In my experience, sleep is often overlooked. In fact, it is only very recently that I’ve started to examine the possibility that sleep, or lack thereof, may be limiting me to a degree. Even some basic internet based research suggests that good quality and quantities of sleep possess drug like qualities.
Incredible talk on the reasons for sleeping. It reaches further than you’d expect:
Now, I’m not about to cite studies and reference journals to outline the benefits of sleep, what you need to know is that if you value aesthetics and or performance, sleep is something you should be getting plenty of. It will spike your growth hormone, optimize your cortisol to testosterone ratio, regulate ghrelin, leptin and accelerate neural and structural recovery – win win.
The simple solution here would be some sleep = good so more sleep is better. Not so. It would seem that the amount of sleep that is required varies from person to person. Some may find that 9 hours leaves them feeling sluggish and groggy, others may need that much just to function properly. So, determine the amount of sleep that works for you, generally the more active you are the more you’ll need and as a guide 7-9 seems to be the sweet spot for most.
There is a problem with this recommendation in real world application however, it can be challenging to always get 7-9 hours sleep with a hectic schedule.
So, what we should be looking to improve then is sleep quality, here’s how to do it:
Dark and quiet
Your room should be as dark as possible, cover alarm-clocks, standby lights, anything that emits a glow. Melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep is regulated by light levels, even small levels of light in the room will disrupt this. This means no TV while you nod off – it may seem relaxing but it’s actually disrupting your sleep. An eye mask is also a good idea if you struggle to block out all light but black out blinds are best.
You also want the room to be quiet, or at least have a constant noise level. It goes without saying that irregular noises disrupt sleep. If you can’t ensure quiet then white noise is a good idea. I like to leave a fan on, it makes the room breezy and cool while providing a constant background noise level.
Relax with routine
Most gym goers have a pre-gym ritual, they charge themselves with jet black coffee, pump loud music thorough their headphones and visualise the next hour. My point, routines prime you for what is to come, so, best way to prepare for sleep is to have a routine. Do the same thing each night before bed, take a shower, read, foam roll, walk the dog – anything that relaxes you and can be done without a TV and the sopranos box set.
Stop eating 1-2 hours before lights out
Going to sleep when hungry is hard so I’m not advocating an extended fast before hitting the sack but leaving sufficient time between your last meal and sleep facilitates an optimal pulsation pattern for growth hormone while you sleep. Have some protein (cottage cheese, casein protein, greek yoghurt) with a small amount of simple carbohydrates an hour before bed and you should notice your sleep quality improving.
ZMA
Assuming your diet is in order ZMA or Zinc and Magnesium aspartate is a great addition. The combination, in this patented ratio is reported to improve testosterone levels (most people are zinc deficient), aid recovery through mineral replenishment and extend the deeper phases of sleep.