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Sports massages, fancy recovery tech and recovery-boosting supplements are great for marathon runners.

But what if I told you there’s a more powerful,freerecovery tool?

You’ve probably guessed, it’s sleep.

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I’ve been priortizing my sleep while training for the London Marathon

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But in fact, a lot of time during a successful marathon training block is spent sleeping.

A woman with afro hair wearing blue shirt waking up in three quarter bed with grey sheets, stretching our arms

He was once a finalist at World, European and Commonwealth championships and sub 4 minute miler.

Paula Radcliffe slept nine to 10 hours a night and another couple of hours in the afternoon during training.

Granted I will not be running close to a two hour marathon.

A girl in a white top and black leggings, cap and headphones running along road by sea

I’ve been priortizing my sleep while training for the London Marathon

Ill be happy to run anything under four hours.

People will spend hundreds of pounds on thebest running shoes, drinks, energy gels and all those things.

They go and pay for a massage, go and see physios.

A woman sleeping on her side under orange blanket

Sleeping well between runs is crucial for recovery

But sleep is our natural healer.

Our bodies are the smartest bit of technology, equipment and kit that we’re ever going to get.

You only ever get one.

A woman with dark hair sits up in bed blowing her nose because she has a cold

So, you’ve got to look after it and sleep is when it repairs.

Its not all about the amount of sleep you get, but thequality of sleeptoo.

If we are awake longer and longer, then that battery runs down.

The silver Oura Ring 3 on woman’s hand (left) Garmin watch displaying sleep coaching (right)

I recommend the Oura Ring and Garmin Sleep Coach to stay on top of your rest

It is part of the puzzle of improving your running performance.

Here’s how…

1.

When you train, your circulatory system undergoes adaptation.

A woman sat cross legged in her pyjamas on her bed with her eyes closed and hands resting on each knee meditating

And your body best adapts without burning out when you maintain a good balance of training and sleep.

Under the physical stress of marathon training, our immune system can become compromised.

Your low intensity runs feel hard2.

A woman wearing a black sports bra and green trousers stretching at end of bed in dimly lit room with plant

Stretching before bed is a great way to wind down while taking care of your muscles

Youre feeling sluggish even after rest days3.

Muscle soreness is more intense or lingers longer than usual4.

Youre more susceptible to injuries5.

A woman relaxing in the bath as part of her nighttime routine with candles and headphones

“But sleep can balance the books.

Improves mental fitness

Marathon training is as mentally demanding as it is physically.

Again, sleep can help.

A bowl of yoghurt with almond and seeds

My sleep-friendly bedtime snack of Greek yoghurt, almonds and seeds

How I optimize my sleep for better training

1.

Other sleep trackers I recommend include theOura RingandGarmin sleep coach.

In turn, it will release and suppress the relevant hormones (i.e.

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melatonin in the evening so you feel sleepy and cortisol in the morning so you feel more alert.)

Most marathons start early in the morning and you must account for travel time to the start line too.

I don’t run too close to bedtime

Mychronotypeis a morning lark, which bodes well with marathon training.

Granted, adding marathon training into a jam packed schedule means squeezing a run in where you could.

Plusstudies showmorning exercise is better for your sleep.

I incorporate calming activities like reading, yoga and listening to music into my evening routine and rest days.

But I dont let the pursuit of perfect sleep stress me out.

I stretch before bed

Skipping stretching seems to be a common bad habit among runners.

I admit Im not the most dedicated stretcher and I often hear fellow runners say the same thing.

Since replacingbedtime scrollingwith bedtime stretching, Ive noticed an array of benefits.

I keep my body temperature low

A sleep hack that many people arent aware of is controlling your temperature.

This is because your body naturally cools down before you sleep.

If theres one thing Thie misses about being a professional athlete, its the luxury of an afternoon nap.

If anyone has the ability to have an afternoon nap, absolutely have it, advises Thie.

Taking this advice on board, Ive napped where I can and when I think I need it.

My nutrient-packed nighttime snack of choice is usually Greek yoghurt with almonds, seeds and peanut butter.

This is because almonds are rich in magnesium, which is well known for promoting sleep.

While sleeping better can make you run better, running can also help you sleep better.

In turn, your body craves more rest, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep through the night.

Researchfrom the French Institute of Sport shows increased training load promotes sleep propensity and slow-wave sleep in endurance runners.

Tom’s Guide created this content as part of a paid partnership with Helix Sleep.

The contents of this article are independent and solely reflect the editorial opinion of Tom’s Guide.