Sleep scientist, elite athlete, and passionate speaker helping individuals and teams reach their maximum potential in sport and life
Dr. Bender is Senior Research Scientist at Calgary Counselling Centre and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary. She received her PhD and Master of Science degrees in Experimental Psychology from Washington State University specializing in sleep EEG. She has helped develop the only validated sleep screening tool for athletes and has implemented sleep optimization strategies for numerous Canadian Olympic and professional teams. Her current interests focus on how sleep and exercise interventions can improve mental health outcomes. She was a former college basketball athlete, did an Ironman in 2009, and currently chases her 3 young kids around.
“Get lots of light, preferable outside, because it’s a lot brighter and that really regulates our circadian rhythm and helps us go to sleep at a decent time. ”
Today Nicolette and Dr Bender discus her work with Athlete performance in relation to sleep. How much sleep you should be getting and the lifestyle things we do that can affect our sleep rhythm and how you can bank sleep. Electronic and when you should be turning them off and keeping them outside the bedroom. Dr Bender gives us her tips on a great night sleep, which can help our cognitive performance, our athletic performance, help to be a better parent, and mental health; which is so important during this pandemic. If you are having sleep problems you can fill out the Athletic Sleep Screening Questionnaire that Dr Bender put together to see if you need to see a sleep specialist.
“If [your getting bad sleep] multiple times per week and its been going on for a month or more and impacting your sleep activities go and see a professional” Dr. amy bender
show notes
Sleep and Performance Research Centre
Dr Amy Benders Tips
Get light in the morning
Limit alcohol
Limit caffeine
Prepare your body for sleep 1 hour before
Take a warm bath/shower
Write a gratitude journal or a to do list
Meditation and breathing
The Cognitive shuffle – Think of word e.g. bedroom – thing of words beginning with b then e then d.
Get electronics out of the bedroom