The Importance of Sleep

   When you think of building muscle, you always think about things like your workout routine, what to include in your diet, and what supplements to take to help you reach that goal. In my first few months at the gym, I had all these things in mind. One thing I had always overlooked was how important sleep was. To get the most out of your workouts, you have to get a full night of sleep.

Release of Hormones.

  Your body releases it's highest concentration of a growth hormone when you are at rest during the night. These hormones help regulate the way your body's muscles (and bones) grow and strengthen. If you are not getting enough sleep, your body won't be releasing it's maximum amount of this hormone.
   Not only does a lack of sleep suppress the release of growth hormone, studies show that men who are sleep-deprived also show a higher level of cortisol in their body. Cortisol is a hormone that opposes the building of new muscle tissue, and encourages the breakdown of body tissue. Higher levels of cortisol will prevent your muscles from reaching peak recovery before your next workout.
   Along with hindering your body's ability to build muscle and recover, sleep deprivation can also cause you to gain weight. The amount of sleep you get each night greatly affects two of the hormones that influence appetite, grehlin and leptin. Grehlin is the hormone that increases appetite and leads to weight gain. Leptin is the hormone that represses hunger and supports weight loss. A lack of sleep causes a disturbance in the hormonal balance of the two.

Metabolism.

   If you are trying to build muscle without gaining fat, or maintaining lean muscle mass while burning fat, it is very important to have a healthy metabolism. When you don't get enough sleep, your metabolism is altered. This causes your blood sugar levels to imbalance, putting you in a state similar to that of a diabetic. Studies show that a sleep-deprived body takes up to 40% longer than normal to respond and to regulate your blood sugar levels after consuming a meal heavy in carbohydrates.
   Lack of sleep also suppresses your thyroid hormone. Your thyroid hormone regulates how many calories you burn on a daily basis. If your goal is to burn off as much fat as possible, it is very important to get plenty of sleep every night.

                                                                                                     -AO