When in doubt, sleep.

Sleep is one of the most powerful tools and therapies to replenish and restore our bodies.

SO much is happening to and with our bodies when we are sleeping.

Our brain is storing new information and ridding of toxic waste.

Our stomachs are digesting our foods, sending nutrients to every part of our body.

Aside from allowing ourselves to sleep (and decent hours) there are some things that can help support our sleep from ritual, routine and even nutrients.

RITUAL & ROUTINE

Sleep and wake up consistently at/around the same time every day
- Irregular sleep and wake times can disrupt your circadian rhythm
Create a sanctuary in your bedroom
- Remove stimulants from your bedroom that would otherwise disrupt your sleep
Reduce light exposure after the sun goes down
- Our brains rely on the cycle of light and darkness to regulate the body’s circadian rhythm, and light exposure at night can promote wakefulness
- Avoid blue light exposure through the computer, TV or phone at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep
- Light candles and turn off artificial lights as you’re getting ready to wind down
Create a ritual around winding yourself down before bed
- Reading, journaling, meditating, drinking a cup of herbal tea (chamomile and lavender tea are wonderful to help calm the nervous system and promote drowsiness) and listening to ambient music or sound are ways to promote a calm and relaxing environment before bed

NUTRIENTS

Magnesium

Boosts mood by supporting brain biochemistry and neurotransmitter regulation
Protects against inflammation, especially due to conditions such as hypertension, breast and colon cancer, obesity, and heart disease
Reduces insulin resistance, as low levels of magnesium have been associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
Helps to manage blood pressure by reducing ambulatory blood pressure in patients with mild hypertension
Improves athletic performance because it is necessary for many essential functions during exercise, such as electrolyte balance, blood oxygenation, and energy production
Improves PMS symptoms such as fluid retention and mood changes

Melatonin

Supports against cardiometabolic diseases by helping to reduce blood pressure in individual with hypertension
Reduces oxidative stress that otherwise leads to cancer, specifically tumors in breast, endometrial, ovarian, prostate and intestinal tumors
Helps recover from jet lag

Gaba (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid)

Improves sleep onset and maintenance
Reduces nighttime urination
Reduces drowsiness in the morning and sleep latency (time it takes to fall asleep)
Can support anxiety:

Vitamin B6

Plays a key role in helping to convert 5-HTP (hydroxytryptophan) to serotonin (a mood enhancing neurotransmitter) that is used to produce melatonin

Vitamin D

Low levels of vitamin D can be associated with sleep issues such as the duration and quality of sleep achieved

As with anything related to your health,

Be sure you are finding ways to support it that make the most sense for you.

Ask your doctor before beginning any new supplementation and be sure to source your supplements from a reliable source.

For personalized and private support, discover working with me 1-1

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The secret to building muscle mass?

Sleep.

Here’s a success story from a former client:

Shane (35 years) was seeking support to help him understand why he wasn’t building the muscle mass he desired, despite spending hours in the gym and eating a healthy diet. He came to me curious and eager to find the root cause stalling his progress. The answer came during our consultation session when I asked him questions related to his sleep habits. He told me that he has always had a poor relationship with sleep, on average sleeps 4-5 hours per night and pulls all nighters often to get work done.

Based on our conversations, Shane had 3 primary focuses:

1. Improve his sleep routine

2. Optimize his productivity and work style habits (no more all nighters!)

3. Pay attention to areas of stress and address them head on (keep stress low = improve sleep quality and food intake)

Shane went from having 4-5 hours of interrupted sleep to 8 hours of restful slumber. He began seeing an improvement in his muscle mass and definition, has significantly lowered his stress levels and hasn’t pulled an all nighter since.

Sleep deprivation is a serious issue and many are faced with it. Our society has drilled into us the notion that in order to succeed, sacrifices need to be made to put in more work hours and get the job done. And usually the first thing that is sacrificed, is sleep. You’ve likely heard the phrase “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Warren Zevon and Bon Jovi both use it in song, Benjamin Franklin is quoted to have said “There will be sleeping enough in the grave.” I’m getting a feeling that Warren, Bon Jovi and Benjamin were all workaholics.

Sleep deprivation affects our health greatly.

1. It increases ghrelin, which turns on hunger.

When we only get a short amount of sleep, it can increase the hormone ghrelin. Gherlin (also called “the hunger hormone”), is primarily produced and released from the stomach. It controls our desire to feel hungry by stimulating our appetite, increase food intake and promote fat storage

2. It decreases leptin, which turns hunger off.

Leptin, another hunger regulating hormone, turns the feeling of hunger off. It aids us in feeling full or satiated after eating. When we have shorter sleep cycles, it can increase our appetite and food consumption. Lack of sleep also compromises impulse control, which is why for those who have poor sleep hygiene, having poor eating habits go hand in hand. When impulse control is compromised, feelings of food satisfaction also decrease, which prevents effective weight loss.

As previously mentioned, there is an association between sleep and nutrition. And there is a direct link between the number of hours slept and the intake of dietary nutrient categories (source). Individuals who have a later bedtime tend to consume a higher percentage of carbohydrates, fat, and protein than the average sleepers (source).

3. It increases cortisol, which turns on belly fat storage

Cortisol is a hormone that regulates our metabolism, blood sugar, blood pressure, hunger cravings, digestion, sleep and wake patterns, physical activity, immune response and bodies response to stress.

When we are not getting enough sleep, cortisol spikes. Our bodies become especially stingy about giving up fat, especially fat held in the belly. Muscle mass is thus depleted, while fat is retained. Reaching a desired outcome of being lean and toned becomes unlikely when you are cutting sleep short.

Additionally, impaired sleep directly affects growth hormone release and alters cortisol secretion, which has a direct impact on recovery from exercise and stress (source).

4.Lack of sleep affects muscle recovery and can lead to acute and chronic injury.

Sleep debt decreases the activity of protein synthesis pathways (which aids in recovery) and increases the activity of degradation pathways (which encourages the loss of muscle mass). Lack of sleep also hinders muscle recovery after damage induced by exercise, injuries and certain conditions associated with muscle atrophy, such as sarcopenia (loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength) and cachexia (weakness/wasting of the body due to chronic illness). Sleep deprivation also increases pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are pain-facilitating agents that affect the immune system. When athletes in particular push their boundaries beyond what is capable, they tend to develop not just a poor sleeping pattern, but also an increased chance of illness and negatively impact their performance and recovery period.

Along with the above side effects related to sleep deprivation, here is how lack of sleep can affect muscle mass and build.

5. Lack of sleep significantly lowers testosterone levels.

Testosterone is primarily a male sex hormone that maintains bone density and plays a causal role in building muscle mass, bone density and strength. Testosterone levels in men decline by 1-2% a year as they age. Testosterone deficiency is associated with low energy, reduced libido, poor concentration, and fatigue. Males with low testosterone also tend to feel tired and fatigued all day.

Testosterone affects almost every organ in the body. Other functions of testosterone include promoting spermatogenesis (production of sperm), maintenance of accessory organs, development of secondary sexual characteristics, erythropoiesis (production of red blood cells) and feedback to the hypothalamus–pituitary. The majority of the daily testosterone released in men occurs during sleep. Sleep fragmentation and obstructive sleep apnea are both associated with reduced testosterone levels (source 1) (source 2).

A study at University of Chicago examined a group of lean, healthy young males in their mid-20’s. They limited them to 5 hours of sleep and as a result, they all had a significant blunting of circulating testosterone levels. In just 8 nights of less than 5 hours of sleep, testosterone levels fell 10-15%. This study also concluded that skipping sleep reduces a young man's testosterone levels by the same amount as aging 10 to 15 years.

In another study concluded in May 2020, researchers had two groups of people. One who were given 5 and a half hours of time in bed and another group who were given 8 and a half hours of time in bed. The group who had 5 hours had more than 70% of lost weight come from lean body mass - aka muscle, NOT fat. Those who had 8 hours had over 50% of weight loss come from fat while preserving muscle.

A study of 1274 men, researchers tested testosterone levels, muscle mass, handgrip strength and walking speed against sleep duration and disturbances. The results showed that testosterone levels increased when sleep duration was in the upwards of 9-10 hours and earlier wake up times were associated with having higher muscle mass. In comparison, those who had prolonged sleep latency were associated with lower muscle mass, weaker grip strength and slower walking speed.

Studies will continue to show and prove that having a consistent sleep schedule and healthy sleep habits are crucial in contributing to overall health and well being. Especially for those that are wanting to increase muscle mass and tone their bodies, getting adequate sleep is clearly proven to contribute incredibly. It’s been shown that getting 7 to 8 hours of quality sleep can also promote regular GI motility and encourage healthy digestion.

Make it a non-negotiable to get quality sleep each night, sleeping and waking up at a consistent time each night (yes, weekends included!) and creating a ritual to wind yourself down at night so you can get that quality sleep. There’s really nothing to lose from getting good ol’ shut eye time.