Sleep!
Sleep is probably one of the most misunderstood and important things that we do each and every day, and most of us don’t get enough of it. If we don’t sleep enough (at least 7-8 hours) our bodies don’t recover sufficiently. This can lead to a range of different feelings such as tiredness, moodiness, and longer-term effects such as diabetes and other health-related issues.
Sleep is especially important for training and cashing in those gains that you have worked so very hard to get. Insufficient sleep will make it difficult to train, and increase the likelihood of having an injury, especially if engaging in high-intensity workouts, sports or other activities.
Why?? – Simply put your body hasn’t had enough time to recover, and sleep is that period of time where recovery is the greatest. 😴💤🛌
Regardless of how active you are studies have shown that a lack of sleep will impact everyone in similar ways.
- Sleep benefits neurocognition, mental functions, and hormonal restoration
- Growth hormone suppression
- Inhibition of tissue repair
- Mood and energy alteration
- Weight gain is likely due to an increased desire to eat. Additionally, due to a lack of sleep, your body struggles to cope with the additional calories.
Two hormones controlling appetite (Leptin and Grehlin) are responsible for how much we eat and how hungry we feel. An imbalance of either can cause significant weight gain.
Further, sleep-deprived individuals have a greater desire for fatty and sugary foods. Again why is this the case? – Studies have shown that the part of the brain responsible for thoughtful and sensible food choices, due to a lack of sleep had been silenced. Our primal desires are awoken and uncontrolled so carrots and leafy greens are less desirable than doughnuts or pizza.
The reality is a good night’s sleep will help control these desires, and when you do embark on a challenge like this where you are active regularly your desire for good foods also increases as quality fuel is necessary to sustain all ranges of exercise or activity.
Studies have also shown that plentiful sleep is great for gut health by ensuring a balance of the body’s nervous system, in calming the fight or flight sympathetic branch (bodies stress-related mechanism responsible for circulating cortisol). An increased circulation of cortisol is responsible for ‘bad’ bacteria festering in your gut – or bacterial community known as the ‘Microbiome’.
Good sleep is pivotal in weight gain and weight loss and is contributory to how effective your training is. If you are training it is important to try and put the phone, computer, or IPAD away at least an hour before bed…..the blue synthetic light is quite impactful on the bodies ability to generate melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep.
Today’s post is focused on rest and restoration. Longevity is dependent on this especially as we get older, and for those who have suffered previous battle scars through injuries.
Sleep tight, sleep well, train Better.
Team at Titan.
titanidentity.com 