Pre-race sleep: less pressure, more routine

A bad night

Is normal and will not ruin your race

What matters most

How you slept on the nights before

The night before

Your usual routine, without going to bed too early

Before bed

Bag, bib and kit laid out

Away from home

Earplugs, an eye mask and something familiar

On the eve of a race your mind runs at a different pace: you go over the course, picture the start, wake up before the alarm goes off. That is a natural reaction to something you care about, not a sign that anything is wrong.

Plenty of runners have set good times after a short night. Race-day adrenaline makes up for much of that tiredness, so there is no point obsessing over a full night of sleep on that particular evening.

The rest you have banked is what carries you through the effort. If you keep regular hours and avoid late nights during race week, one unsettled final night will barely show.

So look at your calendar a few days ahead: skip late dinners, overnight travel or plans that eat into your sleep in the run-up. That is the part of your rest you can actually control.

The night before is not the time to experiment. Go to bed around your usual time: turning in much earlier than normal often ends in hours of lying awake.

Eat a familiar dinner early enough to digest it, save coffee for the morning and put your phone away a while before bed. Reading, a warm shower or a few minutes of gentle stretching help you wind down.

A lot of last-night nerves come from the fear of forgetting something. Lay it all out before dinner and you go to bed with a clearer head.

• Bib, safety pins or timing chip, and your entry confirmation to hand.
• Race kit and shoes together, ready to put on without thinking.
• Breakfast decided and, if you are away, checked what time it is served.
• A bag with a change of clothes, water and whatever you need afterwards.
• Route and departure time to the start line checked, with a buffer.

If you have been awake for a while, stop checking the clock: counting the hours left only adds tension. Lying still with your eyes closed and breathing slowly is already rest, even if you do not drift off.

If the restlessness does not ease, get up for a moment, read something calm in dim light and go back to bed when you feel sleepy. Reminding yourself that one bad night does not decide the race takes a lot of the pressure off.

A strange bed, a noisy street or curtains that do not quite close can cost you sleep. Earplugs, an eye mask and your own pillow or a familiar T-shirt make the room feel more like home.

When you arrive, set the temperature, cover the little standby lights and leave tomorrow’s kit in sight. A hotel close to the start also shortens race morning and lets you sleep a little longer.

Many races start early. Work backwards from the start time, allowing for breakfast and travel, and set two alarms so you are not half-awake all night for fear of oversleeping.

If you feel sleepy the day before, a short nap in the early afternoon can help. Avoid long or late naps, which make it harder to fall asleep at night.

• Does it matter if I barely sleep the night before a race?

  Usually not. If you rested well in the days before, a short night is offset by race-day arousal. The key is not to turn it into one more worry.

• Should I go to bed much earlier than usual?

  Better not. Going to bed very early tends to mean time awake in bed. Keep your usual time, or bring it forward slightly if the race starts early.

• How do I sleep well in a hotel?

  Pack earplugs and an eye mask, set the room temperature and cover any device lights. Something familiar, like your own pillow, also helps you feel at home.

• Is a nap the day before a good idea?

  A short, early nap can help. A long one, or one late in the afternoon, may keep you awake at night.

• What if I struggle to sleep all the time, not just before races?

  Persistent sleep problems are worth discussing with a doctor; Pulse is not a medical service and this advice is general.