Even though exercise causes physical tension on the body, the body actually improves as a result of the exercise stimulation during the post-exercise relaxation period in between workouts. Although it will be possible for you to recover effectively from a strenuous workout session by performing something that is already done by you, it might be the fact that you are not doing enough of it or you might not use it to the fullest extent. One surefire process of promoting recovery such that you’ll be able to derive the desired results from your workout program will be to get adequate slumber.
It will be imperative to have a post-workout recovery strategy so as to achieve the desired results from any workout program, and one of the most effective ways of enabling your system to recover after working out for the entire day will be to get optimal quantity and quality of slumber. It will likewise enable you to prepare successfully for the subsequent exercise session. Here, we have mentioned 7 significant benefits of sleep when it comes to exercise recovery which will definitely help you to get the most out of your exercise program.
7 benefits of sleep for exercise recovery
1. It has been recommended by the National Sleep Foundation for adults to get somewhere between 8 and 9 hours of slumber every night. It will be a good idea to increase your sleep time by at least one hour every night since it will help you to sleep approximately 7 hours more (which is equal to sleeping for one entire night) during the course of the week. While planning your workouts, it is imperative to bear in mind that the conclusion of one particular workout happens to be the starting of the next, and the manner in which you are going to recover will enable you to become fully prepared so that you will be able to achieve the best possible results in the long run without any problem whatsoever.
2. One effective function of slumber will be to allow time for the muscles to repair on their own. Growth hormone happens to be an anabolic hormone which is produced during the 3rd stage of non-rapid eye movement or dreamless sleep. It also assists in repairing tissues which have been damaged while working out. In case you sleep for a longer span of time, the muscular tissues will get more time for regenerating and growth.
3. A full night’s slumber allows sufficient time for the anabolic hormones to repair tissues properly after the workout; on the other hand, inadequate sleep might lead to the production of higher catabolic hormone levels which are responsible for the production of energy. In case you have become totally exhausted, but are not able to fall asleep, or in case you did slumber but woke up not feeling adequately rested, it might be the result of elevated SNS (sympathetic nervous system) activity plus increased levels of cortisol (which happens to be a hormone). The SNS is accountable for releasing cortisol which aids in converting free fatty acids into the much-needed energy for working out. Nevertheless, once glycogen becomes low in supply, it is also possible for cortisol to convert amino acids into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is responsible for preventing the growth of muscles.
4. In case you become too much exhausted, particularly while working out, it might lead to poor judgment or minimized reflex times, which can result in a training injury. One essential advantage of slumber is the fact that it allows sufficient time for getting rid of unwanted metabolic waste from the brain cells. Try to visualize slumber as the time when your brain is going to get rid of the unnecessary waste while likewise improving the circulation of blood to the cells and providing essential glycogen as well as oxygen required for optimum cognitive performance.
5. You might be suffering from metabolic overload when the muscles exercise until you become totally exhausted, expending the amount of glycogen which is available for the production of energy. While you are slumbering, your system goes on digesting carbohydrates from the food items consumed by you and metabolizing them into glycogen which will be stored in the cells of the muscles for fueling muscular contractions. It is possible for one single gram of glycogen present in the muscle cells to hold as many as 3 to 4 grams of water. While glycogen is going to be replaced, it aids in increasing muscle size, which happens to be one more example of how your muscles are going to develop while you’re having a nap.
6. Sufficient slumber helps to promote the optimal functioning of the immune system. Besides traumatic injury, illness happens to be the 2nd most important cause of missed playing time for sportsmen, and it is not imperative for you to play games so as to receive this advantage. It does not matter what your job happens to be, getting good sleep will help to support a powerful immune system that can minimize the possibility of becoming sick. This will enable you to become more productive in the long run.
7. It will be a fantastic idea to plan your exercise depending on the sleep that you will be getting every night. For instance, in case you are going to attend a concert in the evening or go out with your friends at night, you will not be getting the recommended 7 hours of sleep every night. However, this does not imply that you have to skip your workouts; instead, you should make an attempt to schedule your high-intensity exercises on days when you are planning to get at least 8 hours of sleep at night and schedule low-density exercises on days when you might be going out late at night. It will also be a sensible idea to take your evening plans into consideration while planning your workouts which will help you to make sure that you are prepared adequately for the more strenuous workout sessions that will provide you with the desired outcomes in the long run.
