“Isabel”
30 Squat snatches, 135#(95#)
Post time to comments.
The preservation of our health is easier than the cure for disease – B.J. Palmer
Sleep – how can we get you all to get more of it?
Maybe start by reading this book Lights Out! Sleep, Sugar and Survival.
-or reading this bit by Robb Wolf…
Sleep deprivation mimics many elements of the aging process. One could make the argument that how you feel when you are sleep deprived is likely how you will feel if you are both diabetic and old (sleep deprivation dramatically impacts insulin sensitivity). Improved sleep time and quality will help you: Lean out, avoid depression, autoimmunity, heart disease…it might even help you be a better athlete.
-or this bit by KStar of San Fransico CrossFit
Here goes: Sleep is important. Check.
Obviously brain function is slightly (ironic tone) decreased with missing sleep. But how smart do you really need to be?
The real reason sleep matters is because all of the good hormones and growth factors that are released during the deep sleep, stage 3 and 4 periods. This is your body’s time of peak anabolic activity (build muscle, burn fat, repair tissues, etc.) and occurs throughout the night but with diminshing efficacy.
If you aren’t getting enough of this deep, quality sleep, chances are you aren’t optimizing recovery or performance. You are in fact creating stress hormones that are trying to kill you.
Your body treats lack of sleep like a direct stressor, the same as starving, or being chased by a lion. So quit being so cavalier about your late nights and crappy sleep.
The goal is to get as much stage 3 and 4 sleep as possible. To this end, here are a few sleep hygene guidelines.
1) Try to go to sleep at the same time every night.
2) Avoid coffe and alcohol before bed.
3) Sleep in the blackest, darkest room possible.
4) Sleep in a cool room.
5) Treat your sleep as importantly as you treat your workouts and protein blocks.
Think of sleep as recovery. And recovery completes the exercise and nutrition trifecta.
Mission:
Keep a sleep journal for a week. Track hours slept/bed time/awake time/ and note when and how much caffeine/alcohol was consumed before sleep. Also note how your performance was during the day. See any patterns? Are you trashed by the weekend. How much “blue time” are you serious about getting in the chart above.
Sleep rules so lights out!
