Everyone wants to get more done in a day, and with our hectic lives, sleep is usually the first activity to be sacrificed. The Better Sleep Council estimates that 70 percent of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep—a scary fact considering that too little sleep has been linked to everything from memory loss and other serious cognitive issues to an increased risk for osteoporosis and cancer. But the truth of the matter is that sleep is free, so you should take all you can get. More importantly, it’s an essential part of fitness and exercise, yet it’s very often overlooked.
It’s true: While training and nutrition can help create a fit physique, so can sleep. Here’s how.
A small study conducted by the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory followed a group of athletes over a three-week period. They did nothing different but increase their sleep and saw marked improvements in performance, including faster sprint times, longer endurance, lower heart rate and an overall better workout.
So if you consider that quality sleep keeps you performing at your best, poor sleep habits may be altering the intensity of your workout. Less overall energy means less energized workouts.
Moreover, rest is critical to the recovery process because while you’re resting, your body is building muscle. This happens most efficiently during sleep, and without enough quality sleep, your body cannot fully recover from exercise.
Finally, a lack of sleep can affect diet and eating habits. Sleep loss has been found interfere with hunger hormones increasing appetite during the day and bringing on cravings.
Not surprisingly, the 2013 Sleep in America Survey by the National Sleep Foundation reported that regular exercisers claim they get better quality sleep. The study also found that vigorous exercisers get the best sleep, non-exercisers have the least energy and those who sit less during the day also sleep better.
Another study revealed that the majority of people who exercised, especially in the morning, woke fewer times throughout the night and spent less time in REM sleep, the lightest stage of sleep.
In addition to your fitness routine, these are a few more ways sleep can impact your health:
If you have trouble falling asleep or getting quality sleep, try these tips:
If you’re already sleep deprived and struggling to know whether to trade sleep for exercise, prioritize sleep and aim for just three workouts each week. Once you’re on a regular sleep schedule, you can increase the number and intensity of your workouts.
Everyone needs a different amount of sleep, so it’s important to get to know your body and figure out how much works for you. With enough sleep, you can be more productive, feel better all day long and put more intensity into your workouts.
Original article written by Brian Maher on Be Well Philly
The Summit Personal Training Studios
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By phillypersonal