time, even on the weekends. Your inner clock gets accustomed to your sleep-wake rhythm, knowing when it is time for you to be physically and mentally fit and when to wind down.
Physical activity is also vital for sleep. It can help you feel physically rested at bedtime and recharge your energy reserve properly while sleeping. If you find yourself feeling mentally tired lying in bed and unable to fall asleep, you might want to incorporate more physical activity into your daily life, especially if you work or play while sitting. Depending on your capabilities and preferences, you could, for example, go for walks, swim, practice yoga, or go cycling.
Our mind is just as important as our body. This applies to sleep as well. A racing mind keeps many of us awake at night as we think about our responsibilities, concerns, and unfinished tasks. Theresa recommends winding down about 90 minutes before your actual bedtime. Generally, it is helpful to engage in a relaxing activity, such as reading a book, doing yoga, or going for a walk outside. Find something that makes you feel good. To alleviate anxiety, you can write down the causes of your worries. Theresa’s last tip is: “All you should avoid is too bright light, television, or social media, as these will only wake you up again.”
Conclusion
The science behind sleep is fascinating and full of knowledge we can leverage to improve our overall lives and our professional performance. As scientific insights on sleep develop, its applications in professional esports environments will hopefully increase. I am not an expert on this topic, but I hope that I could spark your interest in the power of living and sleeping healthily!