SHAH ALAM - Whether you're an athlete or an average person, the quality of your sleep the night before significantly affects your daily activities and warrants careful consideration.
Former Selangor manager and local football observer Zakaria Rahim, better known as Zack Rahim, highlighted that sudden deaths among young individuals and athletes often result from cardiac arrest, which differs from a heart attack.
"While heart attacks typically affect individuals with existing heart conditions, cardiac arrest can strike anyone, even those without prior heart problems.
"It's related to the heart's electrical system suddenly stopping,” he told Sinar Daily when contacted.
Zack also highlighted the importance of rest for everyone, regardless of their athletic status.
"It's vital to assess the quality of your sleep the previous night when planning your activities for the day.
"Sufficient rest enhances training performance, leading to improved competition outcomes.
"This balance must be complemented by proper nutrition and recovery.
"Intense training necessitates ample rest for full recovery before the next conditioning session.
"Everyone, particularly those actively involved in sports or engaging in strenuous and hazardous tasks, should be aware of the risk of sudden death among healthy, active young individuals,” he added.
Zack highlighted the accessibility of health monitoring with today's technology, such as smartwatches.
"It's also crucial to understand how to check and interpret blood pressure readings.
"Every household should have a portable blood pressure monitor and use it regularly.
"Coaches now have a range of devices to monitor athletes' conditions.
"This practice should extend beyond professional teams to include all levels of athletes.
"Athletes should also receive education in sports science as part of their training programmes,” he recommended.
As competition day nears, Zack advised reducing training loads to avoid compromising performance.
"High-performance athletes must grasp this balance.
"Similarly, the public should integrate these principles into their routines to mitigate the risk of cardiac arrest,” he said.