Top 5 reasons sleep is crucial for competitive gamers

Esports has taken the world by storm, what used to be a local tourney in someone's basement, is now a competition that sells out stadiums. The top gamers are getting paid thousands of dollars to compete for millions of dollars against the best in the world. What was an awesome hobby is now a professional career! Competing at the top of the esports food chain has become a dream and goal akin to playing in the NFL,NBA, or other sport leagues.

Competitive gamers should be and are looked at as esport athletes, and like other athletes if you want to be the best, regimen is everything. Over the past years sleep and sleep quality has become a huge focus in the sporting world. Teams pay out millions to insure their players get effective, quality sleep.

Some might think that sleep is only important to physical competitors and is less crucial to Esports competition. It turns out that school of thought could not be more wrong. When it comes to competitive gaming, maintaining optimal performance is imperative to staying at the top of the game. One key factor that can affect your performance is the quality and quantity of your sleep. In this article, we'll explore five ways that sleep deprivation can impact your gaming performance, based on scientific research. By understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on your gaming abilities, you can take steps to improve your sleep and maximize your performance in and out of the game.

Top 5 Reasons sleep is crucial for comp gamers

1) Reduced reaction time:

Sleep deprivation slows down your reaction time, making it harder for you to respond quickly to in-game events. This can make it difficult to keep up with your opponents and often results in lower scores or even losses. Your flicks are worse, you react slowly to third parties, and your comms come out to late to help the team.

A fascinating study on sleep deprivation, found that depriving your body of sleep can lead to significant impairments in reaction time and cognitive processing speed (Killgore et al., 2010). This is because sleep plays a critical role in maintaining the function of the central nervous system, which is responsible for controlling our reflexes and reaction time. When we are sleep deprived, our ability to process information quickly and accurately is reduced, making it harder for us to respond quickly to stimuli.

2 Impairment of decision-making abilities:

Lack of sleep can impair your ability to make good decisions, which is critical in esports where split-second decisions can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Deciding whether to defuse or push, rez or escape, where you want to move, and how to approach your opponent all hinges on what we like to call BIG BRAIN PLAYS. Lack of sleep leads to poor decisions leads to losses that should never have happened.

Research has shown that sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on our ability to make good decisions (Killgore et al., 2010). Sleep plays a major part in the consolidation of memories and integration of new information, which are essential for decision-making. Without sufficient sleep, our ability to process and integrate new information is impaired, making it harder for us to make good decisions.

3) Decreased concentration and focus:

Sleep is essential for maintaining focus and concentration, and without it, you may find it harder to stay on task and perform at your best. Focus is a key part in hitting your shots, taking in team and enemy information, and maintaining consistency. A distracted team is an L team.

Sleep deprivation can lead to significant impairments in attention and concentration (Killgore et al., 2010). This is due to sleep being essential for the consolidation of memories and the formation of new neural connections, which are important for maintaining focus and concentration. Without sufficient sleep, our ability to concentrate and focus on a task is reduced, making it harder for us to perform at our best.

3) Increased fatigue:

Sleep is essential for regulating your energy levels, and without it, you may feel more fatigued and less motivated to perform at your best. This one is a no brainer. When your tired, you dont have the energy to put it every last ounce of effort. You don’t have the motivation to push through to a victory that should have been a loss. You move slower, think slower, and get irritated far more easily.

Studies show that sleep deprivation can lead to increased fatigue and reduced physical and mental performance (Bonnet & Arand, 1995). This is because sleep is crucial when it comes to restoring and repairing our bodies, and without it, our energy levels can become depleted. This leads to feelings of fatigue and a decrease in physical and mental performance.\

Decreased motivation and enjoyment:

Sleep deprivation can also affect your mood and motivation, making it harder to stay focused and enjoy the game. This can lead to a decline in performance and overall enjoyment of the game. Competitors need to grind the games they want to compete in. One of the most common reasons we see athletes burn out or skill drop is due to a lack of enjoyment and decreased mental (Bad Mood). Sleep deprivation is very often compounding whatever negative emotions they are feeling leading them to their inevitable faliure. A healthy team requires players who have a strong mental game.

Sleep studies show that sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on mood and motivation (Bonnet & Arand, 1995). Sleep, it turns out, is essential for regulating our emotional and psychological well-being, and without it, our mood and motivation can suffer. This can make it harder for us to stay focused and motivated, leading to a decline in performance and overall enjoyment of the game.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, sleep deprivation can have significant impacts on your gaming performance, from reduced reaction time and impaired decision-making abilities, to decreased concentration and focus, increased fatigue, and decreased motivation and enjoyment. By understanding the effects of sleep deprivation on your gaming abilities, you can take steps to improve your sleep and maximize your performance on the virtual battlefield. This may involve setting a consistent sleep schedule, creating a conducive sleep environment, and practicing good sleep hygiene. By prioritizing sleep, you can ensure that you are well-rested and ready to perform at your best in your next esports competition.