The Role of Sleep in Workout Recovery

You can't ignore the importance of a good night's rest if you work out. Sleep affects more than just your energy levels. When lifting weights, performing cardiovascular activities or otherwise working out, your muscles will develop micro-sized tears. Your body will rebuild this damaged muscle tissue stronger than before. Sleep, however, promotes faster recovery so that you can return to your workout regimen and reap the benefits of a physically active lifestyle.

Hormonal Balance

Sleep affects the balance of hormones in your body. if you don't get enough sleep at night -- or if you get low-quality sleep -- your body will produce more stress hormones. These stress hormones can interfere with workout recovery. It will take your body longer to recover from strenuous workout sessions. Getting seven or eight hours of high-quality sleep, on the other hand, will result in a more harmonious balance of hormones while keeping stress hormones in check.

Glycogen Replenishment

Your body's glycogen levels will increase as you sleep. Consisting of a multi-branched polysaccharide, glycogen is stored energy. It's the body's main source of energy. And your body needs proper glycogen levels to recover from workout sessions. Without this essential source of energy, your metabolism will drop, and it will take longer to recover from workout sessions.

Muscle Repair

Sleep promotes faster workout recovery by allowing the boy to repair damaged muscle tissue. As previously mentioned, muscle damage is a side effect of working out. As you work out, you'll expose your muscles to weights. Even if it's just the weight of your own body, this stress will result in damage to the muscle tissue. Your body will repair this damaged muscle tissue around the clock. However, muscle repair happens fastener at night when you are asleep.

How to Improve Your Sleep

If you struggle to get a good night's rest, there are several things you can do to improve your sleep and, thus, recover from workout sessions more quickly. Establishing a bedtime routine can have a positive impact on your sleep. Create a relaxing pre-sleep routine to signal to your body that it's time to unwind.

You can also engage in relaxation techniques. Deep breathing exercises and progressive muscle relaxation have been proven to help individuals fall asleep faster.

Try to keep your stress levels in check. High levels of stress can interfere with sleep quality and workout recovery. Implement stress management techniques, such as mindfulness and journaling, to minimize your stress levels.