Let’s start with a question and an honest answer.
Do you get enough high-quality sleep, consistently?
If the answer is no, you are missing out on one of the key components of gaining muscle and strength – recovery.
Recovery does involve other variables, such as stretching and foam rolling etc but sleep is king. It doesn’t matter if you are nailing your diet and training consistently and not sleeping. You grow and recover when you sleep.
Not only is sleep super important for progressing your training, lack of sleep can also have some pretty negative side effects on your health, as seen below.
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Reduces your reaction time (which is dangerous in some work environments)
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It takes longer to process thoughts. You aren’t as smart on a lack of sleep.
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Increase risk of heart disease, heart attacks, high blood pressure and strokes
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Lack of libido
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Increase in cortisol, the stress hormone
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Increased ability to store fat
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Impaired judgement
I don’t know about you, but none of these sound fun to me.
If you are reading this from a training approach, then bullet points 5 and 6 should be alarming. Do you know how bad cortisol is for your physique? It promotes fat storage and reduces your ability to build muscle, as well as breaking it down! It literally enhances your ability to get fat and destroys your hard-earned muscle. As an athlete, this is the opposite of what we want. But what do we get from consistent, good sleep?
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Reduced and managed stress levels
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Improved memory
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Lowered blood pressure
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Better mood
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Increased ability to fight off illness
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Increased amounts of hormones that help build and repair tissue
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Improved muscle coordination
If you ask me. That looks like a much better list.
There are a bunch of things you can do to help you get a good night’s sleep, every night. Take a look at the tips below to help you get into the habit of consistently sleeping well.
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Take a break from electronics 30 – 60 minutes before you get in bed. This is something we are all guilty of. How often do you search social media during your day? I am betting that it’s the last thing you see before you sleep and the first thing you check on a morning. Removing that stimulus before you sleep can help you drift off faster.
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Keep your room dark, cold and quiet. This might sound obvious, but make a quick note of each before you next go to sleep. If it's too hot, your body feels like it naturally needs to cool down and your sleep will suffer. If it's too bright, you’ll wake up and if you hear any loud noises it's also likely to unsettle you.
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Avoid alcohol or caffeine too late in the day. It's no secret that alcohol and caffeine can have an effect on the quality of your sleep. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of either 4-6 hours before bed.
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Exercise. Exercise is hard on the body and demands a lot of energy! Naturally, you are going to be sleepier if you have been working out hard.
Don’t let something that should be so natural to you become a barrier towards your long-term health goals! Learn to sleep like a king.
