The athlete's sporting performance is clearly influenced by his state of well-being , but although this is an easily shared principle, it is not as easy to obtain a framework capable of evaluating the general state of well-being and the psycho-physical performance of the athlete.
The necessary request to increase (or maintain) performance over time is an obligatory step in the sporting world where superior adaptability is required in stressful conditions or with intense and constant training stimuli.
However, psycho-physical performance is a multidimensional concept: the complexity of the phenomenon depends in particular on low-grade inflammatory processes, circadian rhythms and important components of body composition.
In particular, the inflammation that most individuals imagine exclusively as a pathological event that causes evident and full-blown symptoms, through swelling, pain or redness, are defined as local inflammations , such as arthritis and sore throat.
Inflammation is therefore a reaction of our body to defend itself from something it deems potentially dangerous, such as reducing the joint or motor capabilities of the musculoskeletal system in the case of reduced potential, and for this very reason inflammation is vital for the our survival .
Problems arise when the inflammation gets out of our control or when the inflammatory state persists over time.
“If our body is under continuous attack” due to exposure to external irritating (or stressful) factors, our body's inflammatory response persists (with the production of a series of substances that damage cells and the production of free radicals), and spreads to every part of the body, becoming systemic.
Systemic inflammation is therefore a condition in which inflammatory processes are chronically stimulated at low levels, affecting the entire organism, such as incorrect posture during sleeping hours or an unsuitable mattress to be able to stretch and relax the muscles of Night.
In fact, in this situation it may happen that for a long period of time no symptoms appear, but small alterations occur at a metabolic and endocrine level which can degenerate into local inflammation or even pathologies.
Inflammation is one of the most effective ways in which the body responds to various external stimuli and sends alarm signals : a viral infection, stress, poor diet or lack of quality sleep always lead to an increase in inflammation levels .
Inflammation, as previously mentioned, is an emergency response that is as necessary as it is deleterious if constantly active.
If intense and prolonged workouts cause inflammation, in order to be able to train with intensity and consistency over time, the inflammatory processes must be effective and able to be controlled over time.
Consequently, attention to recovery and in particular to rest becomes a determining factor in allowing our body to recover as best as possible without incurring systemic inflammation which initiates the process defined as overtraining and significantly increases the probability of injury to the athlete. .
Paying attention to the factors that determine the quality of sleep therefore becomes essential in addition to the strategic importance of having a correct lifestyle capable of guaranteeing adequate rest.
The quality of sleep acquires a key and no longer negligible role in the organization of training sessions and professional and amateur competitions.