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Sleep—The Key to Movement Longevity (NRE Principle 4/5)

Cuan Wayne Coetzee .

Sleep—The Key to Movement Longevity (NRE Principle 4/5)

In my work with patients at MoveMed, one question I often get asked is: "What’s the most important thing I can do to support my recovery?" While there are many facets to recovery—exercise, nutrition, and managing stress—there’s one that stands out as absolutely non-negotiable: sleep.

As part of the LENDS principles for Movement Longevity and Neural Re-Education (NRE), sleep takes the spotlight as the ultimate form of recovery. Without quality sleep, it’s nearly impossible to open your brain to the learning processes necessary for NRE. Quite simply, no sleep, no neural plasticity.

Why Sleep is Essential for NRE

The human brain and body undergo their most profound recovery during deep sleep. This is when neural pathways consolidate, muscles repair, and the body restores energy. If you aren’t getting enough deep, quality sleep, your brain cannot effectively retain and strengthen the new patterns it’s learning from treatment or exercise. In essence, NRE—the process of retraining your brain and nervous system to move more efficiently—will stall without sufficient sleep.

This concept isn’t just theoretical; it’s backed by research. A study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience in 2021 highlights the critical role sleep plays in synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation . Neural plasticity—the ability of your brain to change and adapt—is most active during deep sleep. So, while you might be ticking all the other boxes for brain change—incremental newness, agitation, clean eating, exercise, and even love—if your sleep isn’t dialled in, the benefits of these actions can’t fully integrate into your neural pathways.

The Sleep–Pain Cycle

For many patients dealing with chronic pain, this presents a major hurdle. Pain doesn’t just impact daily life; it disrupts sleep. Poor-quality sleep, in turn, slows down recovery from pain, creating a vicious cycle. Research suggests that sleep disturbances can exacerbate chronic pain, impairing recovery and prolonging suffering .

This is why I always emphasise to my patients that improving sleep quality isn’t just a "nice to have"—it’s an essential component of your recovery and overall well-being.

What Can You Do if You Struggle with Sleep?

For some, especially shift workers or those with busy schedules, consistently getting a solid 7-9 hours of sleep can be difficult. But there are alternative ways to promote recovery if traditional sleep patterns aren’t feasible.

One method I’ve personally found effective is NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest). These are audio scripts designed to guide your mind into a state of deep rest, which can mimic some of the benefits of sleep. When deep sleep is elusive, engaging in NSDR can help the brain reach a restorative state, supporting NRE and recovery. This practice has been shown to enhance relaxation, improve sleep quality, and increase overall recovery .

Practical Strategies for Better Sleep

Over the years, I’ve experimented with different ways to improve my own sleep quality, and these strategies have made a significant difference in my energy, recovery, and focus:

  1. Getting Up Earlier – Waking up early helps regulate your circadian rhythm, making it easier to fall into a deeper sleep at night.

  2. Cold Showers in the Morning – Cold exposure in the morning increases alertness and can reset your body’s internal clock, improving sleep quality at night.

  3. Daily Exercise – Exercise promotes better sleep by reducing anxiety and improving circulation. Studies show that even moderate exercise can help people fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer .

  4. Viewing Sunrises – Exposure to natural light in the morning helps regulate melatonin levels, which control your sleep-wake cycle.

  5. Clean Eating – A nutrient-rich diet supports overall health and influences sleep quality by stabilising blood sugar levels and reducing inflammation.

  6. NSDR and Breathwork – Incorporating breathwork and NSDR sessions into my daily routine has allowed me to recover more efficiently, even on days when sleep is disrupted.

Conclusion: Sleep—The Foundation of Recovery

To truly reap the benefits of Neural Re-Education and move towards a life of movement longevity, sleep must be prioritised. Whether it’s through traditional sleep or alternative methods like NSDR, your brain needs those periods of deep rest to strengthen the neural connections it’s building.

If you’re experiencing chronic pain or struggling to achieve restful sleep, addressing this could be the key to unlocking faster recovery and better movement for the long term. Remember, no sleep, no neural plasticity—so make sleep a priority, and watch your body and mind thrive.

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References:

  1. Xu Y, Schneider A, Wessel R, Hengen KB. Sleep restores an optimal computational regime in cortical networks. Nat Neurosci. 2024 Feb;27(2):328-338. doi: 10.1038/s41593-023-01536-9. Epub 2024 Jan 5. PMID: 38182837; PMCID: PMC11272063. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38182837/

  2. Goto A, Hayashi Y. Offline neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity during sleep and memory consolidation. Neurosci Res. 2023 Apr;189:29-36. doi: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.021. Epub 2022 Dec 27. PMID: 36584924. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36584924/

  3. Frank MG. Sleep and synaptic plasticity in the developing and adult brain. Curr Top Behav Neurosci. 2015;25:123-49. doi: 10.1007/7854_2014_305. PMID: 24671703; PMCID: PMC7485264. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7485264/

  4. Alnawwar MA, Alraddadi MI, Algethmi RA, Salem GA, Salem MA, Alharbi AA. The Effect of Physical Activity on Sleep Quality and Sleep Disorder: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2023 Aug 16;15(8):e43595. doi: 10.7759/cureus.43595. PMID: 37719583; PMCID: PMC10503965. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10503965/

  5. Whale K, Gooberman-Hill R. The Importance of Sleep for People With Chronic Pain: Current Insights and Evidence. JBMR Plus. 2022 Jun 17;6(7):e10658. doi: 10.1002/jbm4.10658. PMID: 35866153; PMCID: PMC9289983. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9289983/

  6. Dolezal BA, Neufeld EV, Boland DM, Martin JL, Cooper CB. Interrelationship between Sleep and Exercise: A Systematic Review. Adv Prev Med. 2017;2017:1364387. doi: 10.1155/2017/1364387. Epub 2017 Mar 26. Erratum in: Adv Prev Med. 2017;2017:5979510. doi: 10.1155/2017/5979510. PMID: 28458924; PMCID: PMC5385214. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5385214/

  7. Boukhris, O., Suppiah, H., Halson, S., Russell, S., Clarke, A., Geneau, M. C., Stutter, L., & Driller, M. (2024). The acute effects of nonsleep deep rest on perceptual responses, physical, and cognitive performance in physically active participants. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12571

  8. Shaffer J (2016) Neuroplasticity and Clinical Practice: Building Brain Power for Health. Front. Psychol. 7:1118. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01118. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4960264/