4 ways sleep improves your physical performance, according to science

But it’s not just athletes whose athletic performance can benefit from adequate sleep. Even gym-goers can increase the fitness and health benefits of exercise by getting enough sleep each night.

Here are some of the ways sleep benefits your physical fitness:

The exercise is excellent for improving aerobic performance. It improves aerobic capacity (the ability to run or bike faster with a heavier load) and efficiency (meaning your body requires less oxygen to run or bike at the same pace).

One factor that contributes to better aerobic fitness is exercise mitochondria; from the body. Mitochondria are small structures within muscle cells that are responsible for generating the energy that muscles require during exercise.

Research shows that poor sleep (sleeping only four hours a night for five nights) can happen Decreased mitochondrial function in healthy participants. High-intensity interval training has been shown to mitigate these deficiencies in the short term (over five days).

However, it is not currently clear how these deficiencies will affect long-term adaptations to exercise, so it is best to get a good night’s sleep if improving aerobic fitness is one of your goals.

Sleep is also important if you’re looking to build strength or muscle.

Muscle growth occurs when new proteins are added to the muscle structure, a process known as “muscle protein synthesis.” This process is triggered by exercise and food intake (particularly protein), and can continue for at least 24 hours after exercise.

Research shows that even a few nights of inadequate sleep reduces the muscle protein synthesis response to nutrient intake. This indicates that lack of sleep may make it more difficult for the body to build muscle.

Hormones act as chemical messengers that contribute to a variety of functions throughout the body, such as tissue growth and development. The hormones involved in these building processes may be referred to as “anabolic” hormones.

Two anabolic hormones, and testosterone and growth hormone, Released during sleep, it may also be important for recovery and adaptation to exercise.

These hormones have multiple functions in the body and are associated with better body composition (less fat and more muscle mass). More muscle mass and less body fat can be beneficial for exercise and health.

When sleep is restricted to just five hours a night (similar to the amount of sleep many working adults get), testosterone levels drop in healthy young men. Restricting sleep for a similar duration also alters the release of growth hormone during sleep.

While more research is needed, there is a possibility that these hormones may play a role in mediating the relationship between sleep and physical fitness, given their association with improved body composition.

4. Recharge after your workout

Aerobic exercise often uses glucose (sugar) as a fuel source. Muscles store glucose from the food we eat as glycogen to meet the demands of exercise.

Replenishing glycogen stores after exercise is an essential part of the recovery process. It can take up to 24 hours for stores to be fully replenished, with the correct intake of nutrients. The hormone insulin may be necessary for muscles to absorb glucose to produce glycogen.

Several studies show that lack of sleep reduces the effectiveness of insulin. This may affect the body’s ability to replace glycogen stores, as one study revealed reduced muscle glycogen stores after a night of sleep deprivation.

Depleted glycogen stores can affect post-workout performance in the short and long term, so it is important to ensure that glycogen stores are replenished after exercise.

Sleep is obviously important to physical fitness, so here are some ways to ensure you’re getting a good night’s sleep:

If you’re trying to get fit, make sure you’re getting enough sleep and that you’re sleeping well; Try to sleep at least seven to nine hours each night.

*Emma Sweeney He is Professor of Exercise, Nutrition and Health at Nottingham Trent University in the UK. Ian Walsh is Professor of Health and Exercise Science at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.

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