If you’re exercising regularly, eating clean and making sure you get your daily protein in, it can be disappointing and even frustrating when you’re not making any progress. You’re probably wondering what you’re doing wrong as you’re doing heavy training sessions, upping the weights constantly but still, you’re not making the progress you expected. Did you know that sleep is actually a key factor when it comes to achieving your fitness goals but also staying mentally fit at the same time? If you had no clue, it’s time to do a deep dive into why sleep is so important and will help you to achieve your fitness goals.
Sleep And Athletic Performance
Have you ever noticed that your workouts were better on the days after a good night’s rest? Especially if you’re someone who hits the gym early in the morning, you may notice that some training sessions go better than others. Sleep plays a big role in this, as a lack of sleep or bad quality of sleep can cause our bodies to slow down and function less. That’s without even speaking of the effects on your mental state, as a lack of sleep can cause brain fog, lack of motivation and irritation. Combine that with your workout schedule and you’ll see that you’re struggling to get your gym time in or you’re going through rough workouts.
Importance Of Sleep For Your Muscle Recovery
Not only does a lack of sleep impact your workout directly while you’re working out, it can also have a negative effect on your muscle recovery. When we don’t get enough sleep or the quality of our sleep is bad, it can cause our muscle recovery to slow down. This means you may end up feeling sore for multiple days, without seeing a lot of progress. If you’re serious about your gym journey, then we advise you to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This will help you to improve your performance in the gym but also help your muscles to make a speedy recovery and prepare you for your next workout. If your goal is to lose weight, rather than build muscle mass, it’s good to know that consistent lack of sleep can also cause unwanted weight gain. So… how do we improve our sleep quality?
Improving Sleep Quality
If you’re reading to start making real progress, it’s time to look at ways to improve your quality of sleep. A couple of questions to ask yourself are: Is my bedroom dark enough? Does my room have the right temperature? The ideal temperature for your bedroom is between 15 and 18 degrees, but this can be adjusted to whatever works best for you. However it’s proven that your sleep can be affected by a bedroom that’s either too hot or too cold. Try to find that perfect temperature for your liking.
Another important factor is how comfortable you are during the night. If you have a cheap mattress or bedding that is scratchy, it can really affect your sleeping pattern. Make sure you have a high-quality mattress or get a mattress topper to up your comfort level. Also, don’t save on your bedding, as it’s one of the key factors that help you to feel comfy and drift off into a deep, peaceful sleep. Luxury duvets can be a lifesaver when it comes to sleeping well during the night!
Last but not least, it can help to have a routine when it comes to your sleeping schedule. If you’re going to sleep at 10 pm one night, but staying up until 2 am the next night, it can mess up your sleep schedule which causes you to not sleep as well. Try to stick to regular bedtimes and you’ll start to notice that you’ll feel more refreshed and awake the next morning. All ready to hit the gym!
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