Is there anything student-athletes can eat to help with energy for 6:00 a.m. practices and to prevent falling asleep in classes?
Getting a jump start on that 6:00 a.m. practice means starting the night before. About two hours before bed, a hydration “load” of between 20 and 30 ounces of water will retard the effects of overnight dehydration. Drinking this load at least 2 hours before bed will still allow time for the kidneys to process the fluid and avoid middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom. In addition, the athlete can eat a performance snack consisting of low glycemic index carbohydrate and protein foods such as a few graham crackers with peanut butter, or 1/2 turkey sandwich, or a package of Carnation Instant Breakfast with skim milk, etc. Sipping a non-carbonated sports drink from wake-up to practice will help raise blood sugar when there is little time for adequate digestion. Having sports drinks available during practices that last longer than one hour will also help. After practice, the student-athlete should consume high glycemic index carbohydrates as well as protein foods to help prevent sleepine
