How’s your sleep? Are you sleeping enough?
Did you know Americans average about 6.8 hours per night of sleep? Do you struggle to get 4, 5 or even 6 hours in? If you exercise regularly, you owe it to yourself to check your sleep habits. Your fat loss, muscle gain or just recovery in general may be suffering from it!
Sleep to meet your fitness goals
Sleep is a very important factor for someone looking to increase their fitness, build muscle or burn fat. Anyone who is working out with weights needs to get a good amount of sleep to give the body time to fully recover and build muscle. The best time to build muscle is during sleep.
If your goal is burning fat, studies show that there is a correlation between abnormal sleep patterns and metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity). Too little sleep can cause your body to release cortisol, a stress hormone that signals a “cut back” on your daily calorie burning during the waking hours. Bottom line: you hold on to the fat you have.
Research has also shown that after 14 days of reduced sleep, the amount of weight a dieter will normally lose was reduced by 55%. All that work in the gym and kitchen and only HALF the results, just from not sleeping enough.
Lack of sleep causes your body to become metabolically “sloppy” and resistant to insulin, a hormone that helps process sugars and starches (carbs) into energy. This means sugars and starches float around in the bloodstream and get stored as fat.
Finally, your impulse control is diminished and your reward centers are enhanced. Your body thinks it needs energy (since you’re not sleeping) so entices you to EAT! Studies show increases in late night snacking, portion size and cravings. Talk about your body working against you!
How much sleep do you need?
The National Sleep Foundation recommends an average of 7-9 hours per night to maintain optimal health. Some can do more, some a little less but ideally you want to get roughly 7-9 hours, with older adults needing a little less.
How to wind down and get to bed on time
- Set an alarm or stick to a schedule for going to bed
- Avoid/minimize screen time (tablets, phones, computers etc)
- Dim lights before to help relax
- Exercise daily
- Sleep on a comfortable mattress
- Watch out for sugar, alcohol and caffeine
- Find an optimal temperature, sound and light environment in your room
Making sure you get enough sleep can be the hidden key to your health and fitness success. Take a good hard look at your current sleep habits and try to make changes to help you get your optimal amount of sleep time every night. Your body will thank you!