Don't skimp on sleep

You probably already suspected that you don't perform at your best when you're tired. It turns out you may not recover as well, either.

In one study, researchers found that even a single night of partial sleep deprivation impaired recovery from a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session. Cyclists' who only slept half their usual amount after the workout had as much as five times the decrease in their power output the next day compared to those who did the workout and slept normally.

Less next-day power may not seem like a big deal if you aren't an elite athlete with back-to-back competitions or training sessions. But feeling sluggish the day after won't speed your recovery — and could rob some of your workout momentum.