There is tons of information floating around the internet and weight rooms about how to gain an edge on muscle building or fat loss, but the basic principles of bodybuilding are as simple as they can get. Yet, in our quest for the perfect body, some of us are so busy looking for the perfect supplement or the best fiber shredding workout routine that we often forget one of these most basic principles, sleep.
The basic formula for building muscle has been the same since the era of cavemen: work your muscles, eat lots of protein, and sleep. If you’re lacking in any of these departments you’re not getting as big as you could be. Let’s think about some of nature’s beefiest creations, the big cats. Obviously they have slightly more anabolic genetics than we measly humans, but a closer look at their day produces some interesting revelations. They eat a ton of meat. In order to eat that ton of meat, they use short bursts of explosive movement to capture and kill prey. And when they’re not flexing on antelope or downing huge quantities of protein, what are they doing? Sleeping! A lion spends about 20 hours a day sleeping. Now obviously this is a bit of a flawed example, but it serves to illustrate our point. Sleep is a vital part of the muscle building cycle. Your workout damages your muscle, your food provides the blocks to repair that damage, and sleep provides your body with the cues and energy conservation necessary to put the two together.
I know it’s not practical for many of us to sleep 10 hours a day, but perhaps instead of purchasing that next cutting-edge supplement, you should try adding an hour or two of sleep to your day. You might be surprised how much of a difference it can make.
Many people, myself included, aren’t physically able to stay asleep for 10 hours. I often lay in bed for extended periods of time before I actually fall asleep, it’s even worse when I’m trying to go to bed earlier than normal. I am also weary of sleeping pills as they have a tendency to be habit forming, and anything that says “do not take for more than 7 days in a row” right on the bottle probably isn’t the healthiest thing in the world for you. Don’t despair however; there are a whole host of natural sleep enhancers. Having tried basically every one of them there are two I strongly recommend.
By far the best one is Melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone naturally released by your body when it gets dark. It tells you system that it’s time for bed and is responsible for the drowsy sensation you get when you stay up for too long. A standard 3mg dose a bit before you go to sleep will help you fall asleep fast and keep a more regular sleep cycle. Even better, you can take it every night without any dependency or side effects. Best of all its cheap, you can get a 6 month supply for like 7 bucks online. This stuff is also available in your local grocery store for fairly reasonable prices, so that also a good place to pick some up.
Your next best bet is Valerian Root. This stuff comes in a bunch of forms: capsules, powder and liquid extract. Take it from me, buy the capsules! This stuff smells horrible and tastes like socks, so stick to the capsules if at all possible. This is an herb that has been used for hundreds of years in America and even longer abroad to promote relaxation and restful sleep. I take it in combination with Melatonin each night and get great sleep. Valerian Root is more expensive than Melatonin, but you can save a few bucks if you buy it online. And if you’re one of those people who zonks out as soon as their head hits the pillow, consider yourself lucky and start getting your 10 hours!
