In this episode we speak about all things Recovery with a world leading expert in all aspects of sleep, recovery strategies and travel, Dr Shona Halson.
Shona is an Associate Professor in the School of Behavioural and Health Sciences at the Australian Catholic University. Prior to this she was a senior physiologist at the Australian Institute of Sport for 15 years, working both as a researcher and an applied scientist.
In the interview we cover why recovery is important and why the topic has only gained attention in the research world in recent years. We talk in depth about sleep, top tips for a good nights' sleep, the trade off between sleep quality and quantity and why we might be waking up multiple times in the night (and how stress and anxiety plays a huge role in this).
We talk about other recovery strategies such as compression, cold water immersion and the science behind them, the effects of the menstrual cycle and temperature on sleep, best practice when it comes to travel and how best to wind down and recover at the end of a busy day or after a late training session. We also touch on how best to prepare and deal with jet lag when travelling.
Resources:
Shona on Twitter: @ShonaHalson
This episode was kindly sponsored by Run4It. Run4It is an independent retailer whose mission is to inspire people to improve their fitness, health & wellbeing through running. Run4It operates online at run4it.com and has 8 shops across Scotland.
This season, Run4It is celebrating all the great gifts that running can give us – from the people it brings into our life, to the places it takes us, to the lessons it teaches us – with their 'The Gift of Running' campaign.
Visit run4it.com/gifts to find out more and view the fantastic range of running clothing, shoes and accessories available. Use discount code FAPOD15 for 15% off full price running gear until 31 Jan 2021.*
Voucher code: https://bit.ly/fapod1120
*Terms & Conditions: Not valid on GPS watches, gift vouchers or in conjunction with other offers.
We'd like to thank our title sponsor for this series, Pretty Athletic.
Pretty Athletic is a unique skincare brand for active women. Head to www.prettyathletic.com and use discount code FEMALEATHLETEPOD for 20% off.
Do you have a question you'd like to ask us about the female body for our 'Question Time' section? Contact us via our Instagram channel @femaleathletepod or email us at femaleathletepodcast@gmail.com - we'd love to hear from you!
*Disclaimer: Materials and content in the Female Athlete Podcast are intended as general information only and should not be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment