How Sleep Makes You Fit
Get-Fit Guy explains the surprising importance that sleep has on your fitness and health. Make sure to catch your zzzz’s!
It may seem strange that lying around in bed can help make you fit, but it’s true!
For example, in a recent study reported in the journal SLEEP, scientists recorded the sleep and wake times of 2,200 children. They found that those who went to bed late and got up late were 1.5 times more likely to become obese than those who went to bed early and got up early. This was because the night owls were far more likely to be sedentary, watch TV, play video games, and spend time on the computer.
A 2006 study found that women who slept less than five hours per night were 32 percent more likely to gain 33 pounds or more than women who slept at least seven hours a night. And since that time, several other studies have found a link between lack of sleep and obesity!
If that doesn’t convince you, here’s another recent study. It found that melatonin, which is enhanced with good sleep, can help heal skeletal muscle injuries heal faster – which means that a solid night of sleep may help you bounce back from your workouts with less soreness!
Finally, the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to have appetite cravings, to overeat, or to avoid exercise – and this is simply due to changes in hormones and neurotransmitters that occur when you are low on sleep.
If you have more questions about how sleep makes you fit, visit the Get-Fit Guy Facebook page!
About the Author
Ben Greenfield received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University of Idaho in sports science and exercise physiology; personal training and strength and conditioning certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA); a sports nutrition certification from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), an advanced bicycle fitting certification from Serotta. He has over 11 years’ experience in coaching professional, collegiate, and recreational athletes from all sports, and as helped hundreds of clients achieve weight loss and fitness success.
