Why Sleep Is Important For Injury Recovery
When it comes to maintaining your health, getting the right amount of quality sleep is as important as a healthy diet and regular exercise.
In fact, according to the latest science, getting the recommended 7-9 hours of shut-eye a night may even be more important. This is because studies increasingly show the link between a chronic lack of sleep and serious health conditions, such as heart disease, obesity and depression.
And sleep is not just beneficial as a preventative measure. It also has profound healing properties, as evidenced by preliminary studies on stroke patients. These studies show that sleep plays an essential role in repairing neural connections.
All of this means that sleep is absolutely vital for people looking to recover their health after an injury or illness.
As rehab-trained Pilates teachers, Complete Pilates are particularly interested in the positive effect sleep has on injured and pre- and post-operative people. It’s why we’ve put together these 5 reasons why sleep is important for injury recovery.
So read on and find out all about the healing power of sleep.
1. Balances Hormones
Sleep helps balance hormones vital for injury recovery, including Cortisol, Ghrelin, Leptin and Human Growth Hormone (HGH).
HGH, a hormone produced by the pituitary gland, is particularly important for the healing process as it builds and repairs tissue.
This hormone is released during deep sleep, or stage three of the four stages of the sleep cycle. This type of sleep accounts for about one-quarter of your sleep each night.
Human Growth Hormone, which is released in greater amounts during deep sleep, is involved in tissue repair. Research in humans has shown that increased growth hormone availability can stimulate collagen synthesis in tendon and skeletal muscle, both of which are important for recovery from injury.
Sleep deprivation has a big impact on sleep cycles and this dictates how much of your HGH gets released each night.
As damaged tissues need more HGH, disruption to your sleep can slow the rate at which your body repairs after an injury.
2. Helps Repair Wounds
Sleep plays a special role in helping the body mend after surgery or after an injury which creates a wound.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, sleep deprivation results in fewer capillary vessels and fibroblasts. These vessels and cells are essential for the wound-healing process.
As a result, missing out on sleep or getting poor quality sleep could inhibit your injury recovery.
3. Boosts Immune Function
Sleep is essential for keeping our immune system functioning optimally.
And, when it comes to coming back from an injury, a healthy immune system is vital: it helps to protect you against infections and chronic inflammation.
Redness, heat and swelling are the body’s inflammatory response to an injury. While this is natural, prolonged inflammation of an injured area can create problems, such as atrophy to the surrounding muscles. This can make you susceptible to more injuries in the future.
4. Reduces Sensitivity to Pain
According to Matthew Walker, neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep, poor or fragmented sleep makes you more sensitive to pain.
Why is this a problem? Because pain can hinder the injury recovery process.
Pain can prevent people from performing their rehab exercises properly, and even make them avoid exercise altogether.
This is often the case for people with back pain who fear exercising again will bring on another episode.
But this is bad news for sufferers. Because according to the experts, not exercising is actually the worst thing you can do for back pain. Instead, movement is needed to strengthen and mobilise the body, which will then protect the spine against further injuries.
Research also shows that inadequate pain relief can sensitise the nervous system, which can lead to chronic pain. Poor sleep can make pain feel worse by affecting the way the nervous system processes pain. Sleep disruption is linked with central sensitisation, where the nervous system becomes more sensitive and pain thresholds may reduce.
The good news is that high quality sleep is a natural painkiller – so if you’re injured, make sure to get your zzzs.
5. Protects Against Future Injuries
The process of recovering from an injury can be long and arduous. This means that avoiding injuries in the first place, or preventing future injuries, should be a top priority. Luckily, sleep can help us with injury prevention as well as recovery.
How? Well, according to a 2014 study, chronic lack of sleep (6 hours of sleep a night) in sportspeople lead to a dramatically increased risk of injury.
Now, although the study focused on athletes, most people are physically active to some degree. This means that almost everyone can benefit from these findings, which show how important sleeping well is for people who exercise.
This is how, alongside Pilates lessons to keep muscle imbalances in check, sleep can help keep injuries at bay.
Enjoyed this post? You can read more about sleep and sports performance from Remi Mobed. Otherwise, book your session today to see how we can help you sleep!
References
What Our Experts Say
Sleep is not just rest — it is when a huge amount of repair and recovery takes place. In rehabilitation, we often see that people who sleep poorly are more sensitive to pain and find it harder to progress. Pilates can complement good sleep habits by helping reduce tension, improve breathing and create a calmer state in the body, which may make it easier to rest and recover.
Conclusion
Sleep is one of the most powerful recovery tools we have. Whether you are healing from an injury, recovering after surgery or trying to reduce your risk of future problems, good quality sleep helps your body repair, regulate pain and restore energy.
Pilates can also play a helpful role. Many people ask, “does Pilates help you sleep better?” For some, the answer is yes — the combination of movement, breathing and concentration can help reduce physical tension and calm the body. It is also common to wonder, “why do I feel sleepy after Pilates?” or “does Pilates make you sleepy?” Feeling relaxed or tired after a session is often a sign that your nervous system has shifted out of a more alert, stressed state and into a calmer one. This is usually nothing to worry about, but if you feel unusually exhausted, your session may need to be adapted.
Together, sleep and Pilates can support recovery, resilience and long-term wellbeing.
Key Takeaways
- Sleep is essential for injury recovery. Quality sleep supports tissue repair, immune function, hormone balance and pain regulation, all of which are vital when recovering from injury or surgery.
- Deep sleep helps the body repair. Human Growth Hormone, which plays an important role in building and repairing tissue, is released during deep sleep.
- Poor sleep can increase pain sensitivity. When sleep is disrupted, the nervous system can become more sensitive, which may make pain feel worse and affect your ability to complete rehabilitation exercises.
- Sleep also helps prevent future injuries. Fatigue, reduced concentration and poor recovery can all increase injury risk, especially if you are exercising or returning to sport.
- Pilates and sleep can work well together. Pilates can help reduce tension, improve body awareness and calm the nervous system, which may support better sleep quality.
Feeling Inspired?
If you want to experience the Complete difference and discover the benefits of one-to-one or small group Pilates, book a session at one of our London or Norfolk studios today. Not able to make it to one of our studios? We've got online options to suit you anywhere, anytime.
Our physiotherapist-led Pilates studio in Chelsea, our Angel Pilates studio, our Pilates studio in City, and our Norfolk Pilates studio in East Anglia, offer a highly tailored approach to your Pilates training. Whether your goal is to manage a health condition, rehabilitate from an injury or to improve your strength and fitness, Complete Pilates is the studio for you.
Education is Key
These blogs are designed to give information to everyone, however, it is important to remember that everyone is different! If you have not seen one of our therapists and have any questions about injuries, what you have read or whether this may be useful to you, please just ask. We are more than happy to help anyone and point you in the right direction. Our biggest belief is that education is key. The more you understand about your injury, illness and movement, the more you are likely to improve.
If you are not sure whether this is for you, simply get in touch. We are here to help!
FAQs
Does Pilates help you sleep better?
Pilates may help some people sleep better by reducing muscle tension, encouraging deeper breathing and calming the nervous system. A regular Pilates routine can also help create a sense of structure and relaxation, which may support better sleep habits.
Why do I feel sleepy after Pilates?
Feeling sleepy after Pilates is usually linked to relaxation. Pilates combines controlled movement, breath and focus, which can help shift the body out of a stressed or alert state. This can leave you feeling calm, heavy or ready to rest.
Can Pilates help with stress before bed?
Yes. Pilates can help reduce physical tension and encourage calmer breathing, which may make it easier to wind down before sleep. A slower, breath-focused session in the evening can be particularly useful if you feel stressed, stiff or mentally busy at the end of the day.
Why am I tired after Pilates?
You may feel tired after Pilates because your muscles have worked in a controlled and focused way, especially if you are new to it or recovering from injury. However, Pilates should not leave you feeling completely drained. If it does, your programme may need adjusting.
Why is sleep important for injury recovery?
Sleep supports hormone regulation, tissue repair, immune function and pain control. Poor sleep can slow recovery, increase sensitivity to pain and make it harder to complete rehabilitation exercises effectively.
Published 13 Dec 2018 · Updated 13 Jul 2026