When we talk about fitness, many people associate it exclusively with exercise and nutrition, but they often forget something that is just as important for getting in shape: sleep.
Life is much faster than it used to be; people try to keep up and often forget the importance of getting enough rest. An example I often come across in conversations is that someone exercises and watches their diet, but the results are not there, which leads to frustration. My first question in those situations is: how many hours do you sleep? How do you sleep? And that is where the problem comes in, because people often do not see the importance of sleep and ignore that aspect.
Sleep is precisely that element that allows the body to recover, because during sleep the production of growth hormone increases, which directly affects the recovery and growth of muscles. If we do not sleep enough and quality, this can lead to a decrease in muscle mass and an increased risk of injuries.
If we look at other factors that are affected by insufficient sleep, we should mention hormonal balance. The shorter and worse the sleep, the more sensitive we are to hormonal imbalances, such as an increase in the stress hormone, which directly affects our private and professional life. Also, insufficient sleep weakens our immune system, making us less resistant to various infections and possibly more serious health problems.
From this we can conclude that it is extremely important to ensure sufficient and good quality sleep. Some guidelines that can help are:
– Sleep between 7-9 hours, depending on individual needs.
– Avoid caffeine before bedtime, preferably after 2-3 pm.
– Avoid bright light before bed and focus on something relaxing, such as reading a book.
– Ensure you sleep in calm conditions, such as a dark and quiet room.
So, if progress is lacking despite great efforts, pay attention to your sleep, because that is often the key to success!
Stjepan Barbalic
Enforce branch manager & Master trainer
stjepan@enforce.nl
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