Each week in my Research Update, I distill the latest sports science research into practical insights to help you improve your training, performance, and recovery.
In this week's update:
- Your sleep schedule could be costing you long-term
- Why cyclists are fueling more than ever during races
- Whether creatine supports brain function as much as performance
An Inconsistent Sleep Schedule May Impact Long-Term Health
This 10-year study looked at whether inconsistent sleep timing was linked to future cardiovascular risk.
People with more irregular sleep schedules had a higher risk of major adverse cardiac events and cardiovascular disease over time. This does not prove irregular sleep directly caused those outcomes, but it suggests sleep regularity may be an important part of long-term health alongside sleep duration and quality.
For athletes, keeping a consistent sleep schedule may also support better recovery, energy availability, and training readiness.
My thoughts: While this isn’t strictly an athlete study, it reinforces a message that matters for performance: regular sleep timing is powerful. Having a clockwork sleep routine can feel like a cheat code for training, mood, and recovery, while also supporting long-term cardiovascular health. And if you accidentally go to bed late, still getting up at your usual time often helps restore rhythm faster than sleeping in to try and “catch up.”
Read more about what not sleeping enough costs you and why the pros demand the hours they do.
How Race Fueling Has Changed in Modern Cycling
This review highlights how modern race nutrition in cycling has evolved over time, with a greater focus on fueling before, during, and after competition.
In the lead-up to races (24 to 48 hours), building glycogen stores through carbohydrate intake is key. During events, a higher carbohydrate intake helps maintain power output and delay fatigue, especially in longer or more intense efforts. Hydration and recovery strategies should also be individualized based on the rider, conditions, and race demands.
The overall takeaway is that performance improves when fueling is tailored to both the athlete and the event—not generic guidelines.
My thoughts: This is an interesting and useful update on modern cycling nutrition. What stands out is how far we’ve moved beyond “one-size-fits-all” advice. Proper race nutrition now means matching fuel intake to the specific course, weather and climate conditions, and of course, the rider. The fundamentals still win: getting enough carbs, enough fluids, enough sodium, and a gut that’s trained to handle it well. Fancy strategies only matter once the foundation is in place.
Does Creatine Help Your Brain, or Just Your Performance?
This study examined whether creatine monohydrate could improve both anaerobic performance and cognitive function in young, active men and women.
After supplementation, participants improved high-intensity performance during a Wingate cycling test, showing greater power output. However, taking creatine did not improve measures of cognitive performance in this group.
These findings reinforce creatine’s value for athletic performance, while suggesting its potential brain-related benefits may depend on the population or type of mental demand.
My thoughts: Creatine and cognitive function are being heavily hyped right now, but this is the scientific reality: most of the stronger cognitive research is in older adults or under conditions like sleep deprivation. This study shows why precision matters before bold claims hit social media. Creatine is an excellent supplement for athletes, but if it dramatically boosted everyday cognition, those of us who’ve taken it for decades might all be geniuses by now.
That’s all for this week.
If you learned something new and are curious to know more, check out more articles and my growing list of weekly Blonyx Research Updates where I help you further improve your athletic performance by keeping you up to date on the latest findings from the world of sports science.
— That's all for now, train hard!
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