WHY SLEEP IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS WORKING OUT OR DIET IS FOR BODYBUILDERS (AND WHY A QUALITY MATTRESS MATTERS!)

Getting the right amount of deep and restful sleep each night is more significant for muscle growth than most bodybuilders realize.  

Making sure that you receive enough rest every night is going to:

●      Make sure your mood, energy, motivation and concentration levels are remaining at peak condition whether you're in the gym or not.

●      Optimize the production of crucial fat burning and muscle building hormones like IGF-1 and testosterone.

●      Enhance your body's ability to efficiently use fat for energy rather than muscle by reducing your respiratory exchange rate (RER).

●      Lower your levels of the hormone. This is good because it wastes muscles and increases fat storages.

This just covered a few of the many advantages that a good night's sleep can offer you. When you are noticing that you're having a hard time getting to sleep or you are not sleeping deeply for enough time before waking up, you could be on the path towards chronic sleep deprivation. It gives you the opposite of each of the effects listed above.

The following details a few of the best sleep tips for bodybuilders that you can try out right away to cut down on how long it takes for you to fall asleep and sleep deeper and longer than ever before.

Go to Bed and Wake up at the Same Time Each Day

Making sure your sleep and wake times are the same each day is going to help you control your body’s internal clock. It will put you in the habit of “expecting” to fall asleep and wake up at a specific time each day. This is going to improve the amount of time you need in order to fall asleep and it will help your quality of sleep overall.

Even though this will not be a viable option for certain people because of the way work or school times vary, try your hardest to set a schedule and follow it closely—even on weekends.

Only Use Your Bed for Two Things: Sleep and Sex

When you need to finish some work at night or some other “mentally stimulating” project, use a table, desk, couch or somewhere else other than your bed. Merging your sleeping area and working area into one and the same place is a huge mistake many bodybuilders make. You are looking to get your body to associate the act of crawling into bed with relaxation, rest and pleasure instead of pressure and problem-solving.

Using the best mattress on the market for bodybuilders is also going to help you enhance your sleeping patterns as well as the association your mind and body makes with your sleep spot. Mattresses can become quite expensive, but you can potentially find some good deals that make the purchase more manageable.

Don't Use Electronics 30-60 Minutes Before Bed

Dim the lights and power down each of your electronic devices such as your television, laptop, smartphone or tablet at least 30 minutes before you head off to sleep. Bright lights are going to suppress your body’s natural melatonin production. This hormone is primarily involved in regulating your sleep patterns. Your levels of melatonin raise as it gets darker. It tells the body that it is bedtime and lets you nod off faster to keep you asleep longer.

Rather than channel surfing, watching YouTube videos or texting before you go to sleep like the majority of people, devote that 30-60 minutes towards finishing up some reading, listening to an audiobook or meditating.

Try Not to Be Too Full or Too Hungry Before Bed

This is going to vary depending on the person, but it's typically a good rule of thumb to avoid eating too much or too little before bed. Eating a large meal before you hit the hay is usually going to make it more difficult to fall asleep. A stomach that won't stop growling is obviously not that helpful either.

Consuming a small to medium sized snack a few hours before going to sleep is going to let you sleep more peacefully and the insulin release that follows will improve melatonin levels as well.

Maintain a Dark, Cool and Quiet Room

Make sure your sleeping environment is optimized enough to give you the very best provisions for promoting deep and restful sleep:

●      Ensure your room stays a nice and comfortable temperature of around 68 degrees.

●      Make use of a sleeping mask or blackout curtains in order to darken your environment as much as possible.

●      Eliminate any background noises that may suddenly wake you up. Sleep in a noiseless room with earplugs and/or white noise such as a humidifier, fan or something else.

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