Intensive training affects the sleep, performance and mood of athletes, but more carbs may help

Getting enough sleep is an essential part of any athlete's training program, but a new study reveals intensive bouts of exercise can make it hard to get 40 winks. Suspecting that intense exercise can lead to sleep disturbance, scientists studied the effects of two nine day periods of heavy training on 13 highly trained cyclists. The researchers monitored the athletes' moods, sleep patterns and performance before, during and after exercise.