Muscle Nutrition + Strength Exercises are key for Building Muscle. But… if you don’t get enough quality SLEEP, you can sabotage your Muscle Health!
Sleep plays an important role in shifting your body composition to more muscle + less fat.
And remember, when it comes to looking & feeling good, a better body composition is so much more important than a weight on the scale. A better body composition (more muscle, less fat) is key for disease prevention and longevity (as well as improving how your clothes fit.)
HOW SLEEP WORKS
A recent review article in the journal Neuroendocrinology is an excellent resource for understanding Sleep & Muscle Health. Here’s a brief summary of how SLEEP works to improve muscle health…
💪Sleep Increases Growth Hormone.
More Growth Hormone is good for muscle health!
Sleep is when your body releases the most Growth Hormone, which is known as the “superhero” hormone that helps build & repair muscle.
💪Sleep Increases Testosterone (for men & women).
More Testosterone is good for muscle health.
During sleep Testosterone levels increase which helps both men & women get into a muscle-building zone.
💪Sleep Decreases Cortisol (stress hormone).
Less Cortisol is good for muscle health.
Too much Cortisol causes the body to break down muscle, so sleep is important to keep the stress hormone at healthier levels.
💪Sleep Decreases Inflammation.
Less inflammation is good for muscle health.
Not enough sleep increases inflammation in the body, which makes it less likely that your body can repair & build muscle and more likely that your body will start breaking down muscle.
WHAT TO DO TO GET BETTER SLEEP
Here’s a checklist of proven lifestyle strategies to help you get better sleep…
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THE SLEEP CHECKLIST
😴 Go to bed & wake up at similar times each day, including weekends. This helps set the body’s circadian rhythms to make it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.
😴 Shut off electronics at least 1 hour before bed. Your phone, computer, and TV emit blue light that disrupts sleep, not to mention the content is usually not relaxing.
😴 Use caffeine responsibly. Stop drinking caffeine 6 hours before bedtime. It’s a stimulant that will make it harder to get quality sleep. And even if you are someone who thinks it doesn’t affect you, it does!
😴 Have a relaxing night ritual. Take a bath, read a book, sip tea, or listen to a sleep meditation from an app such as “Insight Timer” to help shift your body into sleep mode.
😴 Limit daytime napping. Avoid long or late afternoon naps since they can disrupt your sleep schedule.
😴 Exercise. Regular exercise during the day can help promote better sleep at night.
😴 Drink less water at night. It’s important to be well hydrated, but too much water before bed can wake you up. Drink more in the morning & a little less at night.
😴 Consider an eye mask & ear plugs. Blocking light & sound can improve sleep, decrease the stress hormone cortisol, and increase the sleep hormone melatonin.
😴 Experiment with temperatures. You may need to keep your room cooler since sleep disturbances can be temperature related.
😴 Don’t toss & turn. Get out of bed if you can’t get to sleep & read in dim light or listen to soft music until you get sleepy again. Also, write down any worries instead of keeping them swirling in your head.
😴 Don’t drink alcohol or eat a big meal 2-3 hours before bed. These both disrupt your body’s ability to get into a deep sleep.
😴 Use light right. Keep the lights dim at night and expose yourself to bright light first thing when you wake up to help set your natural sleep-wake cycle.
