Why Canada’s top basketball stars say sleep may be the most underrated performance tool of all—and how the rest of us can borrow their recovery playbook.
Training. Nutrition. Strength work. Ice baths. Massage guns.
When we think about what separates elite athletes from the rest of us, these are often the first things that come to mind. But ask some of Canada’s biggest basketball stars what has made the biggest difference in their performance, and they’ll point to something far less glamorous: sleep.
As women’s basketball reaches new heights in Canada—with the inaugural Toronto Tempo broadcast on TSN drawing more than one million viewers—fans are becoming increasingly curious about what happens behind the scenes. How do professional athletes recover from relentless travel, demanding schedules and back-to-back competition? The answer, it turns out, begins long before tip-off.
Sleep has become one of the fastest-growing conversations in elite sport, and for good reason. Research has shown that basketball players who consistently extend their sleep can improve shooting accuracy by as much as 10 per cent, while even a single night of sleep deprivation can slow reaction times by approximately 15 per cent.
In other words, recovery isn’t downtime. It’s training.
That’s the philosophy behind Endy’s partnership as the WNBA’s Official Sleep Partner in Canada, where athletes including Kia Nurse, Laeticia Amihere and Aaliyah Edwards are encouraging Canadians to rethink the way they view rest—not as something earned after hard work, but as an essential part of performing at your best.
Sleep Is Part of the Game Plan
For veteran Canadian basketball star Kia Nurse, understanding the value of recovery came through experience—and injury.
“Sleep and rest impacts everything, not just physical recovery,” she says. “I learned through my knee injuries that the better I recovered, the better I performed. Having a comfortable sleep environment and having my downtime to unwind is just as important as anything I do in training.”
Laeticia Amihere credits her healthy sleep habits to childhood.
“Growing up, my parents always gave us a strict 9 p.m. bedtime,” she says. “Sometimes you have to prioritize putting your phone down to give your body exactly what it needs to perform at the highest level.”
For Aaliyah Edwards, the connection between sleep and performance couldn’t be clearer.
“Sleep affects your energy, focus, resilience and recovery between games,” she says. “It’s the most powerful performance tool available to us.”
Recovery Is Becoming the New Competitive Advantage
For decades, sports culture celebrated exhaustion. Playing through pain was admired. Rest was often mistaken for weakness.
That mentality is changing.
“I think athletes today understand that recovery is a competitive advantage,” says Nurse. “The conversation used to only focus on training, but now we see so much more from athletes than just their gym routines. Recovery deserves the attention it gets.”
Amihere agrees that her perspective evolved after pushing herself too hard early in her career.
“I was stuck on that hustle mentality at an early age and it led to repeated injuries,” she explains. “Since then I’ve realized that putting in the work can look different. Sometimes the work happens during recovery.”
Edwards believes that message extends well beyond professional sport.
“People are starting to realize that pushing through exhaustion isn’t always the answer,” she says. “It can lead to burnout. I hope we help normalize the idea that rest is productive.”
What Does an Elite Recovery Day Actually Look Like?
Despite the cutting-edge facilities and high-performance teams surrounding professional athletes, their recovery routines aren’t as complicated as you might expect.
For Nurse, the goal is simple.
“Recovery days are really about helping your body recharge and making sure you’re prepared for tomorrow.”
Amihere focuses on sleeping in after games before easing back into movement through mobility work, strength training or light practice.
Edwards sees sleep as the foundation that allows every other healthy habit to work better.
“Whether it’s hydration, movement, nutrition or mental recovery, all those things support the same goal,” she says. “Sleep is what allows all of those parts of my routine to have the greatest impact.”
Five Recovery Habits Worth Borrowing
The encouraging news? You don’t need to be a professional athlete to benefit from these same habits.
Create consistency. Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time helps regulate your body’s internal clock.
Protect your evening. Put your phone on Do Not Disturb, dim the lights and create a wind-down ritual before bed.
Think beyond sleep alone. Hydration, good nutrition, stretching and movement all work together with quality rest.
Listen to your body. Rather than following the same routine every day, pay attention to what your body actually needs.
Stop treating exhaustion like a badge of honour. Recovery isn’t something that takes away from productivity—it makes productivity possible.
The Biggest Lesson
Perhaps the most surprising takeaway from Canada’s top basketball players isn’t about athletic performance at all.
It’s about everyday life.
“Everyone’s daily routine looks different,” says Nurse, “but sleep is something we all have in common. Quality rest supports better focus, performance, and you genuinely can feel a difference when you improve your sleeping habits.”
Aaliyah Edwards echoes the sentiment.
“You don’t need to be a professional athlete to benefit from better sleeping habits,” she says. “Rest and recovery are critical whether you’re preparing for a game, your 9-to-5, or simply trying to keep up with a busy day.”
As conversations around wellness continue to evolve, elite athletes are reminding us that one of the most effective performance enhancers isn’t a supplement, workout or piece of equipment.
Sometimes, the smartest move you can make is simply getting a good night’s sleep. —Noa Nichol
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