The REST Hub is available to provide the High Performance Sport Network with a range of resources and information across the areas of Recovery, Environment, Sleep, and Travel.
This support is intended to provide resources, direct assistance and / or upskilling as required, and promote collaboration to optimise REST outcomes.
Engagement activities may include:
- Delivery of sport or situation specific education, information and resources.
- Collaboration with appropriate NSO / NIN high performance staff, coaches and athletes.
- Lead or support testing and monitoring, where required.
- Provision of REST related equipment.
- Targeted assessment of strategies, tools and devices to provide evidence-based practical guidelines.
What can the REST Hub assist with?

Assistance with the strategic implementation of recovery strategies to accelerate recovery
Education, information and advice regarding a range of recovery strategies e.g.
- Warm-down
- Hydrotherapy
- Cooling strategies
- Compression
- Vibration therapy
Optimisation of recovery, adaptation and performance outcomes via
- Strategic programming
- Periodization of recovery
- Programming of specific recovery protocols for individual needs
- Assistance with the management of acute and chronic injury / illness

Support to optimise preparation for and management of a range of challenging environmental conditions
Thermoregulation profiling
- Determine individual responses
- Inform if / when to use cooling or warming strategies, and which strategies may be most beneficial
Heat acclimation and acclimatisation
- Timing, frequency
- Mode (e.g. active vs passive)
- Strategies for implementing heat training with limited facilities
- Considerations to ensure optimal adaptation
Warming and / or cooling strategies
- Water immersion
- Cooling / heating garments
- Clothing / uniform considerations
- Fans
- Water misting
- Fluid / ice ingestion

Assistance across a range of areas of sleep
Sleep education and information
- Purpose of sleep
- Sleep requirements for different athletes
- Defining ‘normal’ sleep
- Understanding impacts of disturbed sleep and sleep deprivation
- Factors influencing sleep
- Physiological and psychological responses
Flexible delivery of sleep education and assessment
- Group education sessions
- Individual consultation and sleep hygiene assessment
- Subjective and objective sleep monitoring

Enhance preparation for travel and recovery on arrival to optimise performance outcomes
Education
- Physiological and psychological impacts of travel
- Jet lag vs. travel fatigue
- Strategies to mitigate travel fatigue
Strategies to enhance recovery from travel and optimise performance
- Jet-lag / body clock adaptation schedules
- Programs and protocols to minimise travel fatigue
Travel planning to reduce the impact of travel
- Travel routes
- Departure / arrival times
- Layovers
- Health and hygiene practices
Contact
Peta Maloney (peta.maloney@ausport.gov.au), REST Hub Lead/AIS Senior Physiologist