When it comes to hitting your goals in the gym, whether it’s heavier lifts, faster metcons, or simply feeling stronger through the season, most athletes focus on one thing: the training itself.
How many reps did you hit? How heavy was the barbell? How fast was your time?
But here’s the thing: progress doesn’t happen during the workout. It happens between the workouts. Recovery is where your body puts in the real work; rebuilding, repairing, and adapting so you can come back stronger the next day.
If your sleep is poor and your recovery habits are shaky, you’re leaving results on the table… no matter how hard you go when the clock starts.
This guide cuts through the noise and focuses on what actually helps. Because if you’re putting in the effort to train hard, your recovery deserves the same attention.
Why Quality Sleep Matters More Than You Think
Training breaks your body down. Sleep builds it back up.
Deep sleep is when your body releases growth hormone, repairs muscle fibers, and lays down the patterns that help you move better tomorrow. REM sleep helps regulate mood, focus, and motivation: all things that matter just as much as strength and endurance.
But, it’s not always that simple. Sleep doesn’t always stay consistent throughout life. Especially as you hit your 30s and beyond, some key changes start to show up:
- The electrical signals in your brain that drive deep sleep begin to weaken.
- Falling asleep quickly and staying asleep through the night becomes harder.
- Your natural bedtime may start to shift earlier (even if your lifestyle hasn’t).
And if you’re fighting against these changes by staying up late, doom-scrolling on your phone, or ignoring your body’s signals to rest, the quality of your sleep will take a hit.
“Please tell me there’s some good news?” Well, you’re right, there is.
There’s a lot you can do to work with your body, not against it. Stay active (resistance training plays a big role here) - thankfully, you’re here because you do CrossFit®.
Get outside and catch natural light early in the day. Build an evening routine that helps your body and brain downshift so that when your head hits the pillow, your system is ready to do its job.
Want the full recovery game plan? Grab our FREE guide packed with sleep tips, supplement advice, and real strategies to help you bounce back stronger.
Just drop your details here and we’ll send it straight to your inbox.
Struggling to Wind Down?
Even when you’re doing all the right things, falling asleep, and staying asleep, isn’t always easy. Stress, blue light, and busy schedules can all get in the way of the recovery your body needs.
That’s where Thirdzy PM Recovery Collagen comes in.
Formulated specifically for athletes who take their recovery seriously, Thirdzy helps support deeper, more restorative sleep, without relying on melatonin or risking hormone disruption.
Instead, it works with your body’s natural sleep process using four science-backed ingredients: magnesium, GABA, L-theanine, and tryptophan. These nutrients help quiet the mind, ease the body into sleep, and support overnight muscle repair. Plus, collagen adds joint and connective tissue support, so you’re not just resting, you’re rebuilding.
No melatonin. No grogginess. No junk.
Just real sleep. Real recovery. And a better way to show up ready for your next session.
You can now get Thirdzy for 15% off when you use the code "WODprep15".
Supplements. Backed by science. Built for recovery.
As we mentioned, Thirdzy is AWESOME and should absolutely be part of your daily routine, but there are a few things you need to know first. Supplements aren’t the foundation. They’re the bonus round.
If your sleep, training, and nutrition aren’t in a good place, no powder or pill is going to patch the holes. But once those basics are covered, a few key supplements can help support recovery and performance.
Here’s where they actually make sense:
Creatine monohydrate - Still one of the most researched and reliable supplements for building strength, boosting power output, and aiding muscle recovery.
Beta-alanine helps buffer fatigue - especially useful for those workouts where you’re asking your body to stay in the fight just a little longer. It supports endurance by helping your muscles handle the burn, so you can push through when it counts.
Protein powder - Nothing fancy here, just a convenient way to make sure you’re hitting your daily protein needs, supporting muscle repair, especially on the go.
Caffeine is effective, but how you use it matters. Saving caffeine for your workouts (rather than relying on it just to wake up) keeps its power intact when you need it most.
Zinc and vitamin D3 help fill common nutritional gaps - especially if you live up north, you’re training indoors, not getting much sun, or following a diet that doesn’t consistently cover these essentials. Low levels of either can quietly hold back your recovery and weaken your immune system.
When you combine Thirdzy with the supplement list above, you’re not just guessing, you’re building a smart, science-backed recovery routine. It’s a simple but powerful habit stack that helps you sleep deeper, recover faster, and train harder with confidence.
“But Ben, I use melatonin to help me sleep, why haven’t you recommended it?”
Well, let’s talk about that.
Melatonin: Helpful Tool or Hidden Hormone Risk?
It’s easy to grab melatonin when sleep feels hard, but before you make it your go-to, here’s what most people miss: melatonin is not just a sleep supplement. It’s a hormone.
Your body produces melatonin naturally to help regulate your sleep-wake cycle. For older adults, especially over the age of 50, melatonin production often slows down, and in those cases, a small dose can sometimes help nudge things back on track.
But for younger athletes? Regular melatonin use could start interfering with your natural hormone balance, including testosterone and estrogen levels, both of which play a huge role in recovery, muscle growth, and mood.
Melatonin has its place for occasional use. Think jet lag, big schedule shifts, or a reset after a rough week of inconsistent sleep. But relying on it nightly could cause more harm than good.
This is what you can do instead. Help your body produce melatonin naturally, and it comes back to what we’ve already talked about:
- Get natural light exposure in the morning.
- Avoid bright screens before bed.
- Keep your sleep environment cool, dark, and quiet.
These are the real building blocks of recovery, the non-negotiables that set the stage for everything else to work.
Not sure which supplements are worth it? Check out our supplement guide: we break down which ones actually help and which ones to skip.. Read more here.
So, now that we’ve covered the foundations and cleared up some of the noise…
What Really Moves the Needle for Recovery
It’s easy to get caught chasing the next recovery hack; the new gadget, the fancy supplement stack, the trick that promises better results. But when you look at the athletes who stay consistent, season after season, their secret isn’t complicated.
It’s the basics, done well.
The strongest athletes aren’t necessarily training the most. They’re the ones who know when to push hard, and when to prioritize recovery like it’s part of the program.
Watch how top performers handle the space between their sessions. It’s not always about expensive tools or elaborate routines.
It’s about showing up for the simple things that work:
- Consistent, high-quality sleep.
- Fueling the body with enough protein, carbs, and healthy fats to repair and rebuild.
- Staying hydrated.
- Moving well, not just hard, including mobility work and active recovery days.
There’s a time to floor the gas pedal. But there’s also a time to let the engine cool down and refuel.
Recovery isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing the right things, consistently.
The best results don’t come from grinding harder. They come from respecting the process, both in your training and your recovery.
What does it actually look like to put this into action?
Read more from our ultimate nutrition guide.
Recover Smarter. Sleep Deeper. Train Harder.
If you’re ready to support your sleep and recovery the way your training deserves, Thirdzy PM Recovery Collagen could be the difference-maker.
No melatonin. No grogginess. Just real sleep and real results.
[Explore Thirdzy PM Recovery Collagen →]
Your Questions Answered…..
1. How much sleep do I really need to recover well from CrossFit workouts?
The sweet spot for most athletes is 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night. And no, broken sleep from 2am to 11am doesn’t count the same. Aim for consistency, same bedtime, same wake time. That’s when the deep sleep (muscle repair) and REM (mental recovery) actually happen.
2. What’s better for recovery: protein powder or collagen?
Both help, they just do different jobs.
- Protein powder (like whey or plant-based) helps with muscle repair and hitting daily protein goals.
- Collagen helps support connective tissue, joints, and nighttime repair (especially if paired with recovery ingredients like magnesium and GABA, like in Thirdzy). Think of protein powder as your post-WOD ally. Collagen? That’s your sleep-time sidekick.
3. Do I need supplements, or is food and sleep enough?
Supplements are like accessories, they only work if the outfit (your training, sleep, and diet) is already solid. If you’re eating enough, sleeping well, and training smart, then supplements can add a boost. If those basics are shaky, fix them first.
4. Is melatonin bad for athletes?
It’s not bad, but it’s not your best option long-term. Melatonin is a hormone, and using it too often can mess with your body’s natural rhythm. Save it for travel or emergencies. For daily recovery sleep, go for ingredients that support your body’s own melatonin production, like magnesium and L-theanine.
5. What’s the #1 supplement for recovery that’s actually backed by research?Creatine monohydrate. Simple, effective, well-researched. It helps boost power, supports muscle repair, and even benefits brain function. Plus, it’s cheap. Just 3–5g daily, no loading phase required.