The Invisible Training Session: How the Body Rebuilds During Sleep
When the 2026 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship takes place across Switzerland this May, attention will naturally focus on what happens on the ice: speed, skill and split-second decisions.
Behind the scenes, the Swiss national ice hockey team prepares for those moments with an often overlooked performance tool: sleep. As part of their recovery routine, the team wears Dagsmejan sleepwear designed to support the body’s natural recovery processes during the night.
In demanding tournaments with limited time between games, recovery becomes decisive. Much of that recovery sleep happens during the night. For elite athletes, the night is when the body repairs, adapts and prepares for the next performance. Sleep, in this sense, becomes an invisible training session.
Recovery continues long after the final whistle
High-intensity sports such as ice hockey place enormous strain on the body. Explosive movements, physical contact and repeated bursts of effort create microscopic muscle damage and metabolic stress.
For elite teams, recovery is therefore not simply something that happens after competition. It is an essential part of performance preparation.
Swiss national team head coach Jan Cadieux emphasises the role sleep plays in this process:
“During a major tournament, recovery becomes decisive. Good sleep is one of the most important parts of that recovery. That is why we work with Dagsmejan. They bring an innovative, science-led approach to sleepwear that enhances comfort and recovery at night. That makes it a vital part of our players’ recovery system, helping them be ready to perform when it matters most. ”
— Jan Cadieux, Head Coach Swiss National Ice Hockey Team
During deep sleep, several important recovery processes take place:
- muscle repair and tissue regeneration
- release of growth hormone supporting physical recovery
- nervous system recalibration
- immune and metabolic regulation
Swiss Ice Hockey Sports Director Lars Weibel highlights how central this is for athletes competing at the highest level:
“Sleep is by far the most important factor – whether you are an athlete or not. Good sleep is the foundation on which health and performance are built.”
— Lars Weibel, Sports Director Swiss Ice Hockey Federation
Why recovery during sleep matters
During sleep, the body shifts into a state focused on repair and regeneration. Blood circulation increases in recovering muscles, helping deliver oxygen and nutrients needed for tissue repair.
For athletes competing in demanding tournaments, these overnight recovery processes become especially important. Matches are often played within days of each other, leaving limited time for the body to restore itself between performances.
As Dr. med. Lutz Graumann, specialist in sports medicine and regenerative medicine, explains:
“The magic happens in deep sleep. Deep sleep is where physical restoration takes place.”
— Dr. med. Lutz Graumann
During these deeper stages of sleep, the body releases growth hormones, regulates inflammation and repairs the microscopic muscle damage caused by intense physical activity.
When these processes are allowed to unfold uninterrupted, sleep becomes more than rest. It becomes one of the body’s most powerful recovery tools.
Optimising sleep conditions for recovery
Because sleep plays such an important role in recovery, many elite teams pay close attention to the environment in which athletes sleep.
Dagsmejan’s Recovery sleepwear collection, developed with proprietary NATTRECOVER™ technology, was designed around the body’s natural overnight recovery processes.
The fabric combines several elements that support recovery sleep:
- breathable natural fibres
- heat-activated responsive minerals
- far-infrared reflection technology
When activated by body heat, these minerals reflect far-infrared energy back toward the body. This process is associated with supporting circulation and helping increase the oxygen supply to muscles during rest.
At the same time, breathable fibres help regulate temperature and moisture, helping maintain a stable sleep climate throughout the night.
For athletes competing at the highest level, these conditions can support more stable and restorative sleep during periods of intense physical demand.
From elite sport to everyday recovery
While the demands of a world championship are unique, the principles behind recovery sleep apply far beyond professional sport.
Physical training, demanding work schedules, travel and everyday stress all place strain on the body. Quality sleep allows the body to restore balance, repair tissues and prepare for the next day.
In that sense, the invisible training session of the night belongs not only to athletes, but to anyone who wants to perform, recover and feel their best, day after day, night after night.
