Sleep: The Ultimate Healing Potion

Health and Wellness
Written By Lacy Hannah

Greetings, fellow FitGeeks!

Grab your potions and sharpen your swords, we’re about to raid the dungeon of sleep deprivation and slay one of the most fearsome dragons keeping us from the gains.

In the epic quest for performance AND hypertrophy, every detail matters. Your workouts are meticulously crafted; your diet is tracked down to water sips and chocolate chips. You’re doing great.

But what if I told you that, hiding in plain sight, is an enemy so powerful it could render your deadlift PRs naught but featherweight back squats?

That enemy, friends, is sleep deprivation.

Frankly, if you’re not sleeping enough, you’re throwing away your gains. Let’s break down the science:

Growth Hormone: your anabolic bff

The magic of growth hormone (GH) - a crucial player in hypertrophy. Research consistently shows a strong link between growth hormone (GH) secretion and sleep. This relationship is further supported by the finding that pharmacological stimulation of slow-wave sleep can increase GH release. (Cauter 2000.)

Exercise has also been identified as a significant stimulator of GH secretion, and GH, in turn, plays a critical role in muscle hypertrophy (Frystyk 2010). The interplay between GH secretion, sleep, and muscle hypertrophy is complex and multifaceted, with each factor influencing the others.

Lack of sleep can impact your other hormones, with studies showing that sleep deprivation is linked to weight gain and diabetes. (Yale Medicine.) Sleep debt also decreases the activity of protein synthesis pathways and increases the activity of degradation pathways. (Dattilo 2011.)

A consistent lack of sleep can stunt muscle growth because GH is usually released during sleep. So, hit the snooze button and let your body brew a potent anabolic concoction.

Masterful Micro-tear Repair

Every workout inflicts microscopic tears on your muscle fibers. But fear not, for sleep is your personal berserker repair crew! During rest, your body releases hormones like insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which helps stitch those tears back together, stronger than before.

Sleep plays a crucial role in muscle protein synthesis, with acute sleep deprivation leading to a reduction in muscle protein synthesis and an increase in catabolic hormones such as cortisol while also decreasing anabolic hormones like testosterone and IGF-1 (Lamon 2021). This can create an anabolic resistance and a pro-catabolic environment, potentially leading to metabolic dysfunction and loss of muscle mass and function (Lamon 2021). Sleep debt may also decrease the activity of protein synthesis pathways and increase the activity of degradation pathways, further hindering muscle recovery (Dattilo 2011). However, high-intensity interval exercise can help maintain muscle protein synthesis rates during sleep restriction (Saner 2020).

Tl;dr = more sleep + more efficient recovery.

Mana-Restoration

Remember those epic boss battles where you just run out of mana? Sleep deprivation does the same thing to your body’s energy reserves. The mechanisms by which a lack of sleep can lead to muscle atrophy haven’t been comprehensively studied in humans. However, studies like a 2020 paper in the Journal of Physiology found that lower rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis (due to sleep deprivation) might contribute to the detrimental effects of sleep loss on muscle mass (Saner 2020).

Lack of sleep translates to lower energy levels during workouts and the rest of your waking hours. It’ll ultimately hinder your performance and progress.

So prioritize sleep to keep your energy meter maxed out so you can conquer those gym challenges.

Sharpen Your Inner Warrior

Sleep deprivation is like a rogue spell casting confusion and fatigue upon your mind, and sleep loss has long been shown to significantly impact cognitive function and motor performance:

  • Sleep deprivation can affect cognition globally, leaving one’s executive attention and working memory vulnerable to decline. (Durmer 2005), (Killgore 2010).

  • Sleep deprivation can result in slower reaction times and negative mood disturbances, with the addition of intermittent moderate exercise potentially exacerbating these effects. (Scott 2006).

  • Sleep deprivation can lead to a general slowing of response speed and increased variability in performance, particularly for simple measures of alertness, attention, and vigilance. (Killgore 2010).

Prioritize a good night’s rest to sharpen your mental blade and approach your workouts with the unwavering focus of a seasoned adventurer. If you’re struggling to stay focused during your workouts or feeling unmotivated to hit the gym, you might just need to take a nap. Or several. 

The Quest for Sleep: From Noob to Pro

Here are some tips for conquering the sleep monster and unlocking your body’s full hypertrophic potential:

  • Prioritize impeccable sleep hygiene by establishing a regular sleep schedule, and stick to it —— even on the weekends.

  • Create a relaxing bedtime routine to wind down before sleep.

  • Institute a screen detox at least 1hr before bed.

  • Optimize your sleep environment: make it dark, quiet, cool, and comfy.

  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed.

  • Pick those heavy things up and put them back down but avoid getting your lifts in too close to bedtime.

Remember, sleep is not a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s also one of the biggest weapons in your hypertrophy arsenal. So, embrace the power of slumber, and you’ll bear witness to the gains.

Bonus Quests

Want to dive deeper? Check out these articles for a more detailed exploration of the sleep-hypertrophy connection:

Lacy Hannah
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