Hello Runner,

Welcome back to your weekly moment of endurance nutrition!

Happy Weekend!
How was your week?

My week was busy. I’m still studying hard, working, and training as usual.

On Thursday, something happened that never happens to me: I couldn’t finish my planned running workout. I felt fine, had slept well the night before, and everything was as it should be. But I hit my lactate threshold during the workout, and I think that, combined with the heat and high humidity, I couldn’t go on anymore. I felt incredibly fatigued, my legs were heavy, I got dizzy, and I felt like throwing up. I listened to my body and stopped the training. I was frustrated, but unfortunately, these things happen.

I’ve come to terms with the fact that I don’t perform well in the heat or during the summer… but not being able to finish a workout really gets me down.

But anyway, life goes on.

Today I want to talk a little about what we, as runners, can do to improve our sleep quality during the summer. 

I already have a mini-guide with lots of practical recommendations for improving sleep and recovery. But today I have some new information.

→ Sleep is one of the regulators of our metabolism.

Fortunately, I’ve been hearing many professionals in the field emphasize the importance of sleep, not only for the general population but also for runners and athletes.

But there are still many people who don’t realize that the best supplementation and recovery available is sleep.

The neurohormone responsible for promoting sleep is called melatonin; I’m sure you’re familiar with it or have heard of it.

During our circadian cycle, as night falls, our body releases more melatonin; conversely, as dawn breaks, our body reduces melatonin production.

It turns out that in the circadian rhythm of melatonin: 

- In the summer, we produce LESS of it because the days tend to be longer and the nights shorter

- In the winter, we produce MORE of it because the days tend to be shorter and the nights are longer

In addition, melatonin is responsible for the renewal of all our cells, including immune system cells.

→ High melatonin levels are directly linked to an efficient immune system.

In other words, a poorer sleep quality 🔁 Weaker immunity

Since we produce less melatonin during the summer, but we still need to get a good night’s sleep, what else can we do to keep our melatonin levels from dropping too much and affecting our sleep + immunity?

The focus would be on increasing melatonin levels.

One night of poor sleep won’t make much of a difference, but two, three, four, and so on will affect your health, recovery, and immunity.

There are several ways to improve the quality of your sleep.

Don’t let the heat or brightness of this summer disrupt your nights → adopt strategies that are within your means.

If you haven’t downloaded the available mini-guide yet, you can find it below.

Any questions or something you would like to share, drop me an email

Wishing you a great weekend and week ahead!

Here’s to health and good runs⚡️

Ana Paula Alonso