Sleep

S2E42: Training Philosophy, Building Better Athletes & Coach Burnout w Jorge Carvajal

SEASON 2, EPISODE #42

Dr. Bubbs sits down with expert Strength and Conditioning Coach Jorge Carvajal to talk about why his training philosophy starts with “people first”, how to build trust with athletes and the importance of failure in the learning process. He also talks about how strength and conditioning coaches are effectively load managers, the lessons he learned working in NCAA college football and coaching in Russia, and common mistakes made by young coaches. Jorge also shares how the “other 22-hours” in the day impact an athlete's load and why sleep (and naps) and getting the training process right are his big rocks in the recovery process.

Summary of This Episode

1:30 – Coach Carvajal’s “People First” philosophy

4:45 – How to build athlete “buy-in”?

8:45 – Strength coach are effectively load managers

12:45- Roadblocks to effective load management

21:00 – Training lessons learned in NCAA football

24:30 – Getting outside your comfort zone – Working in Russia

31:45 – Lessons learned from early career mistakes

36:50 – Different mindset working with military and special ops

45:10 - How getting back to nature support mental health & performance

52:15 – Building the life you want & defining success

58:30 – Common traits of great coaches 


About Jorge Carvajal

Jorge Carvajal is a performance coach and consultant who has worked with elite athletes in multiple sports and the tactical world for over twenty five years. He has trained thousands of athletes at the University of Florida, the University of Nebraska, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, along with numerous professional athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, World Surf League Big Wave Tour surfers, and much more. Follow Jorge on Twitter @carvperformance.


S2E38: Impacts of Sleep Loss On Pain, Injury-Risk & Neurocognition w Norah Simpson, PhD

SEASON 2, EPISODE #38

Dr. Bubbs interviews Dr. Norah Simpson ,PhD from Stanford University School of Medicine to talk all things sleep. In this episode, Norah discusses why so many people and athletes still struggle with poor sleep quality and quantity despite all the emphasis on sleep in the last 5 years, as well as her recent paper, “Optimizing sleep to maximize performance: implications and recommendations for elite athletes”. She dives into how lack of sleep impacts pain tolerance, injury risk, risk of illness and even the potential effect of altitude training on sleep quality. Norah also shares the sleep roadblocks she sees most in athletes, her favourite tools and tactics to get sleep back on track, and where she sees the evolution of sleep research heading in the next decade. 

Summary of Episode

5:10 – Effects of sleep loss on neurocognitive performance

8:30 – Injury risk, illness susceptibility and sleep loss

11:30 – Altitude training and impacts on sleep

13:00 – Can you catch up on sleep?

15:00 – sleep loss on injury risk

18:00 – impact on altitude training on sleep

21:00 – Norah’s current athlete sleep study

25:45 – sleep tracking

30:00 – importance of sleep wind down routine

32:00 – Is watching TV better than an iPad at night?

35:30 – common athlete sleep roadblocks

39:00 – “Nappuccino” – good or bad?

  

About Dr. Norah Simpson PhD

Norah Simpson PhD is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Director of the Stanford Sleep Health and Insomnia Program (SHIP), with a clinical focus in psychology, behavioral sleep medicine and athlete well-being. Learn more at www.insomnia.stanford.edu.


Research Paper

Optimizing sleep to maximize performance: implications and recommendations for elite athletes

S2E26: Athlete Chronotypes: Performance & Coaching Implications w/ Dr. Michele Lastella PhD

SEASON 2, EPISODE #26

Dr. Bubbs interviews Dr. Michele Lastella, PhD to talk chronotypes and athletes. In this episode, Dr. Michele discusses the three main chronotypes and how athlete chronotype can impact performance. He also shares how athletes participating in a sport which suits their chronotype (e.g. morning type participating in a morning sport) are more likely to train and perform optimally, digs into whether athletes are unconsciously self-selecting morning or evening sports and why coaches should consider athlete chronotype when scheduling training and competition. Dr. Michele also shares sleep hygiene tips, how to adjust your chronotype and suggestions for winding down and upgrading sleep. 

About Dr. Michele Lastella PhD

Dr. Lastella is sleep researcher at the Appleton Institute for Behavioural Science at CQUniversity Adelaide, South Australia. Dr. Lastella has several research interests including sleep, recovery, sport psychology, psychological well-being and performance. Coming from an elite sporting background Dr. Lastella brings experience from both an athlete perspective as well as a researcher perspective. He has worked with several elite sporting organisations examining sleep, recovery, and performance. In the three years since completing his PhD in Psychology Michele has published twenty-eight international research papers (a majority as first-author), with two of these being amongst the most cited papers for 2014 and 2015 in the host publication, European Journal of Sports Science.  Follow Michele on Twitter.

Link to Research Papers

Sleeping to a Schedule: Does Chronotype Play a Part?

The Athlete Chronotype


S2E10: How To Apply Sleep Science Into Practice With Athletes w Dr. Cheri Mah MD

SEASON 2, EPISODE #10

Dr. Bubbs interviews world-renowned sleep expert Cheri Mah, MD, consultant to professional sports teams in all four major leagues. In this episode Cheri discusses the physiology of sleep, her early research on sleep in collegiate athletes, impacts of jet lag and crossing time zones, why pro baseball teams are sleeping in during spring training, the infamous NBA nap and her NBA Schedule Alert project with ESPN’s Baxter Holmes, as well as her key tips for supporting sleep in athletes.

About Cheri Mah

Cheri Mah MS is a research fellow at the University of California San Francisco Human Performance Center and advisor to elite athletes and professional sports teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL on sleep and performance. Follow Cheri on Twitter.

Research Links & Articles

The Effects of Sleep Extension on the Athletic Performance of Collegiate Basketball Players

The NBA schedule turns teams into the sleepwalking dead 


S2E9: The Impacts of Caffeine On Sleep & Circadian Rhythms in Athletes w Dr. Ian Dunican PhD

SEASON 2, EPISODE #9

Dr. Bubbs interviews Dr. Ian Dunican PhD to talk about the use of caffeine in pro sport and how it impacts sleep duration and efficiency. Ian shares his insights on caffeine use and habits of athletes, how caffeine use impacts sleep on game days, the fact many athletes are unaware of the amount of caffeine they consume overall, as well as his research on jet lag and sleep disorders in athletes.

About Dr. Ian Dunican PhD

Ian Dunican has twenty years international professional experience in Project Management, Health and Safety and Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) in military, mining, oil and gas. He is the Director of Sleep4Performance, an expert consultancy for FRMS and operations, and a researcher at the University of Western Australia (UWA), where he works with elite sporting organisations for optimisation of performance and recovery. Follow Ian on Twitter here.


Link to Research

Caffeine use in a Super Rugby game and its relationship to post-game sleep

S2E8: Strongman Training & Nutrition Strategies w Dain Wallis

SEASON 2, EPISODE #8

Dr. Bubbs sits down with Canadian Strongman Champion Dain Wallis to talk about his preparation for competition; training periodization, importance of technical proficiency, nutrition for hypertrophy, sleep and recovery strategies, the psychology of competition as well as applications of Strongman training for the recreational athlete. Great tips from Dain!

About Dain Wallis

Dain is a nutrition & strength coach from Toronto, Canada and currently Canada's Strongest Man in the 80kg weight class. He’s also a fellow instructor at DTS Fitness Education on the Nutrition Fundamentals course. Follow Dain on Twitter or find out more at canadasnutritioncoach.com


S2E2: Evolution of Sport Science, Big Data & Changing The Game w Dr. Fergus Connolly

SEASON 2, EPISODE #2

Dr. Bubbs interviews expert sport scientist and Director of Performance at the University of Michigan Dr. Fergus Connolly PhD. Fergus talks all things sports science; why we should start from the game itself and work backwards in sport science, a holistic, rather than reductionist view in performance sport, the value of upskilling staff versus adding more specialists, the importance of a “Human First” approach to athletes, how data is either useful, useless or interesting, and so much more. Terrific insights from one of the best in the business.


About Dr. Fergus Connolly

Perhaps the only person in the world who has worked at the highest levels of Premier League soccer, international rugby, the NBA, NFL, and NCAA - where he’s currently the Performance Director for Michigan Football. Fergus is also the author of the fantastic and unique book, Game Changer, which cuts through the hype and myths to show you what really works, sharing details of how the most elite teams from around the world apply the latest knowledge, research, sports science, and technology to achieve excellence. Follow Fergus on Twitter


S2E1: Fat Loss Nutrition, Overcoming Roadblocks & Achieving Compliance w/ Danny Lennon

SEASON 2, EPISODE #1

Dr. Bubbs chats with Danny Lennon MS, founder of Sigma Nutrition, about all things weight loss: foundational principles of weight loss, food quality, the impact of fiber and protein on palatability, is low-carb superior to a low-fat diet, behavior change secrets, and strategies for promoting successful, long-term weight loss. Great insights and practical tips from Danny!


About Danny Lennon

Founder of Sigma Nutrition and the popular podcast Sigma Nutrition Radio. He has a formal scientific background in academia, completing a master’s degree (MSc.) in Nutritional Sciences at University College Cork. During this time Danny researched vitamin D, directly under the world-renowned researcher Professor Kevin Cashman.  Danny also works as a performance nutritionist to professional MMA fighters, professional boxers and competitive powerlifters. He has consulted w several teams in a number of sports ad has an online coaching service helping a wide array of clients with nutrition related issues. Outside of the nutrition world, Danny is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue belt, raw powerlifter and a life-long Arsenal fan.