Muscle Building Series: Part 3 – Sleep

Now that we have introduced some fundamentals with regards to training and nutrition we will now discuss the role of sleep on muscle hypertrophy. Within our adaptation response we have an initial decrease in performance, which is followed by a recovery period. It is within this recovery period that we actually produce the desired adaptation, in this case being more muscle mass. Probably the biggest factor when it comes to recovery is sleep, or lack of it.

First and foremost lack of quality sleep is an all too common barrier to gaining muscle. There are numerous events that occur during our sleep but we’ll focus on those that have implications on our muscle building goals.

Our bodies produce a number of hormones, namely growth hormone, IGF-1 and testosterone that are anabolic in nature. This means that they support the repair and growth of new muscle tissue. The presence of these hormones in the blood stream is tied to the amount and quality of sleep. Inadequate sleep (less than 7 hours per night) diminishes the anabolic hormone count, thus limiting our ability to recover and adapt to our training.

Inadequate sleep doesn’t just reduce the presence of our anabolic hormones, but it also increases levels of cortisol which has a catabolic effect (breaks down muscle tissue). Pulsating increases in cortisol is actually a natural and healthy occurrence so the one night’s bad sleep won’t take away from all your hard work. The issues arises when night after night we are not getting in the require amount of rest leading to chronically elevated cortisol count. This increased the activity of a protein called myostatin, whose job it is to actually prevent muscle growth.

Sleep ‘debt’ can accumulate. The chances of one suffering from some the aforementioned effects is positively correlated with the lack of sleep/sleep quality. It is therefore imperative that these are kept to a minimum and where possible a few extra hours sleep on the weekend may prove useful.

Now that we’re aware of the detrimental effects of inadequate sleep here are some key actionable points that will improve one’s sleep, thus improving their ability to recover and to adapt.

1. Consistency – Where possible, have set times for when you wake up and when you go to bed. There is no need to get pedantic, give or take half an hour. Doing this will help to set your body’s natural clock which will in turn release the appropriate hormones at the right times.
2. Limit Caffeine Intake – Quality as well as quantity is important. Although sleep may occur, it is unlikely to be restorative if caffeine isn’t limited due to its stimulatory effects.
3. Limit lighting – Melatonin is a hormone that helps to regulate our sleep and reacts according to light/darkness. Minimal lighting will help to ensure appropriate amounts of melatonin are released leading to a good night sleep.
4. Cool environment – Typically a cooler environment makes for a better night sleep. This will naturally differ between induvial so a little trial and error in the beginning would go a long way.
5. Aim for a minimum of 7 hours – Aiming for 7-9

By William McLintock and Tiago Ribeiro from the Matt Roberts City and Mayfair clubs

Read part 2 here