Sleep & fitness: resting for results

Getting enough sleep can be the difference between your current physique and the figure of your dreams. Though diet and exercise can steal the spotlight, sleep plays a vital role in any physical transformation. Giving your body adequate rest not only keeps you energized throughout the day, but makes muscle growth and fat loss that much more possible. You may think you can survive on 5 or 6 hours a night, but experts say it’s not nearly enough. One beneficial aspect of sleep is production of human growth hormones. These hormones are formed in your pituitary gland and are responsible for body processes like cellular repair, and the balance of overall body composition, according to Healthline. It’s released into your system with little pulses around midnight and into the early morning. Inadequate sleep keeps these hormones from being produced efficiently. While high levels of human growth hormone in the body can boost muscle growth and help you recover from injury, low levels can make you gain fat and compromise your immune system. Protein synthesis also happens while you sleep, especially when you eat a protein-rich meal before bed. Protein synthesis means your body is using amino acids found in protein to build new muscle, according to BodyBuilding.com. Protein synthesis is also maximized when you sleep because your energy expenditure is reduced. If you are trying to build muscle, it’s all about size. Size means holding on to those extra calories so they go to all the right places. Your body is constantly burning up your food while your awake, keeping you energized and alert as you tackle the day. As soon as your asleep, your energy expenditure drops and your body can focus on conservation instead of consumption, allowing you to grow. If you don’t eat a solid meal […]

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