Recovery Might Be the Reason You're Not Reaching Your Fitness Goals

Calling all fitness fanatics: if your performance has been off lately despite doing all the "right" things for recovery — stretching, ice baths, post-workout powders, you name it — then there's a solid chance sleep deprivation could be the culprit. After all, how can you expect to perform your best when you're not giving your body proper R&R? It doesn't matter if you're a marathon runner or a regular gym-goer; not getting enough ZZZs will directly impact your stamina and the ability to reach your fitness goals.

"Sleep is when your body gets to work repairing and recharging, which is why it's so important for staying strong and healthy," says Dr. Angela Holliday-Bell, a board-certified physician and certified clinical sleep specialist. "While you sleep, your body releases growth hormones to repair muscles and tissues, making it key for recovering after a workout or even just a busy day." In other words: the more quality shut-eye you get, the more time your body has to rebuild and restore itself, resulting in better workouts and overall endurance.

Of course, prioritizing sleep in the digital age can be easier said than done due to factors like excessive screen time and the endless forms of entertainment at our fingertips. Luckily, the new collection of smartwatches from Samsung is here to help you build a better, smarter sleep regimen. Case in point: both Galaxy Watch8 Classic ($500) and Galaxy Watch Ultra ($650) include features that offer essential insights into your health and physical performance, along with guidance to help enhance your sleep quality so you can perform your best, whether it be on the court, in the gym, during races, wherever.

Keep reading for a full deep-dive on how sleep impacts your fitness abilities, the dangers of not prioritizing rest after workouts, and how using a Galaxy Watch can help get you back on track to peak performance.

Why Is Sleep So Essential For Fitness Recovery?

Let this sink in: "If you exercise regularly, sleep is just as important as your workouts," notes Dr. Holliday-Bell. She says that this is because sleep is the only real time your body has to regenerate and build strength. "Your balance and physical performance are better when you're well-rested," she adds. "Sleep really is your body's built-in recovery system to help you feel and perform your best."

According to Kate Georgiadis, a strength and conditioning coach and founder of DDKT Fitness & Wellness in NYC, the benefits of rest and recovery for physical performance don't stop there. "Sleep improves coordination and reaction time, which directly reduces injury risk," she explains. "It's the foundation of recovery and essential for muscle repair, tissue regeneration, and overall strength development." On top of that, Georgiadis says quality sleep helps to reset your nervous system, strengthen your immune system, and decrease inflammation, all of which support athletic performance and longevity. "Long term, consistent quality sleep is one of the most powerful tools we have — not just for training recovery, but for protecting our health on every level."

With Galaxy Watch8 Classic and Galaxy Watch Ultra, you can see how your sleep (or lack thereof) is actually impacting your performance. Both watches provide an easy-to-understand Sleep Score* that rates the quality of your ZZZs — but that's not all. They also track your energy and activity levels, heart rate, stress levels, and vascular load* to show you how they're affected. These insights allow you to be aware of any changes you need to make throughout the day in order to limit stress so it doesn't throw you off at night.

How Can Lack of Sleep Affect My Fitness Goals?

Let's be real, poor sleep can affect everything from our cognitive function to our skin health, so naturally, physical performance is no exception. Take it from Dr. Holliday-Bell, who says: "Not giving your body enough time to recover after a workout can do more harm than good because without proper recovery, your muscles don't have the chance to repair and rebuild, leading to overuse injuries, persistent soreness, and even decreased strength over time." According to Georgiadis, your endurance and speed can take a hit, too. "Research shows performance can drop by as much as 7.5 percent," she notes.

If your body's begging for some serious rest and recovery after a workout, you'll likely feel it. However, both Galaxy watches can actually confirm it with Energy Score*, an AI-powered feature that analyzes your sleep, activity, and heart rate from the previous day so you can get an inside glimpse of how you're performing — or better understand why you're struggling to keep up.

Sleep deprivation also puts extra strain on your immune system while increasing the stress hormone known as cortisol. "This can leave you feeling run down, more prone to illness, and even impact your mood," Dr. Holliday-Bell explains. "In the long term, pushing through without rest can lead to burnout and derail your progress."

As if that wasn't enough, Georgiadis adds that not getting enough rest can affect your metabolic, hormonal, and cardiovascular health. "Sleep deprivation disrupts the balance of key anabolic hormones like testosterone and growth hormones, both essential for muscle repair and metabolism," she says. "It can also cause impaired blood vessel function and a higher risk of heart disease."

All this to say: when you're not sleeping well, your body is in a more vulnerable state, making it impossible to achieve your fitness goals to the fullest.

What Can I Do to Improve My Sleep?

The short answer is: a lot, starting with investing in Galaxy Watch8 Classic or Galaxy Watch Ultra to help you get more intentional about making sleep a priority. Smart features treat sleep like a workout of its own, offering you a regular schedule and milestones to hit — including the number of hours you should be clocking each night.

"Most adults need between seven to nine hours, but keep in mind it's an individual number and can vary slightly from person to person," says Dr. Holliday-Bell. "Try to keep a consistent sleep schedule, even on rest days, and build in a relaxing wind-down routine to help you fall asleep easier."

She also recommends creating an environment that supports quality rest. This may look like dimming the lights in your bedroom in the evenings to signal that it's time to sleep soon, leaving your phone in another room, or even getting a sound machine that can help put your mind at ease. With that said, if you want to take your sleep *really* seriously, both watches are great tools to help you do just that. Not only do they analyze and track your sleep, but they also support you in building healthier bedtime habits. For instance, both devices have guided breathing exercises and offer helpful tips on how to get a better night's sleep based on your unique data. You can even use the Bedtime Guidance* feature within Advanced Sleep Coaching to give you a gentle nudge when it's time to turn in for the day based on when you want to wake up the next morning.

When it comes down to it, remember that perfection isn't the goal, consistency is. Just like anything in life, you can't always control what impacts your sleep. What you can control, however, are your daily habits — and a Galaxy Watch can help you stay on track.

*Sleep Score: Galaxy AI features track data and require compatible Samsung Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app and Samsung account.
Vascular Load: The Vascular Load software function is not intended for use in the diagnosis of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease. Requires establishing your initial base line by wearing watch while sleeping for three nights (within a two week period). Not intended for medical use.
Energy Score: Galaxy AI features track data and require a compatible Galaxy wearable device (sold separately), Samsung Health app, and Samsung account. The heart rate software functions are not intended for medical use.

Bedtime Guidance: Must wear watch for three consecutive nights and set optimal wake up time in the Samsung Health app.