Most people will immediately start talking about nutrition, training and supplements.
But we almost never start talking about sleep, even though it has more influence on your progression than any supplement or schedule. When talking about exercise, especially strength training, sleep should be a priority. In this blog I want to discuss sleep, the effects of sleep deprivation and how we can ensure a better night's sleep.
Reasons why sleep is so important;
– Conservation of energy: we need less energy when we sleep
– Reorganization of our thoughts, memories and the information we have acquired during the day.
– Physical recovery, our body recovers while sleeping.
Consequences of sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation has much more influence on your performance than most people think. Here are some examples;
Increased appetite
Even a single bad night's sleep (less than 4 hours of sleep) increases our feeling of hunger by 24%.
Poor saturation
Tests show that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep feel 26% less full after breakfast. Regular sleep deprivation affects the levels of the hormones Leptin and Greline, which are responsible for hunger and satiety. Even worse than that is the fact that sleep deprivation has a serious effect on a person's insulin sensitivity. That's why people who sleep less than 6 hours a night are more prone to diabetes. So you are hungrier and full less quickly!
Fat mass
In addition, studies show that people with a poor night's sleep lose 55% less fat and 60% more lean mass for every kilo lost! So it will be much more difficult for you to burn fat and you will lose a lot more muscle mass.
Decrease in cognitive skills
Even just a few hours less sleep on a single evening could cause you to experience negative consequences. Consider reduced levels of concentration, productivity, efficiency and your ability to make decisions.
What to do for a better night's sleep?
light
To make it easier to fall asleep, your room should be as dark as possible. If you have a choice, try to use the thickest curtains or the densest slats. Make sure all electronics that emit light are removed from the room. Make sure your phone is turned over with the screen facing down so that it doesn't light up when someone texts or calls you. A sleeping mask would also be a solution, which makes all these things much easier without any effort.
Sound
A number of studies show that sleeping in a noisy environment leads to reduced sleep quality, which can cause serious long-term health problems. Buy a set of earplugs from your local pharmacy or supermarket and keep them close to your bed, in case things aren't as quiet as you'd like. Another alternative is a device that produces so-called 'white noise', or an app. Old fans already serve this purpose well.
Meditate
Benefits of meditation: Lower heart rate, lower blood pressure and reduced cortisol levels. Strengthening the immune system. Improved memory, emotional control and concentration. And of course better sleep!
Breathing
It is sufficient to simply sit in a quiet, enclosed space and focus 100% of your attention on your breathing for 5 minutes. Breathe in deeply for 3-5 seconds, then exhale gently for 3-5 seconds. Try to clear your consciousness of all thoughts in your head and focus purely on your breathing. This may seem difficult at first, but like almost everything in life; it gets easier over time, with practice.
Exercise regularly
Sport is one of the most effective ways to improve your sleep quality. Of course, we have often talked about the benefits of strength training and I assume that most readers actively participate in sports on a regular basis. Sport has a positive effect on the time it takes you to fall asleep, the quality and duration of your sleep, also on people who suffer from insomnia.
Magnesium
One of the most important micronutrients, responsible for various functions within the human body. You can find magnesium naturally in foods such as nuts and potatoes. Despite this, many people suffer from a magnesium deficiency. Even if you have enough magnesium, the supplement still appears to be effective when it comes to sleep quality. It can be purchased in any pharmacy, health store, or at our club.
Bart Brusse
Enforce Master Trainer
bart@enforce.nl
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