“Make sure you’re getting enough rest,” is one of those statements we’ve all heard (and ignored) hundreds of times. We all “know” that rest is critical to our health and achieving a sculpted physique, but it’s easily blown off in our quest to squeeze more into our already packed schedules. If you’re anything like me, you may even occasionally trade sleep for training.
Gotta get it in no matter what, right
? Wrong.
According to recent research,
those who do not get sufficient sleep have less result from their diet and exercise efforts.
Analyzing the sleep habits of 1088 pairs of twins, researchers found that when individuals don’t sleep enough (less than 7 hours) their efforts (nutrition, exercise, etc.) do not effect their BMI as much as does their genetic predispositions. In other words, if your genetics are such that you have the tendency to hold fat, your efforts to achieve a lean physique will be less fruitful when you are sleep deprived. Conversely, getting sufficient sleep allows our diet, exercise and other efforts to have a more substantial impact. The result: more progress in less time. I’ll take it!
So, to maximize your fitness regimen, make seven or more hours of sleep a daily priority by jumping in the sack a little earlier. Have trouble falling asleep? Try these tips to help you wind down from Psychology Today:
- THINK LESS. End the night with activities that involve less mental activity: yoga, listening to calm music, cooking, etc.
- CUT OFF WORK. If your work causes you stress, it’s best to avoid it close to bedtime, as it “sparks the accumulation of cortisol, which makes falling asleep difficult.”
- COOL IT. Turn up the fan, turn down the air and strip down a bit, as “maximum sleepiness is experienced when the core body temperature is at its lowest.”
- CARB IT UP. If your diet allows, having a small serving of fast-digesting carbs about four-hours before bedtime can help bring on sleep.
SOURCES:
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/01/health/sleep-curbs-obesity-genes/index.html
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200807/prepping-bed
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Until next time – keep pushing toward your best!
Jaime Baird
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