Catchy post title huh! No, I’m not talking about ‘that’ kind of sleeping, today I’m going to discuss the importance of rest and sleep in helping you to best achieve your goals (whatever they may be) and to enhance your ability to burn fat and to exercise optimally.
We all know that sleep is good – it recharges your body, replenishes your energy levels and generally puts you in a better mood. All of these are major positives regardless of the goal you are working towards achieving – not just health or fitness related.
It’s during sleep that our bodies recover from the stresses and strains of the preceding day allowing us to tackle the next day in the most effective way. Getting a good rest also improves your mood giving you greater levels of concentration and patience the following day. You’re also less likely to be irritable after a good night’s sleep.
But what other reasons are there to get a good night’s sleep?
A better body
You might think that your muscles are building while you exercise, but it’s actually while you sleep that your body is recuperating, regenerating and growing your muscle tissue. Yes, you need to do the exercise in the first place but then by allowing for a reasonable period of rest you are allowing your body to do the work of building your muscles.
Some studies have shown links between sleep and your weight and metabolism. This blog post by The Sleep Doctor discusses the hormonal responses our body makes due to a lack of sleep and most interestingly found that you burn more calories while asleep, particularly during the REM phase of sleep (which typically requires a longer deeper sleep).
Better exercising
Your exercise routine can also benefit following sleep as you’ll have more energy to push yourself harder and for longer next time. Also, as your muscles are growing better while you sleep you’ll be able to do more next time so it’s a win win situation really.
A study by the National Sleep Foundation found that those who exercise during the day generally had a better quality of sleep that night. Maybe it is down to the energy expelled or maybe your conscience is clear when it’s time for bed!
I’m still a fan of exercising in the morning although one or two readers to SW2FL have suggested there are benefits to exercising later in the day. I’ve read differing views on the arguments for and against exercising right before bed time but I personally wouldn’t want to exercise before I go to bed – the act of exercising would leave me awake for longer as my body will be cooling off and trying to regulate itself rather than switching to sleep mode.
Less snacking
Another reason sleep may help keep the weight off may simply be down to your eating and snacking habits. Late nights in front of the telly can push you to reach for the snacks. It’s simple; if you were asleep you wouldn’t be consuming those calories right!
Sleep disorders or problems?
Unfortunately a lot of people suffer with sleep disorders, like sleep apnea. Another study by the National Sleep Foundation found that those with such disorders benefited from regular exercise – in fact the disorders were more common in people (or people were more prone to the disorders) who didn’t exercise.
How much sleep?
Typically most sources would say the ideal length of sleep is about 8 hours or in the range of 6-8 hours per night (that is quality, uninterrupted sleep) and that’s probably a good place to start. I get about 7-8 hours on average and I’m lucky to be able to say that the quality is usually pretty good.
Too much sleep can equally be bad for you – so it’s not necessarily the case that more is better.
Like most things in life however it’s about getting the right balance that works for you. If you’re having problems with your weight or energy levels then why not experiment with the amount of sleep you get to find what works best for you. I’ve read some people say they only ‘need’ 4 hours a night and feel fantastic – I’m pretty sure that wouldn’t work for me, but you know what, I haven’t tried it!
So make sure you get adequate rest – it will improve your mood, you’ll get more from exercise and you might even lose a bit more weight. If you’re having problems sleeping then why not try increasing your amount of physical activity?
What’s the optimum amount of sleep for you?
Photos: Mazzali