How Your Sleep Affects Muscle Growth: The Science Behind Recovery

Hello Ziddis! Have you been feeling tired and subsiding yawns all day too? We think sleep is only for rest, but did you know sleeping right can make you stronger, lift heavier and crush your macros better? The real secret to healthy muscle gain lies in something as simple as catching some good quality sleep. Let’s understand how a slumber party is your quickest and most effective fix to muscle-building, fitness and athletic performance.

Science of Sleep

Sleep isn’t just rest. It is a dynamic and restorative process where your body does some of its best behind-the-scenes work. During a typical night, we go through various stages of sleep like light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep. Deep sleep is the best stage for recovery. This is when your body enters an anabolic state, which helps it repair tissues, make up for the wear and tear of muscles, strengthen the immune system and secrete the growth hormone, which is responsible for delivering your pumps.

Muscle Recovery Sleep

Sleep is hands down the best activity you can do post-workout after a hearty meal. The growth hormones that our body secretes during a deep sleep can help in:

• Stimulating tissue growth and repair
• Boost muscle protein synthesis
• Mobilise fat storage for energy production
• Reduce muscle breakdown.

If you have poor sleeping habits, make sure you fix that if you want a healthier recovery.

Sleep and Workout Performance

Have you ever tried pushing yourself at the gym after pulling an all-nighter? Not the best idea, is it? That is because lack of sleep can tank your reaction time, reduce endurance and mess with your focus and motivation. Poor sleep increases the chances of fatigue and injuries during your workout sessions, making the sessions feel harder than they are. Sleep-deprived athletes also have a higher risk of injury due to slower cognitive processing and coordination.

This is about what happens if you don’t sleep. How about if you are well-rested?

In that case, you will be able to push your limits, hit more reps, improve your endurance and get those pumps too. So sleep and workout performance have a close-knit relationship that directly impacts your fitness goals.

Sleep and Muscle Growth

When you sleep well, your muscle cells are better primed for protein synthesis. Protein synthesis is important for building and repairing muscle tissue. Studies show that even partial sleep deprivation can cause a lack of focus, which hampers your responses and decreases your body’s ability to adapt to resistance training. Sleep also regulates cortisol levels, which means your stress levels are in check. This will prevent your muscles from breaking down or storing fat that causes it to sabotage your gains.

Best Sleep Duration for Muscle Growth

How well you sleep is important, but so is how much you sleep. Aiming for a good quality 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night consistently is a great way to make sure you are prepared and well-rested to chase your fitness goals. Focus on deep and REM sleep to gain the most benefits.

Read Also: Sleeping can Build Your Muscles. Here’s Everything You Need to Know

How to Have the Most Productive Sleep

Your sleep needs to be your top priority if you are trying to improve your performance. Rest is necessary for muscle repair, but that does not just mean lying down on your couch. Here are some science-backed tips for a productive sleep:

• Have a set sleep schedule. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.
• Avoid screens before bed because blue light can hamper the release of melatonin.
• Cool your room and make it dark.
• Get morning sunlight to give the right hint to your circadian rhythm.
• Limit caffeine in the evening
• Consider magnesium or ashwagandha supplements to calm your nervous system for a good, deep sleep.
• Include recovery support foods, which are also protein-rich, like protein powder or peanut butter.

Takeaway

Your muscles don’t just grow in the gym, they grow when you rest your body. Prioritise quality sleep if you want to unlock the secret to strength training, building endurance and healthy gains. It is free, natural and works like magic. Pair it up with the right food and voila! So make sure you are well-slept before you lift those weights because hustle is great, but sleep is the real secret.