Sleep and Fitness: 2 Ways Sleep Supports Total Fitness

The right mattress contributes far more to your sleep fitness than even the most advanced and versatile exercise machines. As bodybuilder Dave Robson points out in his article The Importance of Sleep, getting the right kind of sleep is perhaps the most important aspect of personal health. Sophisticated training routines, the latest supplements, and the healthiest diets are all important essentials for optimized personal fitness but none of these is more important than a good night’s rest. Let's look at how sleep and fitness are closely related.

Sleep and Fitness: Using Your Workouts to Foster Better Sleep

Spending more time at the gym is no guarantee of better results. The International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) reported on the results of a 2011 study on the effects of sleep deprivation on muscle mass and recovery. The study found that individuals who slept 5.5 hours had 60% less muscle mass by the end of the study. Conversely, those who slept for 8.5 hours were able to gain 40% muscle mass. This powerful effect of sleep on muscle development can be understood by taking a look at how energy is stored in the body. Glucose is the only type of sugar which can be used for energy by the body, and all other sugar types are broken down into glucose. While we sleep, blood glucose is stored in muscle tissue as muscle glycogen. Muscle glycogen produces more energy than glucose stored in the blood and liver. Muscle glycogen is crucial for muscle recovery and without enough sleep, maximum replenishment of muscle glycogen doesn't occur.

Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and Sleep

HGH is produced by the pituitary gland and has vital roles in important biological processes such as cell repair, metabolism, growth, and body composition. Boosting HGH levels naturally can increase muscle growth, enhance strength and athletic performance, and is especially effective for recovery from injuries or disease. Maintaining optimized levels of HGH is an even higher priority when engaging in personal fitness regimens. Deficient levels of HGH can eradicate the positive results of the most intense workout and actually cause a gain of body fat while decreasing resistance to disease. Poor sleep can reduce the amount of crucial HGH your body produces, leading to poor sleep fitness. High-intensity exercise is one of a variety of ways to boost HGH levels, but the majority of HGH is released incrementally when you sleep. The largest amount of HGH is released in the first hours of deep sleep, but HGH continues to be released in more moderate pulses throughout the night. Seven to eight hours of quality sleep ensures that your body can make the best use of HGH produced by that intense workout you endured during the day.

Better Mattress, Better Sleep

Quality sleep is so critical for enhanced fitness and performance that a new mattress is recommended by the ISSA as one of the essential tools for optimized training results. A new mattress can provide better sleep to boost energy levels during weight training, and increase endurance. Perhaps most importantly, sound sleep invigorates the mental mindset to provide the motivation and positive attitude required to persist with a challenging workout routine. Individuals who upgraded to a new mattress got seven to eight hours of sound sleep and were much more likely to engage in the required physical activities in their training regimens. At My Green Mattress, we've always made sleep and fitness our highest priority. All of our mattresses are GreenGuard Gold certified for low chemical emissions and are meticulously designed and crafted from all natural, organic materials. Our mattresses are tested and safe for the most sensitive individuals, and we've made it our priority to protect the sensitive environment we all share as well. Shop now to get the best sleep of your life!