Healthy Sleep - Why it is important

Who does not know it? Going into training regularly between job, everyday stress and private life is quite a big challenge in terms of time!

When the going gets tough, the time spent training is often simply taken off bedtime - drink more of a booster and coffee and sleep less than skip training.

If this is an exceptional situation and does not occur several times a week, it is not necessarily a problem. However, the habit of sleeping too little can not only result in a lack of training despite regular exercise , but can also cause serious health problems.

How so? We will explain that to you in the following article.

What happens when we sleep?It is well known that we recover in our sleep and recharge our batteries. But what does our musculature have to do with it?

A lot, because the muscles are exhausted at the end of the day, especially when they have been trained. She needs rest periods in order to recover from the strain and to prepare herself for even greater burdens in the future. This process takes place, among other things, in the sleep and therefore resting phases have an important influence on the muscle growth. Therefore, sufficient regeneration phases are so important to you, since your tendons and ligaments, which stabilize the muscles, need sufficient rest, so that you can train as injury-free as possible.

As a result, less performance-enhancing processes can take place in your body when your body is not resting sufficiently.

In addition, you need sleep to learn new moves. So, for example, if you've tried a new exercise in training or are finally getting used to free weights, you'll be better at mastering those movements in the next workout because your brain processes them at night and automates them a bit. This process is also highly correlated with your ability to concentrate, which can only work well if your body gets enough sleep.

If your training stagnates for a long time and you no longer record training successes, so can also cause a lack of sleep or disturbed sleep the cause. Maybe you do not have to change your exercise plan, just adapt to your sleep routine to give your body a chance to adapt to the stresses of training!

By the way: Not every person needs the same amount of sleep in order to feel well and rested in the morning. Your individual need for sleep depends on many factors such as genetics, age, physical stress and your body weight. Therefore, it is best to find out for yourself how many hours of sleep you feel best. For most people, the optimal sleep time is between six and eight hours.

Hormones also play an important role in sleep and muscleAmong other things, muscle growth depends on different hormones that are formed during sleep or that affect sleep duration and quality. The following table provides an overview of which hormones play an important role in healthy muscle function and a normal sleep cycle:

Melatonin is the most prominent hormone in terms of sleep and is often referred to as "sleep hormone". Together with serotonin it is responsible for the cycle of sleep and wakefulness. Blue light from screens, smart phones, etc. inhibits the release of melatonin. Therefore, you should avoid this light if you have trouble falling asleep in the evening.

The effects of lack of sleep are well researched and can sometimes be far reaching. Thus, a regular lack of sleep can be a real "killer" for growth hormones and testosterone. Somatropin is a growth hormone and is mainly released in the deep sleep phase. If this is permanently too short, muscle build-up and fat loss can be inhibited. In addition, the somatropin level is also influenced by the stress hormone cortisol.

If the cortisol level is too high in the evening, we can sleep worse and sleep less and less somatropin is formed.

As you can see, the hormones listed in the table are all so intertwined that a vicious circle of poor sleep, stress and fatigue may arise. But do not worry, this does not happen "overnight", but lasts quite a while!

Better training through more sleep - and the other way around?We are lucky, because it is indeed so! The connection between sleep and sport also exists the other way round: those who exercise regularly, sleep better.

This is proven by various studies and scientific papers, which have dealt with the impact of sleep and sport. This applies to strength as well as to endurance training. People who suffer from sleep problems should definitely try to integrate sport more into their daily lives.

Lack of sleep, which lasts for a longer period of time, can in turn lead to an increased food intake - due to more appetite as well as to less physical activity - because you feel exhausted and not very efficient.

In a nutshell: Our tips to get rid of sleep disorders and prevent
A well-regulated daily routine is very good for a good night's sleep and can help you to go to bed and get up at about the same time each day.
Regular exercise can alleviate or prevent sleep problems. If you do not already train, try to integrate sports and exercise more into your everyday life.
It's best not to train right before bed. That can be a hindrance to the night's sleep.
Beware of training booster in the evening! If you work out later in the day, we recommend a caffeine-free booster
Turn off all your electronic devices at night to avoid being disturbed while sleeping.
Give up on blue light of screens shortly before going to bed. Many smartphones already have a function to filter this light.
Do not put too much pressure on yourself if you are tired from time to time to go to training. As you learned in the article, your muscles need sleep as well as iron.