Post by Angela Jackson

😴 We all tell young athletes to "get more sleep"... but do we actually teach them how? Improving sleep isn't as simple as going to bed earlier. For adolescent athletes, biological changes, training schedules, school demands, screen time and nutrition all influence both sleep quantity and quality. In my latest blog, "How to Improve Sleep in Young Athletes: An Evidence-Based Guide for Clinicians", I've reviewed the latest evidence and summarised 10 practical strategies that healthcare professionals can use immediately in clinic. This weeks edition of the Youth Athlete Voice covers: ✅ How much sleep young athletes really need ✅ Why consistency matters more than catch-up sleep ✅ The impact of screens, light exposure and caffeine ✅ Training timing and recovery ✅ Nutrition and sleep ✅ Creating a sleep-friendly environment Sleep is one of the few interventions that is free, accessible and has the potential to improve recovery, learning, performance and injury risk—yet it's often overlooked during assessment. Rather than simply telling athletes to "sleep more", let's help them develop the habits that make good sleep possible. 💬 Which sleep habit do you find has the biggest impact on your young athletes? I'd love to hear the strategies that have worked in your clinical practice. #SportsPhysiotherapy #SportsMedicine #YouthAthletes #Sleep #SportsRehabilitation #SportsPerformance #PaediatricPhysiotherapy #SportsScience #SleepHealth #KidsBack2Sport