Sleep! It is the underrated supplement for weight loss and body building. Imagine that. No conscious mental or physical exertion… all you have to do is get into bed and wake up about 8 hours later.When I’m getting ready for a photoshoot, the two most important things for me are drinking enough water and getting enough rest. Rest equals recovery. It also equals a lot of other things. We detox emotions and physical toxins during sleep. We also create important hormones including growth hormone. You get the picture – if you are only getting two-thirds of the sleep you require, you’re short changing yourself on much more than feeling rested in the morning.
More HGH
A University of Chicago study reported that those who slept 4 hours had cortisol levels 37 percent higher than those who slept a full 8 hours. High cortisol equals less muscle and more fat. If you want really good stuff without supplementation, you’ll be glad to know that another University of Chicago study reported that men who got plenty of sleep – deep sleep –produced about 65% more human growth hormone (HGH) than those who short changed themselves in bed.
On those days where I’ve missed my sleep quota, I’m usually prone to wanting to eat more – that usually means calorie laden, carbohydrate heavy and fatty with plenty of salt. Put a plate of sweet potato fries (everything sweet potato isn’t healthy) in front of me one of those days and I’ll inhale them first and think about it later. Yes, I’ve really done that. But about 4 hours later, I’m reminded of my choice and feel really tired and bloated.
Getting enough sleep isn’t something we’re trained to do as adults. Some men pride themselves on being able to function on 4 hours of sleep. Eventually, when their bodies have had enough, it’s crash and burn time. Not a great way to manage a fitness program.
10 tips for being a sleep athlete:
1. Regular Sleep Patterns
Plan your evening and your morning. Make your bedtime and wake-up time consistent. You’ll find your natural rhythm and body clock will kick-in and after several weeks and it’ll be natural for you to be getting 8 hours of sleep. If you have a partner, or roommate that loves to watch Letterman and midnight sci-fi movies, engage them in supporting you (and themselves) in better health. If they insist on staying up late, buy them some headphones to plug into the TV.
2. Create an Evening Routine
Your routine will signal your body that it’s time to rest. Eat at least two (better yet, 3 hours) hours before you hit the pillow, have some warm herbal tea, soak in a tub – and if you can’t do that, be sure and take a warm shower to wash off all of the electrical vibration you’ve been exposed to during the day.
3. Sex-place not Workplace
Save your bedroom for sleeping and sex. Leave your legal papers, newspapers, TV and brain activities in another room. The bedroom is a place to recharge your body and soul.
4. Make it Shady
Dim your lights an hour before you are going to sleep. Shut off the TV. The brighter the lights are before you go to bed, the longer it will take for your body to start producing melatonin. Low levels of melatonin have been associated with aging and studies have shown men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer have lower levels of melatonin. Ever see a rock star right after a concert? She’ll pop on rose tinted glasses to start quieting her system after being in the glare of the stage lights.
5. Hot Magnesium
Soak in a bath with Magnesium flakes and magnesium “oil”. Your body will absorb the magnesium through your skin, relaxing your muscles. The side benefit is that it’s great for your skin texture. If you’re hyper and can’t relax before bed, fill the tub, dim the bathroom lights and soak for 10 minutes. You’ll sleep deeper than you can imagine.
6. Rock Off
Turn off the disco beat and play something calm. If you find a tune that works for you, keep playing it. Personally, I like new age wind instrument tracks. Try playing them every night for a week. Add this to your other night-time routines to create more restful sleep.
7. Other Hands
Get yourself a massage, chiropractic or acupuncture treatment, or other holistic care once a month. If you’re working out intensely, you’ll benefit from this care more often. All of these treatments assist your body in releasing tension, calming your mind and correcting imbalances. Whenever you do this, your body becomes healthier and more alkaline.
8. Work it Out
You know the benefits of exercise or you wouldn’t be here on this blog. Don’t make it your second priority. Work out so you can sleep deep, and sleep deep so your workouts make a difference. Since you’ll be releasing plenty of feel good endorphins when you work out, just before bed isn’t a great time to exercise. While these endorphins are great during the day, their energy can keep you awake at night.
9. Deep Sleep Tea
It’s really not called that, but it’s my “get me to sleep now” tea. I use a combination of mint and valerian root tea. It’s not addictive and almost always works. Try making it with hot almond milk and water.
10. Spirit Quest
Still dragging your office into the bedroom. Put a box outside the bedroom door and leave your physical or imaginary problems in it. They’ll be there in the morning if you still want them, but they won’t follow you into bed. Take a minute to be grateful, no matter what’s going on in your life. Sweet Dreams.
Train your body. Train your mind. Tame your tongue.
Information on this site is not a substitute for consulting a licensed medical professional, health care provider or nutritionist. Never begin an exercise or nutritional regime without consulting your wellness professional.
