#136: How Sleeping Better Can Make You a Faster Runner

Get 10% off your Cooling Sleep System with code FLO at https://somnuslab.com Can better sleep make you a faster runner? Chu Zhu is a sleep expert who's worked with Tour de France winners, Olympic athletes, and elite endurance performers. He's also a runner, swimmer, mountaineer, and founder of Somnus Lab. We dive into one of the most overlooked aspects of performance: sleep, one of the key areas I've been focusing to optimize my health. You'll get a lot out of this one.

We're running "Back to Basics 30" right now in the Personal Best Program, a 30-day challenge helping runners build consistent habits around sleep, daily movement, nutrition, and strength. The progress people are seeing has been real. Join here: https://www.skool.com/personalbest

Watch the full video on YouTube

Topics covered:

0:00 — Can better sleep help you run faster?
2:00 — Heavenly Heat Saunas sponsorship
3:11 — Why sleep is an underrated performance tool
5:53 — Seeing sleep and recovery as training
6:39 — What happens when athletes don't sleep enough
9:46 — Why sleep is a 24-hour process
13:39 — The biggest levers for improving sleep quality
17:27 — What an ideal sleep week looks like
19:34 — How late-night training affects sleep
22:28 — How better sleep can improve running performance
24:57 — Floris' first marathon on very little sleep
25:50 — Chu's personal shift in how he views recovery
27:50 — Why temperature is such a powerful sleep lever
30:43 — How body temperature changes through the night
32:24 — Building Somnus Lab and developing sleep cooling mats
35:24 — Testing cooling mattresses with athletes and users
38:18 — The future vision for Somnus Lab
40:49 — Chu's real-life sleep routine
45:58 — Naps and sleep cycles strategy
52:04 — Food timing and its impact on sleep
53:25 — The one sleep habit every runner should improve
55:46 — How chronotypes change
57:14 — Where to find Chu and Somnus Lab
57:54 — How to become a stronger, healthier, happier athlete
1:00:10 — Chu's future adventure goals
1:01:52 — Closing thoughts

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FIND CHU:

► Substack: https://zhuchu.substack.com/

LINKS & TOOLS MENTIONED

► Somnus Lab (get 10% off): https://somnuslab.com

► Somnus Lab Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/somnuslab/

YOU CAN FIND ME, FLORIS GIERMAN HERE:

► Join my Personal Best Running Coaching Program: https://www.skool.com/personalbest

► Buy my new book Running Breakthroughs: https://geni.us/running-breakthroughs

► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/florisgierman

► Podcast: https://extramilest.com/podcast

► Strava: https://www.strava.com/athletes/1329785

ABOUT THE EXTRAMILEST SHOW:

A podcast and YouTube channel where host Floris Gierman interviews world class athletes, coaches and health experts on the topic of how to become a stronger, healthier and happier athlete.

Get 10% off your Cooling Sleep System with code FLO at https://somnuslab.com

We're running Back to Basics 30 right now in the Personal Best Program, a 30-day challenge helping runners build consistent habits around sleep, daily movement, nutrition, and strength. The progress people are seeing has been real. Join here: https://www.skool.com/personalbest