Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang, from the Vietnam Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Association, stated that pickleball offers many benefits such as improved body flexibility, faster reflexes, better cardiovascular health, and significant stress reduction. However, when play schedules extend late, past 23:00 – a time when the body should be preparing for rest – it can disrupt sleep and lead to other adverse effects.

During play, the body enters an excited state: the heart beats faster, breathing becomes more intense, and the mind achieves maximum focus. Finishing a match between 1-2 AM leaves the body with high energy, even as its biological clock signals for deep sleep. This often results in insomnia or sleep that doesn't feel refreshing. Shallow sleep leads to feeling "out of breath" the next morning, a less sharp mind, and diminished performance in both work and sports. When this pattern repeats for many consecutive days, it can cause a decline in mood, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and slower reflexes. This explains why many who play late for several consecutive sessions often experience a noticeable drop in their performance.

Night is also when the body cools down, relaxes, and begins to release substances that promote deep sleep. Playing sports late completely disrupts this process, making the body "think" it's still daytime. If this continues, you may experience minor but bothersome issues such as difficulty falling asleep, waking up frequently during the night, a heavy head in the morning, daytime sleepiness, or irritability. Some women may also experience increased cravings for sweets, a common sign of sleep deprivation.

Furthermore, common injuries from playing late include fatigue, which slows reflexes, leads to improper posture, and destabilizes technique, significantly increasing injury risk. The Achilles tendon and ankles are two areas particularly vulnerable. Constant changes in direction, sudden stops, or awkward landings when fatigued can easily lead to strains or sprains. Knees also bear significant pressure from continuous rotation, jumping, and lowering the center of gravity. Shoulders, elbows, and wrists often ache, as uncontrolled swings can cause chronic inflammation. The lower back typically experiences strain from bending low or twisting excessively when the body is tired.

If you must play late, warm up thoroughly beforehand. Spend about 10 minutes rotating joints from your neck to your ankles, then do light jogging, high knees, or gentle jumps. After finishing a match at 1-2 AM, avoid going straight to bed. Instead, allow for a transition period to help your body cool down. Walking slowly for a few minutes from the court to the parking lot can help lower your heart rate. Follow this with 5-10 minutes of static stretching and focus on slow breathing to calm your body.

If you return home not too late, soaking your feet in warm water for a few minutes can help reduce stress quickly. Remember to avoid drinking too much water right before bed to prevent sleep interruptions during the night. Drinking a smoothie after exercise is an optimal choice, as it is light, easy to digest, and provides enough nutrients for recovery.

Eating bananas is ideal. You can also add oats, a little yogurt, or almond milk with protein. This helps muscles recover gently without making your stomach feel heavy. If you want to eat more, consider walnuts or almonds, as they help the body relax and promote sleep (they are rich in magnesium and tryptophan, which increase melatonin synthesis).

Finally, listen to your body through data and your own sensations. Smartwatches are useful tools for monitoring resting heart rate, sleep quality, or stress levels. If these indicators are poor for two to three consecutive days, you should immediately reduce intensity or take a day off.

Additionally, if you wake up feeling heavy, with legs stiff as wood, or a sluggish mind, these are clear signals that you are overtraining. A pickleball schedule of three sessions a week, two hours each, with rest days in between, is most reasonable for those who play late. If possible, aim to finish your match before 21:00.

Thuy Quynh