Knowledge
 
 

Do you sleep enough? We focus on this because it’s critical!

At Pat’s Gym, we always are encouraging our athletes to get enough sleep. It’s critical especially for those athletes who push it hard in the gym. It’s one pillar of Pat’s Gym discipline that is incorporated into recovery. If you’re pushing it hard in the gym, you definitely need to help the muscles recover. There is science behind this recovery theory. Your endocrine system and hormone system are working while you sleep. They secrete hormones, like cortisol, testosterone and growth hormones, that produce protein synthesis – muscle growth. In addition, if you’re under recovered, your testosterone level is likely to drop and that will negatively impact your muscular repair.  

However, in addition to muscle growth, a recent study shows that if you get less sleep, you will more likely eat more. And generally, when your sleep deprived your choices are compromised; meaning, that you will crave processed foods that will be swimming in empty calories, salt or sugar. 

What this recent study showed is that even a “small amount of sleep loss can put the brain at risk for hyperactivation to food triggers in everyday life, which could be a risk factor for obesity and lifestyle diseases.” To the contrary, the study showed that the right amount of sleep appeared to reduce this hypersensitivity to food stimuli.   

Another study added work stress to the mix. Researchers found that when people come home after a stressful day at work, they are more likely to eat their feeling if they are sleep deprived. Simply, if you don’t get enough sleep, unhealthy food choices may look pretty good to your brain.  

Therefore, to eat healthy and to keep pushing it in the gym, make sure you get enough sleep.