WEEK THIRTY-FIVE :: How Can Someone Improve Their Sleep For Maximum Results? [Archive]

Dallas68

07-29-2005, 11:50 AM

extra extra read everything here!!!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability? and diseases and disorders caused by sleep deprivation and not getting to your bodies "maximum ability"? (my edited version bare with me!) you need to know this stuff its very serious!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
To use sleep at its "maximum" would be to remain calm and de-stress your mind from the days hectic schedule and training regimen, do not think of stuff that you didnt do or what happened to who that day anything that can make your mind stressed will keep you awake just try not think try erase the thoughts behind the thoughts try some yoga ideas but not like a weird position or anything that could hamper ones ego, just lie there and well think of nothing dont focus just drift but think of absolutely nothing you will feel if done correctly perfect euphoria.

Make sure no one can bother you and just chill bro! MAKE SURE YOUR ROOM IS IN NEAR DARKNESS this meeses up your melatonin in your body! Wear light socks this body part get cold and can wake you up! EAT FRUIT!

Make a plan get a peice of paper or a log and in the same form and sense as you keep records of your eating and training habits you shall now keep a log on your sleeping habits now what you do is to improve your sleep which will in turn help your overall body strength every night write when your in beda and what you were thinkng before you went to bed this can help determine why you saty up later due to emotional stress and thusly after the week you can curb it so your hitting the lights at roughly the same time every night!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
One obvious avoidance would be any caffeine within 4 to 5 hours, take a warm bath or shower to refresh yourself and help muscles to relax, exercise in the midday so once its night the central nervous system is calm once again. keep breathing in large but calm breaths and preferably have a heart monitor close to see how you should try breath to relax onesself.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
This doesnt even need to be said but alcohol is the devils liqour it destroys any efforts you have put in to maximise your bodies gains it also hampers metabolism and acohol can help you sleep yet it prevents a good mindful rest especially if you had a heavy drinking session (obviously your not stressed how your body looks and dont want to live long but everyone to their own), leaving you stuffed the next day Billions of people are obese because of not looking after their body like us health conscious people so do yourself a favour pour the Smirnoff down the toilet fill it with water and no one will ever know! plus you can get the girls who are pretty when everyone else is so smashed they probably going for their own moms.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do not become OBESE! If you are then i plead to you to reverse this horrible mental and physical disease all it takes is massive amounts of patience and hard work! this is obvious the world over, but because it makes people snore more greatly than those slightly overweight, it thusly causes a disease called Sleep Apnea which leaves people gasping for breath and waking up 2 or more times in the night to gasp for the essential breath of air.

This leads to severe exhaustion. Some incredibly obese people have an incredibly hard time sleeping to help this they are recommended to receive Gastric ByPass surgery which allows more food to pass around the stomach and enter to allow your body to lose weight. do not by any circumstances and this to anyone DO NOT EAT ANY CHIPS OR SNACk BEFORE BED THIS CAN RAISE BLOOD SUGAR AND MESS YOUR SLEEP UP!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
TO ALLOW FULL SLEEP POTENTIAL AND MAXIMUM ABILITY DO IN EVERYWAY TO AVOID THESE DISORDERS!! THEY WILL HAMPER YOUR ENERGY LEVELS AND MUSCLE GAINS AS A BODYBUILDER OR A STRENGTH ATHLETE GET CHECKED BY THOSE IN THE KNOW NOW ITS NEVER TOO LATE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENING WITH YOUR BODILY FUNCTIONS!! THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MUST BE DONE AND CHECKED AND NOTED TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR SLEEPING TO HELP YOUR "MAXIMUM ABILITY"!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Some bodybuilders have huge necks and this can also cause Sleep apnea but not necessarily a large stomach also contributes to snoring. Try if your not at school and dont have a fixed schedule to arrange the days meetings and events later to get your full rest. Drink warm milk may not be pleasing but should help, a ventilated room that allows no noise pollution, relaxing music such as mozart or bach have songs that go by 60 beats a minute that are in tune with you hearts natural pulse to relax you.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Check your bed could be that your pillows or bed are stuffing you up. have as little light coming in from anywhere the only light should preferably be from the moon. Dont watch television ( this is a hard one) at night it messes up the melatonin in your pineal gland and it makes your body think its day.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Dont cut your carbs too much! this is the natural fuel for your body that if not sufficient could make you crash.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Try keep your room uncluttered and fairly simple in terms of to keep your mind racked right and not jumbled all over. do all that is really necessary example homework or important work portfolios at a good hour before your mind starts shutting off and your eyes get saggy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
use this quiz to see if you have sleep apnea( a serious sleep disorder)

http://www.healthyresources.com/sleep/apnea/phantom/orders/quiz.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THere are machines available for sleep apnea

http://www.healthyresources.com/sleep/apnea/articles/cpap.html
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
many centers cater to sleep

http://www.sleeptech.com/
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Narcolepsy is a terrible disorder that in America affects over 1 in 2000 people some of them dont know they have it, the symptoms are incredible fatigue and sleepiness, a inability to move and feeling weak or paralyzed are not foreign to this disease.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www-med.stanford.edu/school/Psychiatry/narcolepsy/ --Narcolepsy information.

2 extremes of sleeping are again (difficulty in falling or staying asleep (insomnia) excessive sleep (hypersomnia)

Sleep disturbancy and disorders from sleep can be due and go hand in hand as they are linked to neurological disorders within the mind that relates to parkinson disease, alzheimers and also neuromuscular disorders like myotonic dystrophy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

(Diseases or disorders in a nutshell)

- Dyssomnia is the amount, time or quality of sleep resulting in too much daytime sleep or Insomnia.

-Intrinsic sleep disorders are from inside the body itself, and the diseases and disorders are psychophysiologic insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and random limb movements in sleep

-Extrinsic sleep disorders are of course caused from outside the body and are caused by behaviour or the environment around us. SUch as Hygiene, dependant on stimulants, dependant on alcohol.

-Circadian rhythm sleep disorders these are mainly from jet-lag different work patterns or shifts changed around within a 24 hour period!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
PARASOMNIAS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- these are disorders of partial waking or interfere with sleeping in the
necessary stages

-Arousal disorders are sleepwalking and sleep terrors or nightmares to you and i.!

-Sleep-wake transition disorders are leg cramping and sleeptalking.

-Other parasomnias such as bedwetting (hopefully doesnt apply to anyone on this site, teeth grinding, and normal or first stage snoring.

this is a collection of possible disorders yet can not be classed or not serious enough to be an actual disorder

- short sleepers those who sleep at least 70 percent less than they need to for their age yet are perfectly energised and dont feel tired.

- long sleepers those who sleep 10 hours or more everyday.

- subwakefullness syndrome good sleeping yet not alert in morning

-fragmentay myoclonus jerks or twitching without you trying to move that part.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
- sleep hyperhydrosis or night sweats.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

there are a recorded over 100 reports of sleep disorders possibly many are mental this would be too lenghty to list as i have covered all the major ones.

THIS IS SOME VITAL INFO THAT MUST BE KNOWN FOR YOU TO CORRECT AND SOLVE TO MAXIMISE YOUR ABILITY AS AN ATHLETE AND TO SLEEP MORE EFFICIENTLY

Dallas68

07-29-2005, 01:24 PM

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
enough sleep to where you can wake up completely naturally, this is very hard to acheive with sports on weekend and school at terrible times in the morning try go to sleep an hour earlier than normal to try get as much rest as possible without it, thats a whole huge factor preventing your body from growing and repairing very much needed!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Age groups does not really matter your body has a natural clock it works by to regulate everything, perhaps if your a PRO or serious bodybuilder and possibly when in the elderly stage of life. you need to have a nap to allow more sleep at nighttime, after a heavy training session i have crashed and slept but the next day with the nap and sleep i felt awesome. as you get older you nee d more sleep to help recuperate as you get older you have more time and less responsibilties and actually can feel very refeshed at this age., the same for teens although we need at least nine hours of solid sleep.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Infants or babies need much more to grow at a recommended 14 to 16 hours a day ( no wonder you remember nothing when your little your just sleeping ) Although they do sleep in 45 to 60 minute cycles thus have many light sleeps! and will wake up a lot this totals to about 6 to 8 hours sleep and by as little as 6 months they will start sleeping 8 to 10 hours., SO 8 to 10 hours is good to function correctly.

AS you hit 12 or thirteen you should check even however old you are

-that you manage to fall asleep within 20 minutes to half an hour,

-can get up by yourself

AGES (this is ideal to allow maximum energetic feeling) these are averages people are of course unique.

-1 month old 8.5 hours at night, 7 hours in daytime around 16 hours daily

-3 months old 7 to 10 hours at night 6 to 8 at daytime around 15 hours daily

-6 months old 10 hours nightly 4 hours at daytime around 14 hours

-9 months old 11 hours at night 3 hours at daytime around 14 hours

-12 months old 11 hours at nightly and 2 hours day time around 13 hours

-18 months old 11 hours at nightly and 2 hours day time around 13 hours

-2 years old 11 hours at nightly and 2 hours day time around 13 hours

-3 years old 10 hours at nightly and 1 to 2 hours day time around 11 hours

-from 4 and onwards its basically 10 to 11 hours at night but no naps at all.

-10 years old and on an average of 9 to 10 hours is recommended

- of course us bodybuilders need naps as we arent lazy couch potatoes so naps are welcome but have caution not to mess up your body clock when doing so!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep? what other influences can help relaxed sleep? (another adjustment!)

You should have a CASIEN PROTEIN at the ready or any other slow releasing protein to keep you body as anabolic as possible to help to not allow any catobilism in the muscle. As sleep is catabolic to muscle growth therefore protein before bed or any other anabolic nutrient that allows it before bed would be very wise.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/cas.html

GO WITH THE PROVEN STUFF!

ZMA
is now being offered as not only a natural testosterone booster but a claimed supp to improve deep sleep and dreaming apparently which could allow more sleep
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/zma.html

GH (growth hormone )
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/nbol/hgh.html

take before bedtime to increase testosterone levels! (IGF-1) it is the ultimate hormone it is released by the anterior pituitary gland. During puberty, GH levels a person's height and bone size. Not recommended to teenagers obviously we dont need it!

GABA
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/gaba.html
HGH booster and helps better dreaming and of course sleeping.

Gamma Aminobutryic acid is of course an amino acid, necessary to take 2 hours before bed to not only promote HGH but as well as fat loss!

DHEA supps are very good for deeper sleep and better mindful thinking of well being. it is an androgenic hormone that obviously stimulates the testosterone.

KAVA KAVA is a herb to help relaxation and a reported higher elvel of conciousness, basically more content with "like the world and the mountains and like yea".
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/kava.html

VALERIAN helps stop insomnia (dont sleep) relaxing the cental nervous system, the opposite of coffee.http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/v/valeri01.html --for more info on the herb.

CHAMOMILE it helps to sedate someone immensely. it also has many other benefits available as a tea.
http://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/chammo49.html - for more info on the herb.

MELATONIN produced by the Pineal Gland by the brain for your bodies natural cycle that allows your mind to know when its night and day. without your more stressful.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/melatonin.html

sleeping pills can work for a few weeks to a month but then can give you headaches while actually keeping you awake.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(The other influences!)

imagery and sound can play a large role in how relaxed you feel try find web sites with natural sounds of various soothing noise.

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/waterfall-sound.html

http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/soundfx/watersounds.shtml

--personally a very good site if you need to calm down and relax very cool. just use the music samples.

and preferably get it on to your mp3 player or hi fi to allow more ambience. (haha)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Dallas68

07-29-2005, 03:33 PM

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
What are some of the effects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
MUSCLE GROWTH and NIGHT this is where the magic happens!

Sleeping gives your body time to rest. The longer sleep you have the better, and if you wake up naturally I.e without alarm or anyone waking you then you have rested your body Relax when sleeping it is the biggest rule you have to achieve. Sleep is the relaxing time of bodybuidling and fitness regimes no hard work just close your eyes stretch out and get your whole CNS system under control stretch the limbs out and simply sleep!

THe Mode of DEEP SLEEP allows your bodies natural GH or growth hormone to repair and basically grow your body not getting enough GH has a link to obesity so SLEEP! the need to supplement with GH is recommended once prime levels diminish once you gain a fair amount of age! GH is in your body to tell your body of your age to your organs that unfortunately leads them to not function properly so obviously getting more can help you to retain your body clocks age!

Sleep also completes the process of protein synthesis which
""protein synthesis - the process by which nitrogen from amino acids is linearly arranged into structural proteins through the involvement of RNA and various enzymes. Protein synthesis is muscle growth. The more efficient you can make this process the more efficiently you can build muscle."" (taken from bodybuilding.com its such a good explanation!) www.bodybuilding.com/store/ast/protein_synthesis.htm

Not getting enough sleep prevents with the bodies glucose metabolism which hampers ones recovery times and endurance by a possible 40 percent! your stress levels are higher from not sleeping enough maybe thats the reason you wake up hating school this is from a hormone called cortisol it stops metabolizing the glucose efficiently.
this was in a weeks study! it only took a week for the glucose to be totally abnormal. this bad sleep pattern without correction goes on to the elderly called chronic sleep deprivation which can destroy your bodies whole system.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
to make sure you get the definite effects and benefits from sleep you then thusly must incorporate these factors.---------->
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
(Sleeps effects could be side tracked by these human "mental" diseases!)

Depression, anxiety all these symptoms can be curbed by getting more quality
sleep. Get more sleep if you feel really irratible, not a happy chappie, cannot concentrate ( no wonder you stuffed up the test ), sleep the whole day at school or work, get sick easier. plus prevent injuries by repairing muscles from straining sports or lifting!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-WATER at the ready all the time this will obviously help you as well! to keep you completely hydrated perhaps a trip to the bathroom but at least you can flex a bit and try relax yourslef to climb back into bed and start sleeping again. BUT DO NOT TURN ON THE LIGHT THIS CAN IMMEDIATELY HAMPER YOUR MELATONIN AND AS YOU KNOW BY NOW THIS CHANGES YOUR BODY TO THINK ITS DAY WHILE ITS REALLY 3 IN THE MORNING!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-try to not allow yourself to look at the time as this can start you mind working again to think when or who and when and how and then at night this is not what you want to happen as you definitely will start stressing again!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- find a comfortable position where your face is not going to be at an odd angle where you colud possibly drool all over yourself (haha) and where your body is contorted like some contortionist.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- breath in and out deeply relax and keep in mind that this si the relaxation time for a few minuted think of nothing streesful maybe where you want to be after school or your holiday you had or are going to have, what you want your body to look like by the third month of your training regimen and then slowly try drift off slowly and deeply till you nod off.

do not eat a large meal within 3 hours of sleeping.

AS well with fitness it mproves your alertness and concentration while allowing more explosiveness due to more sleep

lets just say that writing in the topic of the week is a disease you cant stop you have to be the best!!!!!

Im always the first to write yet i dont win...haha...oh well good luck everyone!!! well that took at least 3to 6 an half hours hours good times!!

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout of during any certain time increase results?

Naps are very good for after a intense (hopefully all of you are animalistic in the gym) workout and you will wake up once you have recuperated. Time could be a factor as if you workout at night you might have a nap and then mess up your whole night, so midday is more reasonable. Make sure you have eaten as you may sleep for longer than you think!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
However the one negative factor and im not sure if it is a personal vice, but i wake up after a nap and my mind makes me so that im against the whole world my mood swings right around like 180 degrees and im never angry so this is very odd how i get really angry to violent mad man from peaceful boy. Go Figure (haha) keep it for the gym i guess all this anger

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Testosterone seems to be the ultimate factor to sleep and can ultimately, through correct supplementation help you increase muscle and strength while sleeping AWesoME! Yet one should be over 18 ! although teens have such high levels anyway.

These points shall help you when taking a nap

- keep the light out
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- make sure no one will wake you unless you plan on this
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- have water by your side this should be by your side al lthe time actually
keep you hydrated to perhaps prevent too many frequent naps
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- dont keep a heater on as that will leave you feeling sick and nauseous when you wake up unless it is just freezing
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- try get a good angle before you sleep body positioning will help so you dont lie on your arms or in a position where blood cannot flow and this can cause dead arms and immovable body parts.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- dont leave the random radio station on it will confuse you! You will vaguley remember what the person was speaking of then when you wake up it may be a song and could completely mess your train of thought!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

- try at all times to wear boxers as relatively tight underwear can stop millions of sperm from producing, as well as blood flow not regulating properly and im sure you dont want to mess up this piece of perfection! (haha)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

websites info used very politely from and non plagiarist of course!
http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=effects+of+sleeping&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=effects+of+sleeping+with+bodybuilding&btnG=Search&meta=
http://www.google.co.za/search?q=effects+of+sleeping+with+bodybuilding&hl=en&lr=&start=10&sa=N
http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=effects+of+sleeping+with+fitness&btnG=Search&meta=
http://www.gerd.com/articles/abstracts/210.htm
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1608/is_5_19/ai_100545090
http://www.fitflex.com/weight_training_14.html
http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=recommended+sleeping+for+different+age+groups&btnG=Google+Search&meta=
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/sleep.htm
just a few to help me bring on the right stuff...and a bit more you always need a broader view than what you have been given cool i think im finally done!!

mivi320

07-29-2005, 08:05 PM

How can someone improve their sleep for maximum results?

Sleep. We need it to function properly as humans. Sleep greatly improves one's work efficiency. Sleep is needed in order for our CNS (central nervous system) to work correctly and efficiently. As athletes and bodybuilders, we all know that too much stress on the CNS leads to overtraining and counterproducticve results. When sleep deprivation occurs, impaired concentration levels, frequent mood swings, drowsiness, and poor performance become very common. So we know that sleep is needed for the best results in both the iron game and fitness realm, but how can someone improve their sleep for maximum results?

Better sleep=Better Results

As bodybuilders and athletes, we make sure that we get to the gym, no matter what. We should also make sure we get the right amount of sleep every night, no matter what. Anywhere from 8-12 hours of sleep at night will guarantee maximum results. Let's take a look at some factors that will enable one to get that 8-12 hours of sleep!

A Sleep Friendly Atmosphere

Sleep is made easier when a sleep friendly atmosphere is present. Hot temperatures and extreme humidity can disrupt sleep, so be sure to keep the room in which you sleep at a comfortable temperature. Background noise such as the radio or television kept at low volume also encourages a sleep friendly atmosphere.

The Darker, The Better

The darker the room is, the better. Light can disrupt the production of melatonin and seratonin, when the body is trying to sleep.

Caffeine and Alcohol Avoidance

Cut all caffeine intake off at 2:00 in the afternoon. This will prevent alertness and increased concentration later in the evening, making sleep easier. The reason folks feel the effects (mental alertness, improved concentration, more energy) of caffeine much later in the day is because in many folks, caffeine is hard to change by a metabolic proces. Alcohol can also disrupt sleeping cycles, and should be limited.

Keep Your Bedtime the Same Time Everynight

Going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday will enable the body to set a "sleep rythm." This "sleep rythm" will make things so much easier by establishing a sleep routine.

Exercise

As bodybuilders and athletes, we should be doing this anyway. Exercise during the day or at night will tire the body out, meaning a more peaceful sleep at night!

Effects of Sleep on Bodybuilding and Fitness

When deprived of sleep, decreases in the immune system function and release of growth hormone occur. Obviously, none of these effects are ideal for bodybuilding and overall fitness purposes. A worn out immune system means hampered recovery. Why? Because a hampered immune system means a more liklihood of sickness. Human growth hormone (HGH) is released during sleep. When sleep is deprived, a huge decrease in growth hormone occurs. How important is the release of growth hormone during sleep for bodybuilding and fitness purposes?

Growth Hormone released during sleep:

1) Encourages muscle fiber rebuilding and recovery.
2) Increases bone density.
3) Activates the availability of more energy
4) Increases efficiency of metabolizing adipose tissue.
5) Enables protein synthesis to occur

As you can see, growth hormone that is released from sleep is very beneficial. Training, supplementation, and nutrition can also increase growth hormone levels!

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

Obviously, younger folks need more sleep due to the fact that they're still growing and maturing. Anywhere from 8-12 hours nightly will suffice for most teens and folks in their eary 20s. Older folks don't require as much sleep as teens do, so anywhere from 6-10 hours of sleep nightly will get the job done.

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep?

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone activated by the body in the pineal gland of the brain, which plays a key role in treating sleeping disorders and immune system deficiencies. Anywhere from 0.5-3 mg is an optimal dosage of Melatonin.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mel.html

Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid (GABA)

GABA aids in supporting healthy sleep cycles. It has also been correlated to relieving pain and arthiritis. It is also widely know for it's fat mobilization properties, and it's production of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) in the body. Anywhere from 40-100mg is the reccomended dosage of GABBA.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/gaba.html

ZMA

ZMA is widely used by bodybuilders and athletes, and is known to improve strength and hormone production. ZMA is a mineral formula, which contains Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate, and vitamin B-6. ZMA guarantees a deep sleep, and increases the vividness of your dreams!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/zma.html

Casein based Protein Powder

As bodybuilders, we eat 6-10 meals daily to support an anabolic atmosphere. Doing so keeps a constant flow of amino acids entering the bloodstream, meaning increased protein synthesis! In order to keep that flow of amino acids in the bloodstream during sleep, a casein based protein powder before bed must be taken. Be sure to add some healthy fats or EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) into the mix to further delay gastric emptying, and encourage better sleep and better muscle gains!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/mic.html

How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout or during any certain time increase results?

Naps are a double-edged sword. Sure, they can be great for recovery, but they can also disturb sleeping cycles later on in the night. All in all, naps are not necessary, unless you're extremely tired and in desperate need of some rest. However, by napping during the day, the "sleep rythm" I mentioned earlier becomes disturbed. In short, sleeping after a workout or during anytime of the day will not increase results greatly in the grand scheme of things. For best results, focus on getting enough sleep at night when your body needs it most.

Conclusion

Sleep plays a key role in recovery and functioning day in and day out. It is to your advantage to make sleep a priority to maximize results!

Good luck with all of your goals,
Mike

Benfun7

08-01-2005, 03:15 AM

What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability?

First thing you can do is get enough sleep. But remember, when you sleep you go with out food. Too much sleep can make you feel a little drowsy the rest of the day. So its best to kind of experiment, and find out what makes you feel best. When you wake up feeling good your body is telling you you got good sleep.

Having enough protein in your system will also help maximize the effects of sleep.

What are some of the effects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?

Sleep is the most productive muscle building cycle. Protein synthesis is at its maximum while you sleep. GH (Growth Hormone) is also released, it restores the energy lost in the previous day.

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

Adults need less sleep then "young people" since they are fully grown. Adults generally need between 8 and 10 hours. Teens need, (and feel much more energized) when they get 10 to 12 hours sleep.

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep?

Melatonin is a great supplement to help regulate your sleeping patterns. Melatonion is produced naturally in the body and released through the night. I have used melatonin several times, it puts you out like a light.

Calcium supplements may also promote sleep if you are calcium deficient. A calcium deficiency can cause "weak" sleep.

Tryptophan is an amino acid that plays a key role in muscle repair during sleep. Tryptophan supplements are not available in the United States, but you can find tryptophan in foods like Milk and Turkey.

Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate can increase anabolic hormone levels, and may help increase "restful sleep"

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout or during any certain time increase results?

I don't think naps are worth it for most people. They can disturb you sleep cycle, and keep you up when you should be getting deep sleep. They can also make you feel more weak and tired then you felt before.

Links
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=Sleep
http://www.arc4life.com/site/615058/page/321282
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KFY/is_6_20/ai_98488521

Ben Hunter.

Dallas68

08-01-2005, 11:22 AM

well not completely on topic ....not too many articles i know its still a while to go but seems most deserted this week oh well thats alright

chewwy

08-01-2005, 12:47 PM

- try at all times to wear boxers as relatively tight underwear can stop millions of sperm from producing, as well as blood flow not regulating properly and im sure you dont want to mess up this piece of perfection! (haha)

lmao:)

i think i'll write something this week... i like sleep.

Dallas68

08-02-2005, 07:00 AM

TheMind

08-02-2005, 08:37 AM

yea but ts true or i wouldnt have said it bro haha
i hate onboard keyboards...
anyway since webmaster reads this forum i want to ask that if u win is it the order as well as the shipping? cause overseas is darn pricy well anyway hope have a chance! this week

I believe that Shippping within the US is free of charge when using store credit, however (and clearly I am not the official answer) I would believe that when dealing with WorldWide shipping, you should include the shipping with your items to come to your total, which you would need to cover with store credit.

ex: You have $50 credit: $35 Whey + $15 Shipping = $50, this would be correct and ok.

You have $50 credit: $35 Whey + $12 ZMA + $17 Shipping = $64, this would probably not be acceptable.

As I said, I am not official, but this is my assumption on the matter.

well not completely on topic ....not too many articles i know its still a while to go but seems most deserted this week oh well thats alright

I would expect several to be posted today and tomorrow.....Some people here(like me) haven't yet finished their response, whilst other (like everyone else) are afraid of copiers, so wait to the last day to post, lol.

You can expect to see an article from myself, and I'm pretty sure SwordChucks has another great one in store....Others will post too, you can count on it. TOTW has been picking up quite nicely, and has been very popular.

Dallas68

08-02-2005, 10:21 AM

Yea my logic told me that but trust bb.com 2 surprise u!
i hope i get an advantage as i was 1st and did it in like 5 straight hours
good luck 2 u all!

i hate onboard keyboads!

luddite

08-02-2005, 11:03 AM

Sleep is a necessary part of human existence. It allows the brain to filter and sort out whats gone on over the day, allows your body to recover, and leaves you feeling refreshed, powerful, and ready to attack the day.

In general, any human able to read this post should try to get at least seven hours of sleep a day. This gives you enough time to release some growth hormone, pack in some REM sleep, and give your muscles a rest.
In my experience, naps are counter-productive, as they inhibit your ability to completely rest come (normal) sleep time.

Several variables impact a person's ability to sleep. In most clinical studies concerning insomniacs, stress has been cited as the most important factor in a good night's sleep. If you want better sleep, make a conscious effort to reduce your stress level. Of course, exercise is a proven way to reduce stress, so that shouldn't be a problem for anyone on this board, right? Nevertheless, if you get stressed out, take a moment and think about the situation you are in. If you are under stress, your cortisol levels go up, increase fat distribution to your love handles and face, the worst places they can be... and then you'll have a horrible night's sleep. Is stress really worth all that? RELAX!

When it comes to supplements and sleep, I think I should express my personal feelings and ideas, since there aren't too many studies I trust on this subject. I feel that if you don't need a supplement, you shouldn't take it, and I don't think you need a supplement for sleep. It is better to change your lifestyle and attitude before putting anything more into your body. However, I will now espouse the one thing that I am very, very interested in that can definitely affect the way you sleep!

It's called brainwave generation. Doesn't that sound all science-fictiony? Well, let me explain the way it works by first giving you my own experience. After a long day, I was very tired, but I only had four hours to sleep! I had an interview the next day and needed to be ready for some mind-bending questions. I queued up an audio file on my mp3 player, put on my headphones, and drifted off to sleep. I then woke up five minutes before my alarm rang, refreshed, with no lower back pain, and ready to take on the day!

Yes, it sounds too good to be true and like I probably made it up, but let me try and explain. The audio file I listened to was one designed to induce my brain into different states. Certain frequencies were used between the left and right earpieces and my brain mirrored them after habituation. There are thousands of mp3's like this floating around the net with different purposes - some to induce out of body experiences, some to induce a sort of hypnotherapy, and some to help you sleep better. I have shown these to my friends and they have all had similar results.

So, there you have it. In order you improve your sleep, simply reduce your stress. If you want to experiment a little, try listening to some brainwave generation mp3's. Don't supplement unless you have to, and remember...
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy and wise."

chewwy

08-02-2005, 11:26 AM

I believe that Shippping within the US is free of charge when using store credit, however (and clearly I am not the official answer) I would believe that when dealing with WorldWide shipping, you should include the shipping with your items to come to your total, which you would need to cover with store credit.

ex: You have $50 credit: $35 Whey + $15 Shipping = $50, this would be correct and ok.

You have $50 credit: $35 Whey + $12 ZMA + $17 Shipping = $64, this would probably not be acceptable.

As I said, I am not official, but this is my assumption on the matter.

I would expect several to be posted today and tomorrow.....Some people here(like me) haven't yet finished their response, whilst other (like everyone else) are afraid of copiers, so wait to the last day to post, lol.

You can expect to see an article from myself, and I'm pretty sure SwordChucks has another great one in store....Others will post too, you can count on it. TOTW has been picking up quite nicely, and has been very popular.
no. when i won (the early weeks) the first time i thought this. however i then noticed ravadongon (i think) won, and he lives in australia and ordered 50$ of supps. so i emailed them, they said shiiping costs were not included in the 50$ (at the time) credit. so you get lots of stuff.

of course, this may have changed, but i doubt it...

Dallas68

08-02-2005, 11:35 AM

Jees u know how awesome that would be!!!!
hehe ud be a bbuilding baller! lol

chewwy

08-02-2005, 11:44 AM

whoa, whoa, slow down, i'm a bit confused. i found this email from an earlier TOTW i won:

Will W
to me
More options 10/21/04
Thanks for the order, we will get this sent out ASAP. Shipping and handling
is included in your credit. It was about 8 dollars over, but I will comp
it.

Thanks,

Will

so i don't know. it would make more sense for the proze money to include shipping anyway, since it costs bb.com money just as supplements do. we'll wait for someone who has won more recently or an admin to tell us... however you can't really complain about any free credit you receive:)

anyway, enough of this, back on topic.

TheMind

08-02-2005, 11:52 AM

no. when i won (the early weeks) the first time i thought this. however i then noticed ravadongon (i think) won, and he lives in australia and ordered 50$ of supps. so i emailed them, they said shiiping costs were not included in the 50$ (at the time) credit. so you get lots of stuff.

of course, this may have changed, but i doubt it...

I can believe that....lol....Just know that I'm in USA, and I didn't have to compensate for shipping....wasn't sure if the same applied to international orders, seeing as shipping is considerably more expensive.

Dallas68

08-02-2005, 11:59 AM

ok thats cool!
any credit is welcomed with open arms!
really wanna try white blood cause already on protein
sorry if robbing thread!

sword chucks

08-02-2005, 12:21 PM

i always add in shipping to my order and make sure the total cost is under the amount of store credit i have... seems more fair to me

DSM18

08-02-2005, 02:26 PM

TOPIC: How Can Someone Improve Their Sleep For Maximum Results?

Sleep is often overlooked as one of the major factors that lead to making good gains in the gym. People often forget sleeps importance because with other factors such as nutrition, we have to exercise a certain degree of effort, whereas sleep just happens.

We all think sleeping is the easier thing to do, just close your eyes and jump into bed. But people have taken advantage over how natural sleep is, and have forgotten that just like training, sleeping has its principles. When the topic of sleeping properly is bought up, most people focus on when what time they go to sleep, what time they arise, and how many hours of sleep they get each night. But there are deeper things that affect how well you sleep, and I will discuss them in this article here.

What are some of the affects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?

Firstly, we have to understand sleeping affects on our body. During sleep is the time where the body’s natural processes such as self-repair are at their highest. The body takes sleep as a signal of self-healing, not only refreshing the mind, but rejuvenating all the inner processes within the body. These include cell-repair and tissue-growth – essential for building quality, lean muscle.

Sleep also refuels our energy cells, giving us the life force needed for our workouts. We all know the feeling of being depleted of energy while training and how it affects our workout intensity. Sleep ensures we have the endurance to maintain through those 1-2 hour workouts. It’s not only the amount of physical energy we have that gets us through our workouts, but our mental energy. Sleep refreshes the mind, and makes us feel alert, awake and responseful. When we feel good, we perform well, and this no exception with fitness and body building.

How Many Hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

This question is asked so often, and many people believe the amount of sleep you get each night determines how much of the positive, or negative, affects of sleep you will get. But it’s the quality of your sleep that more important than how long you’ve spent in bed. That isn’t to say that if you sleep deeply, you only need half the sleep. But someone who prides on the fact that they sleep 8 hours EVERY night, but infact sleep in a light, stage 1 sleep, is really not sleeping the best way they can. Also, determining an amount of hours to sleep in extremely individual, just like determining how one should train in the gym. Some bodies need less sleep, where others require long hours, some people like high volume, whereas others prefer it low.

In terms of age, as a very general guideline, the elderly need longer time asleep each night, but it is unnecessary to increase or decrease sleep time for each age group because although our body ages, ultimately we are all individuals.

What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability?

There are many techniques you can take advantage of that will bring on a deeper, more refreshing sleep, or to maintain healthy sleep patterns. Beginning with nutrition, several contains the hormone serotonin. This converts in the brain into the hormone melatonin that is largely responsible for sleep onset. Serotonin has a calming affect on the brain, and will wind down the body. It makes for a perfect bedtime meal. Foods containing serotonin include banana’s, avocados and tomatoes. Another way to increase the bodys levels of serotonin is by raising blood sugar levels. A medium to high G.I meal before bedtime should make you feel sleepy 45 minutes afterwoods. Ideas include rice or brown bread. If protein is added to the meal, increase the amount of carbohydrates.

Supplements are another option at increasing serotonin/melatonin levels, and other calming neurotransmitters involved in the sleep response. Vitamin B6, and B12 both have calming properties, and through their action are also known to provide relief from stress and anxiety. The minerals Magnesium and Calcium are also relaxing, having a calming affect on the nerves. You should follow the suggested doses on the packets. Then there are amino acids that can get transferred into neurotransmitters – these include tryptophan, which was known as a natural antidepressant. It crosses the blood brain barrier and converts into serotonin. GABA is not only good as a body building supplement, but also effective in calming the mind. Many people I know who have used this supplement reported having more vivid, colourful dreams.

Then there is caffeine, a stimulant that increases the awake hormone dopamine. Although caffeine can even enhance your performance, how it is used should be done carefully. Caffeine should be avoided after 5pm as its stimulating affects can last for longer than 8 hours. This includes coffee, guarana supplements and other caffeinated beverages.

Protein also have a stimulating affect, raising chemicals should as Norepinephrine, adrenalin and also dopamaine. This affect is beneficial during the day, and if falling asleep is a problem, consider lowering protein serves towards bedtime. The standard 30 grams of protein per meal won’t keep you awake, but anything of excess of 60 grams may (equivalent to 200 grams of meat and one cup of rice).

Other than these nutritional options, there are also herbal calmatives available. These include Passionflower, Chamomile, Valerian Root, Lemon Balm, peppermint and Kava Kava. They can be taken as teas or through tablets and are available at health food stores.

Then there are relaxation techniques. Deep breathing is the most common. These will bring you into the relaxation response, will clear your mind and help ease you into a light sleep if done before bed. To do this, lie on your back. As you breathe, focus on the in and out flow of each breathe. Don’t try and control the breathe, just let it flow. Ignore any thoughts that come into your conscious and continue to re-focus on the breathes. 15 minutes before bed every night should be sufficient – before you know it your mind will be clear, you’ll feel so much more refreshed and of course, sleep will not seem such a burden. There are also self-hypnosis tapes available at book stores or via the internet. These aren’t what people might gather, they are perfectly safe and natural, and are designed simply to put the user in a relaxation state where they feel totally at ease.

For some people exercise acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake for hours afterwoods. If this is the case avoid working out before bedtime. Also, working out 5-6 hours before bed can bring on sleep. But nothing beats daylight. Daylight, it doesn’t have to be the sun, stimulates the brains pineal gland into producing serotonin. Getting ample amount of daylight during the day, means it will transferred into melatonin at night! If you work indoors, try and get some light the first thing in the morning. Go outside for 15 minutes, maybe a good excuse to do your cardio, or read the newspaper out the back. Just 15 minutes will trigger your brain into stopping production of melatonin and begin with serotonin.

Sometimes you feel you’ve tried everything and nothing works. That’s because you’ve forgotten the most important factor – your perception. If your not thinking positively, or truly believe in what your doing, nothing is going to work. Many people are in this situation, but don’t realize that its just their attitude. So, what do you do when nothing works? One option a technique called CBT! This is simple in theory, but harder to use. It involves changing negative thought patterns, in this case anything relating to sleep. Attitudes such as, “I’ve never slept well before, why now”, “This is not going to work”, should be changed to, “I might never have slept before, but I also have never tried anything I’m trying now before. All I can do is give it time.”. Personally, using CBT has changed my life! It keeps me focused, and happy!

Another mental technique you can use is mental imagery. This is popular among sports athletes. It involves seeing yourself succeed in your own mind –confidence is very powerful. Imagine how it feels to be able sleep deeply, how good the energy you get from sleep feels while you training in the gym, seeing yourself push through a 10 rep set of heavy dumbbell presses, feeling it get easier as the weight gets heavier. Really feel it, and imagine your there in that situation. Imagine doing all the right things, taking action and buying supplements for your sleep and going to bed at a healthy hour. At first, you may be skeptical, but the mind works in a way where if you see something and believe it, your so much more likely to put into action. You can’t sit down and wait, just letting days go by, you have do it now! There no time like the present to achieve all your goals!

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout of during any certain time increase results?

Naps are a good way to quickly rejuvenate yourself when your not at 100%. There are times like after work when you might feel slightly drained, and need to rebalance your energy levels, and naps acts as a perfect way to freshen up and give you the energy you need to keep going for the rest of day. Personally, I often nap or meditate for 30 minutes before a long workout. I find it clears my mind, and I come away feeling more alert and focused on what I want to achieve. I also at times nap after a workout, usually on days I didn’t beforehand, and find that after workouts I naturally fall into a very deep, restful sleep state. If you are able to rejuvenate after your workouts, recovery time will reduce, muscles will recuperate quicker and better and you’ll feel amazing!

live4this13

08-02-2005, 03:04 PM

i always add in shipping to my order and make sure the total cost is under the amount of store credit i have... seems more fair to me

I'll probably start doing this as well, as it is already really nice of him to give us the ammounts of $$ he does.

webmaster

08-02-2005, 05:06 PM

Yea my logic told me that but trust bb.com 2 surprise u!
i hope i get an advantage as i was 1st and did it in like 5 straight hours
good luck 2 u all!

i hate onboard keyboads!

In most cases, you should try and make the order within your credit limit, including shipping and handeling. If it is within a few dollars, I will comp it.

If this is a problem for any of you (those out of the USA), please contact me and we will try and work something out.

I'll probably start doing this as well, as it is already really nice of him to give us the ammounts of $$ he does.

If the posts keep continue to get better, we will raise the prize money again!

We will wait a couple of weeks and see how it goes. If everything stays the same/or continues to inprove, I will up the prize money in 3 weeks.

Thanks for everything and keep it up!

Will
Webmaster

ho_124

08-02-2005, 11:01 PM

If you have a in store credit of $75 and you spend 90, can you pay the difference ($15). Or do you have to save up your store credits.

ambetious

08-02-2005, 11:50 PM

Sleep:
Sleep is an important part of everyone’s life. No one can live without sleep. For bodybuilders and athletes, sleep becomes even more important. Sleep is one of the three basic principles of bodybuilding (including nutrition and training). A good night’s sleep can provide better physical and mental health.

What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability?

The best thing which you can do in this matter is to sleep well. There are lots of things which can be done to have a good night’s sleep.

Establish a regular sleep routine
Try to sleep at the same time every night. After sometime, you will get used to it and you will automatically feel sleepy at that time.

Bedroom peace
Remember one thing that your bedroom is only for rest so keep any kind of work away from it. Also make sure that there is no bright light or any disturbing noise around when you sleep.

Exercise regularly
Exercise regularly but not too late at night because it increases your body temperature and makes you even more alert. So try to complete your workouts at least 3 to 4 hours before sleep.

Resolve mental problems
Resolve all of your emotional and mental problems before sleep. Try to forget everything which you did that day. Think about those issues after you wakeup or before you sleep.

Eat right
Do not eat heavy before you sleep because it can cause indigestion and heat burn. Other things to avoid before sleep are alcohol, caffeine, spicy foods and cigarettes. You can eat snacks or a glass of warm milk because it has tryptophan which is converted in to serotonin (a hormone) that controls sleep.

What are some of the effects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?
Effect of good sleep
Success of any bodybuilder or athlete is in how quickly they can recover from weight training or any other sport. Sleep is the most important part of recovery process. Growth of new muscles occur during sleep. It plays important part in protein synthesis, provides you the energy which you want for next training session. During sleep, blood supply to muscles increases. Sleep also improves the function of immune system and makes you more resistant to diseases. Sleep also helps you to preserve newly obtained knowledge in your long-term memory.

Effects of sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation can cause depression and headache. It also decreases efficiency at work and imbalanced emotional behavior. Lack of sleep decreases overall health.

“We are not healthy unless our sleep is healthy.”
- William C. Dement, M.D., Ph.D., author, The Promise of Sleep

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

Hours of sleep vary from person to person. It depends on age and lifestyle.
Here is the list of recommended hours of sleep for different age groups.

Infants : 12 to 16 hours
Teenagers : 8 to 10 hours
Adults : 8 hours

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep?

There are lots of effective supplements which can be easily found on bodybuilding.com
The most effective supplements out there are

Melatonin
It is a hormone produced in the body and secreted at night. If taken as a supplement, it can be very helpful in fighting against insomnia. Research has shown that melatonin helps people sleep well at night. It shortens the number of awakenings at night. It is also very helpful in treating jet lag.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/melatonin.html

GABA
Studies have shown that GABA increases the sleeping cycle and people using GABA have more vivid dreams. Other than sleep aid, it has some additional features as well. It helps in losing fat and also helps treating lower back pain.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/gaba.html

HGH Promino Plus
It is one of the most advanced hormone optimizing system. It helps getting a good night’s sleep which in turn keeps you active and energetic all day long.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/iss/hgh.html

for more information visit bodybuilding.com’s cyber store.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/index.html

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout of during any certain time increase results?

There seems to be some controversy that either naps should be taken or not. People who are against naps say that it disturbs the sleeping schedule at night. There are some people who argue that naps are great for recovery process. I read an interesting article somewhere on web that an hour of nap is equal to 3 hours of sleep at night.
Naps work well for some people but others find it difficult to adopt because they can not sleep well at night.
Personally, I find them very refreshing. I often take naps before my workouts because they clear my mind from any thought that I had before and let me focus on my workouts more.

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 11:53 AM

If you have a in store credit of $75 and you spend 90, can you pay the difference ($15). Or do you have to save up your store credits.

yeah i wondered that too. I dont think you can unless you make 2 separate orders though since it requires 2 different payment options

pirus

08-03-2005, 01:50 PM

chewwy

08-03-2005, 03:38 PM

its important to make your mind "unstressed" and maby look into some motivation stuff.. i made a video of myself training and made some slipknot playing in the background. this stuff motivates me more than enything else :) a good choise before you go to bed
surely that would 'pump you up', and by definition not relax you? maybe it works for you, but while such motivation may be beneficial to me when i am about to work out, sleeping is more of a passive activity, before which i need nothing on my mind.

TheMind

08-03-2005, 04:37 PM

Superman. Mr. Incredible. Hercules. These and many more have one thing in common: They were born with incredible physical strength. They didn’t slave in the gym like we do, and they don’t have to get up at 5:00am to get to the gym before it becomes crowded like we do…Idolize them as you wish, you will never be as strong as they are. All the training and steroids in the world couldn’t get you there; depressing, isn’t it?

On the other hand, consider Popeye, or the Incredible Hulk. Two somewhat normal humans like you and I who found the key to unlocking their full physical potential. Wouldn’t it be nice to have such a key for yourself? I can’t guarantee that an undeniable love of your green vegetables or a case of severe emotional dysfunction will give you the results you want, however, I can promise you that Sleep may just be the key you’re looking for.

That’s right: Sleep. The Cheapest, most Effective supplement known to man; and slightly more legal than steroids. Couldn’t beat it with a stick. No, not even if the stick were huge.

So you’ve heard it a million times, right? The average adult needs at least 7 or 8 hours of undisturbed sleep to be fully rested upon waking. So simple a sentence, yet often not nearly as simple an application.

Let’s face it, most of us already wish there were more hours in a day. There are a million things to do in a day, and only 24 hours to do them in. Many desperately try to find a balance between work, family, sports, sleep, lifting, television, reading, and a variety of other things all at once, but until we develop a working time extorter, we seem to be sad out of luck. The natural inclination is to cut back on certain elements of your day, and often Sleep is the first thing to be tossed aside.

In today’s world, sleep is often considered “wasted time” that a person only spends so that they can make it through another day without feeling completely groggy, and without the need to fight sleep off like the plague, as many do every day. And sure we’d LIKE to get more sleep, “but all the best television programming is on at 10:00PM!”

I think it’s time to finally get one thing straight: Sleep is an ASSET, and necessary for maximum performance. NOT a Hassle, as so many believe it to be.

Sleep is the ultimate recovery system. It can be accredited with everything from physical recovery from injury or sickness to enhancing mental clarity of thought and emotional balance. Sleep activates the areas of the brain that are essential in learning, allows for the release of growth hormones, and accelerates your body’s process of repairing the nervous system. How cool is that?

You want to grow muscle, right? You work out hard and your diet is in check. Great. But that’s not all you need to be keeping an eye on. A lack of sleep will be your Kryptonite. There is no better way to aide your body in repairing the micro trauma of a good workout than by providing the right nutrients and, of course, getting proper sleep.

Proper sleep is not “just enough to make it through the day”. Proper sleep is about feeling completely rested upon waking. Proper sleep is not 3-4 hours; that can only be called a long nap. While naps may be useful in certain situations, and almost always reinvigorate the body and uplift one’s spirits, it is true that often times a nap is not enough to allow the body to try and repair itself of the stresses incurred to it throughout the day. A nap, or a few short naps, should never be considered a reasonable alternative to getting a full “night’s”(said as a figure of speech, as many sleep during the day and work in the night) sleep. A nap may be an occasional solution to sleep debt, but should not be heavily relied upon in one’s daily well-being.

There are, however, some who believe that a nap shortly after an intense workout will improve their results. I, admittedly, have done little research on the topic, but it is my contention that this is not necessarily true, and is more than likely little more than conjecture or a matter of personal opinion. Excluding the fact that it is often more difficult directly to sleep after periods of heavy activity, it seems to me that a short nap would be a trick against the body. Once the body entered a state of rest such as sleep, it would want to immediately begin repairs on its stressed muscles, ligaments, tendons, etc. Naps, by definition, are shorter than a full night’s sleep, and thus you would be waking after your body had begun repairs, but before your body had the chance to attempt and fully recover. Stopping this process in the middle of completion, in my opinion, sounds like it would lead to an almost counter-productive state in the body for full recovery.

If your body were a car, sleep would be an auto mechanic’s shop. You spend your day driving around, and at times push it to its limits(you’d better watch you don’t get a ticket!). All of this wear and tear may leave you needing an oil change, new shocks, and a passenger side rear tire depending on your day. Surely you’re not going to expect to repair all of these things while driving down the road, and likewise you shouldn’t expect your body to be able to recuperate while you’re out and about. So do the right thing and bring the car to the garage: get some sleep. It’ll not only keep your engine running more smoothly now, but prolong its life as well.

Having trouble sleeping properly? Here are some tips to help:

-Monitor Caffeine Intake.
Let’s face it, the average person consumes caffeine every day. Coffee, Pop, Chocolate, Energy Drinks, even certain chewing gums and breath mints can contain caffeine. Caffeine also can stay in your system for up to 14 hours! If you’re having trouble going to bed when you should, try and pay special attention to your caffeine consumption, and give it fair consideration. You may even try going a few days without any caffeine and see if that helps your situation. You might just find yourself getting to sleep much faster and more peacefully if you follow this one tip.

-Set a Bed-Time.
Yeah, yeah, bed-times are for little kids and sheltered teens, right? No. Setting a certain time by which to be in bed is a great way to ensure that you always have enough time left aside for sufficient sleep. Plan ahead, and stick to it regardless of what may come up. It doesn’t matter what’s on TV, or if you really wanted to watch a movie, read more of your book, etc, etc. If it’s your bed-time, get to sleep. The only exception should be emergencies, and let’s face it: The season finale of ER is not an emergency.

-Have a Routine.
This may seem a bit bizarre, but bear with the idea. By repeating the same activities immediately prior to going to sleep, you are able to condition yourself to relax and fall asleep faster when you follow your usual routine. For instance, when preparing for dreamland, I wash my face and brush my teeth. I then go into my room with very little light and turn on my fan and stretch for roughly 15 minutes. Always the same stretches, always in the same order. I then turn out the lights, climb into bed, and imagine complete blackness. I’m nearly always asleep in less than 5 minutes whether I’m completely exhausted or barely tired.

-Stretch!
Studies have shown that static stretching can have a calming effect on the body and help to make you feel sleepy. All this while still being very good for you in the first place. Flexibility itself is a very valuable asset, especially in sports. All things considered, there’s almost no reason Not to stretch before bed

-Experiment
Warm milk, turkey, Melatonin, sniffing chopped Onions, Valerian, Chamomile, there are tons of ‘alternative’ ways people use to get to sleep peacefully and quickly. Be brave, be bold, experiment if all else fails.

How much sleep is right for me?

News Flash: We’re all different! Woah, didn’t mean to startle you with that one.
According to nearly all scientific studies regarding sleep, the average adult needs between 7 and 8 hours of sleep every day to feel well rested and clear-headed. Teenagers, studies show, require between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night: a fact often disregarded by parents and teens alike. This is an especially important issue, as getting insufficient sleep while in your teen years could restrict the potential of growth spurts during this age. And of course, following this same pattern, infants and small children need between 14-18 hours(newborns/infants) or 12-14 hours(Younger than 3 years) of sleep every day. It’s important to note, however, that these are scientific averages. Some individuals truly only need 5-6 hours of sleep a day to feel their fullest, whilst others may require 9-10. The key is to find what works best for you, and a good way to test yourself is to wake naturally for at least an entire week, and take the average nightly amount of sleep you got. Even if this means you need to go to sleep earlier than ordinary as a means of testing your natural sleep cycle, the benefits of knowing exactly how your body acts is well worth the time dedicated.

CONTINUED

TheMind

08-03-2005, 04:39 PM

What supplements can improve my sleep?

In the world of supplements, nearly all aspects of life have some product that will claim to enhance it. Luckily for us, sleep is no exception. Some common sleeping supplements are:

ZMA-
Proven to naturally enhance the quality of sleep while boosting testosterone levels, ZMA is an effect sleep enhancer worth trying at least once in everyone’s lifetime. At very cost effective prices, and with no known drawbacks, ZMA is within almost everyone’s reach. And its users often report more vivid dreams! You’ll actually want to sleep more when you take ZMA.

Melatonin-
Melatonin is a chemical naturally produced in the body to help signal the difference between night and daytime. Because of the natural development of the human body, it is more inclined to sleep during the night, and Melatonin is a main flag for this.

Casein Protein-
Casein protein is the slowest digesting protein that has the unique ability to form into a gel-like substance inside the stomach, being gradually digested over a longer period of time than say, Whey protein. Because of this, it is ideal for times when you want a source of protein to be released more slowly over time. Sleeping is exactly one such example of this. Most people don’t get up and eat in the middle of the night, and chances are you’re not the exception, so why not give your body the nutrients it needs to help build muscle for more time while you’re asleep? You body cannot repair itself if it cannot access the materials necessary to do so. Get the most of your sleep, use Casein protein before bed. Casein protein can be found in most dairy products, like milk and cottage cheese, or in powder form from many great supplement suppliers.

Note(not to be included in the case of final placement): This is not my best work. I have again procrastinated, and it shows. I appologize for this, although I suppose it is *I* who is hurt the most by this. Ironically, writing an article about sleep, and because of writing this article I am already 4.5hours late to bed, and will not likely get more than 4 hours of sleep this evening before going to work. It's going to be a long night.

Irony is funny sometimes I guess.

chewwy

08-03-2005, 05:12 PM

this post is just so my article doesn't go over the page...

i think i emailed in my article yesterday, however my internet froze, so to be on the safe side i'm posting it as well. also, if i don't post it, it's possible no-one would ever get to read it...

chewwy

08-03-2005, 05:13 PM

:: How Can Someone Improve Their Sleep For Maximum Results? ::

The Importance of Sleep

As human beings we spend around one third of our lives sleeping, yet the importance of sleep is often overlooked. Bodybuilders in particular require sufficient amounts of quality sleep in order to fulfil their goals of increasing muscle mass. Sleep deprivation is known to be linked to:

• poor performance at work/school
• impaired coordination, reaction times and judgement
• poor long-term memory
• worsened behaviour
• increased susceptibility to illness
• obesity
• diabetes
• earlier death

Along with the more serious consequences of sleep deprivation, being tired means you won’t be as focussed in the gym, meaning you won’t be able to lift as much, and so your gains will be hindered.

However getting sufficient sleep can prevent the above, as well as inducing two processes essential to bodybuilding – protein synthesis and growth hormone production.

What exactly happens during sleep?

Sleep has been categorized into five quite distinctive stages, based on the electrical activity of the brain.

Stage 1 can be considered as drowsiness, where the eyes are closed, but the sleeper can easily be awoken.

Stage 2 is a slightly more deeper sleep, where the body is still receptive to external activity, for example sounds. The heart rate slows and body temperature decreases, as the body prepares to enter deep sleep.

During stages 3 & 4, known as “slow wave sleep” secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary gland is increased, as well as functioning of the immune system. Hence, if you are ill, you’re advised to get plenty of sleep. Growth hormone is an anabolic hormone, causing height growth in children, and protein synthesis leading to increased muscle mass. These stages 3 & 4 take up the majority of the first third of sleep, with stage 4 being more intense than stage 3.

Stage 5 is known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, due to, predictably, the erratic movements of the closed eyes during this stage. This stage is thought to be associated with sorting out memories and dreaming, and dominates the final third of sleep. Brain activity is comparable to that of an awake brain, and it is during this time that sleepers often awake, and find themselves feeling alert. REM sleep occurs in short bursts, which get longer as sleep goes on. Comparatively little is understood about REM sleep, though it is thought to be more important to developing humans, and offers little directly beneficial to bodybuilding, so is not of great interest to us in this article.

How can I grow while sleeping?

Many of you will be aware that the repair of muscle fibres occurs while resting, i.e. sleeping. Also, you may know that in order to repair the muscles amino acids from protein are required. In order supply these to the muscles meals high in protein must be eaten.

The period of sleep is probably the longest part of the day during which you will not eat. Hence it is essential to supply your muscles with protein to last them through the night, so they can grow, and furthermore so they do not waste away! Studies have shown that in order for protein synthesis to occur, high levels of amino acids in the blood must be present. A fast acting protein like whey is perfect for this, as it is absorbed quickly. A serving of whey protein will elevate blood amino acid levels for up to a couple of hours, during which time protein synthesis may occur in muscles.

After this though the body may go into a catabolic state as it burns muscle for energy, since it is starved of other nutrients. However, lower levels of amino acids present in the blood can prevent this occurring, although they do little for protein synthesis. For this a slower absorbing protein – casein is required.

These proteins could be acquired from supplements, which would be effective, but somewhat costly, milk, which contains a mix of both proteins, but has a high GI before sleep, or preferably cottage cheese, which is cheap, high in protein, and of a low GI (albeit it also tastes terrible, but us bodybuilders must endure such hardships!).

Hence a pre-bedtime meal high in whey and casein should be most effective for net muscle gain overnight.

How much sleep should I be getting?

In our modern-day society where time is money it can often be hard to find the time to get a good nights sleep, yet it is very much advisable you do. For example instead of staying up all night completing an essay, becoming tired and disorganized, it may be better to instead leave it until the morning, where you can approach it with a clear head.

The average adult is advised to get somewhere between 7-8 hours sleep per night. This number is higher for younger people, and so I would advise teenagers to shoot for a minimum of 8 hours sleep per night. Good sleep patterns when young lead to better sleep when older.

Though you may be worried about not getting enough sleep, it is also possible to get too much sleep. Anything over 10 hours is unlikely to have any more positive benefit to you, and a survey has shown those who slept for considerably longer amounts of times died earlier. Sleeping longer often means it takes longer to fall asleep at night and getting up in the morning is no easier. Also from a bodybuilding point of view, after 8 hours you should be fully refreshed, yet your body will be starved of nutrients. By that time you should be getting up and having breakfast to halt any catabolism occurring within.

continued below...

chewwy

08-03-2005, 05:14 PM

...continued:

How can I get the perfect night’s sleep?

You may find you are suffering from insomnia and can’t sleep, keep waking up, or wake up in the morning still tired. Below are a few tips which should help you get better sleep:

• Avoid stimulants, for example caffeine, before bed. The half-life of caffeine in an adult is about 5 hours, so I would advise you do not consume any caffeine-containing products at least that amount of time before bed, and if taken in large amounts, leave even more time.
• The age-old recommendation of a mug of warm milk before bed can relax you and make you sleepier, as well as being a good source of protein.
• No TV, games, work or anything stressful just before bedtime will leave you more relaxed and ready to sleep.
• Don’t drink lots, since you don’t want to be waking up in the middle of the night to use the toilet…
• Don’t use the bed for other things except sleeping (with the obvious exception!). This way you will get used to the bed being for sleeping.
• Sleep in a dark room. This will mean less distractions, and stimulate the secretion of the hormone Melatonin from the pineal gland in the brain.
• Get into a rhythm with your sleeping patterns – getting up early in the week and lying-in at the weekend will not help you recover, but rather confuse your body. Go to sleep at a similar time each night, and get up at a similar time also.

What supplements can I take?

ZMA (Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate) – as well as being a testosterone booster, people report better, more restful sleep while supplementing with ZMA, as well as more vivid dreams. It’s a natural supplement, and has no known side effects. This, along with its bargain price should make it a desirable supplement for anybody looking to add muscle mass.

Melatonin – As mentioned above, melatonin is a hormone that regulates the body’s cycle of day and night, awake and sleep. Supplementing with it may help those suffering with insomnia or jet lag to get a restful sleep, and is likely to be more useful to older people. With Optimum’s Melatonin being less than 2c per tablet, everyone should invest in some.

Given the importance of sleep, sleep supplements are an excellent price, and well worth the money for the gains they could cause if sleep is currently a problem area for you. As well as the two listed above, there is a broad variety of other products with relaxing effects to look into as well.

How effective are naps?

“Power naps” are becoming more and more popular nowadays. However in other countries like Spain the siesta has been around for a long time, and is a tried and tested method of refreshing you in the afternoon, which is particularly needed in hot environments like those where the siesta was invented. Taking a 15-30 minute nap in the afternoon invigorates you, while doing little to affect sleep patterns at night.

For bodybuilders, taking a nap after a workout would be beneficial (though not always feasible). Having taken the post-workout meal a nap would allow the body to absorb the nutrients as quickly as possible, and begin the repair and growth of the muscles as soon as possible. Though the growth potential in such a short amount of time is somewhat questionable, I still feel it would be better than continuing activity.

Conclusion

Sleep is a critical piece of the jigsaw for bodybuilding effectively. Get around 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night at a similar time, with a meal rich in whey and casein beforehand, and you should wake up in the morning feeling refreshed, energised, and with a little bit more muscle.

webmaster

08-03-2005, 06:07 PM

yeah i wondered that too. I dont think you can unless you make 2 separate orders though since it requires 2 different payment options

You can save your credit to use for future orders. Ex. if you want to save your credit up and make 1 big order, that is fine.

Thanks,

Will

bigcalves

08-03-2005, 07:19 PM

How Can Someone Improve Their Sleep For Maximum Results?

Sleep. Everyone needs it. Every breathing creature needs sleep to replenish and restores its system. Humans too need sleep. But in today's fast paced world, it is common to cut the hours we sleep in and trade them for watching TV, playing games or being with friends. Sleep is not a cliche used for little kids to get them to go to bed, but something that is needed by little kids and adults alike. Sleeping is something that your body needs and if you give it, it will reward you with great energy and willingness to work through out the day. See, most people think that keeping track of your hours and sleep time as an adult is something athletes need to worry about. But those same people need 2-4 shots of coffee in the morning to get them up, a nap at around 5pm so they can function properly. While the athletes and wiser adults that get their sleep are energized and ready for their workout after a hard day of work. It all depends on how you plan it, and what your body needs.

When you fall asleep your whole body starts to repair. Every broken down tissue in your body, be it muscle or brain cell, is being repaired. You Human Growth Hormone level sky rockets, your testosterone goes up and your whole body is in a 'recharge' mode. As bodybuilders and gym warriors, we need to understand and educate ourselves of the importance of sleep. You've heard how nutrition and diet are good, but rest is needed to get big. Well, this is how it works. The muscle cells that you broke down during your workout are being rebuild. Sure it takes more protein to rebuild it, and that's why we consume more food. Yes! It's finally making sense. More protein is consumed, so when you're sleeping you will be able to rebuild. So imagine you decide to watch TV and sleep for only 5 hours. Sure you will get up and go through your day. But often times you will get tired, then you will feel weaker as you workout and most importantly your muscles will not be fully rebuild from the night before.

Not sleeping enough can cause over training, and a plateau in your workout regime. Always try and get around 8 hours, preferably 8.5 so you can have a fresh start of for the next day and your whole body will be energized. When you sleep, make sure you are in a dark room, with no noise. Also make sure the room has fresh air, and it isn't too stuffy or moist. Remember to have a comfortable bed. Just relax and enjoy those 8 or so hours. Personally I love sleeping, because I have a very fast paced day. Work, bodybuilding and more bodybuilding. That can get you tired, and I need my sleep. Don't let distractions or TV shows keep you up wasting your time. If you want, you can buy a nice VHS Player that records tapes, and you can set it on the show you wanted to watch so bad that you were willing to sacrifice sleep. Then you can watch it on your free time through out the day. I've done that with sporting events past 10, and many sitcoms that I've wanted to watch but I knew that if I did I wouldn't have gotten my sleep and would have felt bad the next day. Things that are effected during sleep are the following and they are very important.

- Protein Synthesis

-Hormone Production

- Rebuilding of cells/tissue

- "Recharging" your energy level

What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability? What are some of the effects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?

Sleeping is something that comes naturally. No matter how stupid you are, when you are tired you will lay down and sleep. Your body likes it and you like it. Your body needs about 4-6 hours per night to survive and have basic functions. As 'health nuts' we are trying to get about 8-9 hours per night which is a little harder in today's fast paced world. You see people back in the days of colonial times had no problems doing that. They had no electricity so come 9 o'clock and everything is dark, your only option is to lay down and sleep for 8-9 hours till it gets light again in the morning. Those same people had poor eating habits, and didn't have vitamins or supplements. They were not educated on what foods to eat, but ate whatever they wanted or had. Working out was not their priority but they still did it with their daily work. So they had bad eating habits, poor nutrition and lack of exercise and they still lived to 50-60 years of age. That should tell us something. Sleep is very important and I believe that getting more sleep and rebuilding your body every night will increase your longevity.

Sometimes it's hard to fall asleep. You are either too excited about something or too sore from the leg workout from a few hours ago. It doesn't matter what, but you know that you won't fall asleep soon. I would suggest that you stop thinking about that. Worrying will keep your brain up and your system alert. Don't worry that you won't get enough sleep. You can't reverse time so do what you can with what you have. Also avoid heavy exercise before sleeping as it can effect some people. I lift weights about 3-4 hours before i go to bed and I don't feel it breaking my sleep cycle. But if you are one of those people that cannot fall asleep, then workout in the morning. Also if you are in bed and can't sleep, try breathing in and out and relaxing yourself. These techniques should relax you so you can fall asleep. Make sure that your room is dark and that there's no noise. The air has to be fresh and the temperature mild or depending on your preference. Also make sure you have a comfy mattress and pillow as that can cause sleep problems. Close your eyes and enjoy the ride!

CONTINUED...

bigcalves

08-03-2005, 07:22 PM

CONTINUED

As bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, we should know the effects of sleeping on us. We must be educated and understand how the sleep cycle works so we can use it to our advantage and create the bodies that we want to create. Education is a must for us. Even though there is a stereo type that bodybuilders are stupid, I've never met a stupid one so far. Allot of people see that I'm bigger than average and think that I must be a stupid construction worker ( no offense to construction workers). People are ignorant and that's their problem. But if you are ignorant about your body and are trying to get somewhere, then that's a very big problem that you have. You must understand your body before you do anything with it. As we sleep, HGH and 1-IGF hormones go up. Testosterone sky rockets as we are being repaired by our system. Every tissue is being rebuild so it can face a new day, start a new purpose, survive. This cycle is kicking heavily within 2 hours of when you fell asleep. So 6 hours of repair and then you wake up naturally. So imagine if you only slept 5 hours that night. What does that leave you with? 2-3 hour of repair if that. Why would you do that? So you can watch some sitcom or movie. If your goal is to be a movie critic then I say go for it, but for getting big, you need all the sleep you can get.

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

This is a pretty open statement, open to many answers. It depends on the activity level and goals of the individual. There is no rules written in stone that says how many hours of sleep age groups should get. Common sense would tell us that kids under 6 should get as much as they can, with many naps in between because they are still developing. Teens should get around 8-10 hours per night as they are still growing and their hormones are still developing and body is still maturing. Normal adults should get around 7-8 hours of sleep so the body can repair, tissues can regrow and energy levels would be restored. Sleep is something that is needed and even though we overlook it, it's very important. Cultures around the world treat sleeping as a peaceful state of being, while Americans are overworked, with no rest and no sleep. Most Americans will choose two hours watching TV with reduced sleep than one big night of sleep. That comes from the uneducated minds. If all of America knew how important sleep is and how they can use it to their advantage they will be more careful and understanding about this subject.

Common sense would tell us that as bodybuilders we need more sleep. We put our bodies on the line with intense training, eating and lifestyle. But at the end of the day we are human just like everybody else. The thing that separates us is that we push our self to the max and to what the human body can do. So obviously we need a longer time to repair and rebuild our bodies. So I would recommend anywhere from 8-9 hours for an adult bodybuilder. Sure we are well grown adults, but after all, we put our body through so much than average people and we can really use that extra 2 hours sleep that our neigh boor doesn't. With more sleep you will have more energy and will be ready to face off the day. You won't feel tired or snappy at people and your day will go faster and easier. You won't be so stressed and also your whole state of mind will be clear.

- Children should get 8-12 hours

- Teenagers should get 8-10 hours

- Average Adult should get 8 hours

- Adult Bodybuilder should get 8-9 hours

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep?

Sleep is a natural occurrence. What ever you do make sure that you don't mess with your cycle too much because if you ruin it, it can take a few weeks for it to get back to normal and those few weeks will be terrible. Supplements can help you relax, or aid you in falling asleep. What ever you do always check the label for directions and stay away from 'sleeping pills' but rather get things that will relax you so you can go asleep naturally. Never rely on supplements as your only option to sleep and only aid to 'make' you fall asleep. As I said the sleep cycle is natural and once you mess with it, you won't feel that good and it will take a few weeks to set it back to normal. Although not always good, supplements can be very beneficial. Being educated about what happens in your body and how the supplement will work will make everything easier. Just make sure you research the supplements you want to take and how it will effect your sleep cycle and other things in your lifestyle. If some sleep aid says don't drink before bed, and you always have a glass of wine then that would be a problem. Always remember to try and get natural sleep, and if all else fails, go the supplement way. Also make sure you avoid sleep aid pills and focus on more natural alternatives such as ZMA and Melatonin. BodyBuilding.com offers a wide variety of sleep aid products that are natural and safe for you. Here are some of the products that I selected that I've tried and think are best for good sleep.

MELATONIN

Melatonin is a natural occurring in your brain that regulates sleep cycles. Animals and humans have this, and this is a little reminder for the body to tell it its tired and needs to repair. Think back to a rainy day, where everything is gloomy and you feel tired and want to cuddle up in bed, nap or watch a nice movie. Remember the feeling? Well that's increased melatonin in your body. By taking 1-3 grams before bed you will feel a little sleepy, and within 30 minutes of 'bed impact' you will fall asleep, naturally and safely.

ZMA

ZMA stands for Zinc, Magnesium and B-6. These three compounds are effective in relaxing your body and getting you ready to sleep. As I said, I've selected the natural choices, so don't expect anything that will put you out like tranquilizer, but it will relax you and let you fall asleep. Don't take Calcium with ZMA, since Calcium and Zind always compete in the blood stream and Zinc always looses absorption so taking it with Calcium would be futile.

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout of during any certain time increase results?

Naps are often used. If you are too tired and can't go on, and it's only mid day then common sense will tell you to take a nap. Although effective they can be a double edged knife. Since you sleep in the afternoon, they can disturb your regular sleep cycle and that's not good. Also they can seriously get you in trouble if you get used to taking a nap and your boss finds you on your desk with head down everyday at 3. Make sure you take naps only when you truly need it because in my opinion they cause more damage than good. Always get your night's sleep and that should be enough. Napping is only okay when you truly need it, and when you do, you won't have to think about it because your body will let you know.

Taking a nap after a workout will provide positive effects. Just make sure you don't nap for more than 30 minutes as that can disturb sleep cycle. Also make sure you never get used to sleeping and destroying your sleep cycle. So personally I don't think you need a nap after a workout. If you feel that it works for you and doesn't disturb your cycle then go for it. So just test it out and see how you like it. If your body gets used to it, and you can't fall asleep at night when you should, then stop. But if you can take that 30 minutes and then hit another 8-9 hours during the night I don't see anything wrong with that. Just look out for your boss! He he, the last one was not so serious, but truly try and test the napping after a workout and if it works do it, but if it doesn't drop it. Well this is it, and I hope I helped and answered your sleep questions.

Good Luck!

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 07:57 PM

getting the ball rolling...

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 08:06 PM

Sleep- The Most Difficult Aspect of Bodybuilding?

The lifestyle of a successful bodybuilder revolves around several different activities and themes that, when brought together, create an atmosphere that is ideal for developing the body to new levels! These include intense workouts, strict diets at times where you combat constant hunger, huge bowls of oatmeal in the off-season bulking phase where you fight just to keep the food down and long and mentally taxing cardio sessions. However, for some people, the difficulty of these things pales in comparison to the trouble that they have getting a good night’s sleep.

Catching some Z’s might be difficult for some, but it must be done. Sleep has many benefits for the bodybuilder. While it is obvious that a groggy bodybuilder can not achieve full energy levels for workouts, sleep is also important for producing growth and maximizing recovery from intense workouts. However, if you are not a bodybuilder, that doesn’t excuse you from sleeping! A good night’s sleep can be very relaxing and make you feel great the next morning. Sleep deprivation can lead to obesity and a high blood pressure as well!

Therefore, it is obvious that anybody who cares about their well being and health should sleep! But how? Problems with sleep are some of the most common problems that you see to this day. To start, there are many easy things that can be done around bedtime to help the sleep and relaxation process. However, there are also some intricate bodily processes that must be addressed through supplementation and activity.

This article will discuss all aspects of sleep and its benefits. I will talk about how to sleep well, why you should sleep, and touch upon many aspects of sleep that you probably did not know about! Your questions about the mysterious sleepy-time will be answered, just read on!

You Can’t Buy Back Those 8 Hours! Get the Most out of Each Night of Sleep.

Anybody who has missed a night of sleep has thought of trying to turn back time and get back those 8 hours- they hope that they can get a better night’s sleep! But you know that isn’t possible. If you fail to have an effective night of sleep, that’s 8-10 hours wasted, in which you could have been having quality sleep! In the long run, each night of sleep matters. You have to make sure to take advantage of each night of sleep to maximize results!

Sleep Cycles last About 100 minutes

Studies have shown that sleep is broken up into “cycles”, in which the level of sleep becomes progressively deeper. In the last 10 or 20 minutes, REM sleep occurs, and this is the optimal sleep state! To maximize your time for sleeping, make the number of minutes you sleep before the alarm goes off a multiple of 100! For example, 500 minutes means 8 hours and 20 minutes.

Too many people hit the alarm right after 8 hours of sleep, though and come about 20 minutes short of reaching their final sleep stage in that sleep cycle. Waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle can make it difficult to get up and make you feel groggy. That is why you should make the time you sleep somewhere around a multiple of 100 minutes! If you don’t hit REM sleep in a sleep cycle then it means time was wasted!

Taping Your Late-Night TV Entertainment

With all of the television shows out these days on late-night television, I don’t blame you for wanting to stay up late and watch them. However, you will soon learn the importance of sleep! If you want to get optimal results from each week, month, and year of training, you need to forget your television shows! In fact, I would advise against watching anything within two hours of bedtime- the light from the television limits melatonin release, which can keep you up late!

An alternative to missing your favorite television programs completely is simply using your VCR to tape them for later! You can then watch them when you get a chance in the day! Not only will you be able to watch them the next day, you will have them to watch whenever you would like.

Eating at Night

It is 10 PM and you have a 7 AM alarm going off for you to wake up. Your last meal was at 8:00 PM, and so are dead tired, so you go to your bed just to lie down. You know that you can’t fall asleep though- you’ve got to eat that slow-absorbing protein to preserve muscle through the long night! So you go to eat your 2 cups of milk and protein shake. After that, you suddenly have a new source of energy, and you just don’t feel as sleepy as before.

Has this ever happened to you? Eating certain things before bed can actually wake you up! The best thing to do is just be careful not to eat anything with a high sugar content. That rules out milk if you have difficultly sleeping- the lactose has a very high Glycemic Index and is not ideal right before bed. Another choice is a quality casein protein shake mixed in a little bit of milk. A great choice is VPX Micellean- this product boasts a large spectrum of amino acids and protein that lasts in the body for a whole seven hours! Not only that, but it is low in calories and easy to consume.

I would recommend about 50 grams of protein as a minimum for pre-bed consumption, because your body will need as much as protein as you can get. You won’t be eating anything for the next 6 to 10 hours! Ideally, you would just mix 2 scoops of your casein protein up and drink it while you sit in your bed, then go right to sleep. You can alternatively have some cottage cheese- this has a much better protein to sugar ratio than milk.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/vpx/mic.html

Quality Sleep vs. Restless Sleep

I can guarantee that everyone reading this (and everyone writing this- me!) has experienced some nights of sleep where you wake up feeling completely rejuvenated. You get out of bed and feel great! You don’t have trouble getting out of the bed in the morning and you have an elevated feeling of alertness. Other days, though, the last thing you want to do is throw the covers off and crawl out of bed. You go to your fridge and pull out the protein shake to groggily sip down. How can there be so much variance in every morning?

This is definitely one of the human body’s many wonders. Finding the answer doesn’t have to be difficult though! An observant person will have ease mastering their sleep.

I find that there are just a few variables that effect the quality of my sleep. The first and foremost has to be my activity level of the day. If I had a moderate level of activity, I usually sleep great, and wake up with enthusiasm for the next day. However, the day after an intense workout such as leg day or back day where you put a high demand on the body, you wake up sore and groggy. This is just something us bodybuilders have to deal with really.

Another thing you can do is monitor the temperature. I tend to sleep best when it is a little cool in the room, and I can use my blankets. What I do is put a fan next to my bed to keep a flow of cool air going by. However, since this is a problem in the morning if it is too cold to get out of bed, I usually turn the fan off when I wake up halfway through the night for bathroom reasons.

Finally, I find that finding a good sleep position is key to getting a good night’s rest. Try to make a conscious effort to remember what sleep position was most comfortable for you the night before and then try to end up in that sleep position again the next night.

Overall, what I am saying is paying attention to little details that might affect your sleep patterns is a very good idea. Try to find little tricks that help you sleep well! You will be surprised how much you can come up with.

continued in next post

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 08:07 PM

How to Fall Asleep

The problem many people have with sleep isn’t staying asleep, it is actually FALLING asleep. Many people, including myself, experience nights where they toss and turn before finally falling asleep. There are some things that can help you fall right to sleep and stop you from wasting time tossing and turning!

Reducing Stress and Tension

The main reason people toss and turn is that they are stressed out from the day. There are a few ways to reduce stress before you go to sleep. You can take a hot bath, you can do things to bore yourself, and you can do things that will just help to clear the mind!

A hot bath is one way to reduce stress. It will raise the body’s temperature up, thus relaxing the muscles. A hot bath makes anyone feel good and recovered! The best time to take this hot bath if your goal is better sleep is an hour or two before bed. Not everyone has time to draw a bath every night though, so there are some other things that you can do.

Another way to reduce stress and relax yourself is to BORE yourself! You can do many things to bore yourself. Watching television and playing sports are NOT examples of ways to bore yourself for most people. Some good ways to bore yourself are just by reading a book or listening to slow, quiet music. Alternatively, you can continue reading this article if boredom is your goal!

There are a few other ways to clear the mind. One way is controlling your breathing. Focus on proper breathing and taking deep, slow breaths. This can be very therapeutic and if you are not too riled up, it can be enough to make you doze off right away. Breathing slowly can trick your body into thinking that it is sleeping, so it will follow suit and shut down for the night! Another thing to do is think of simple things and don’t let your mind move from a single thought. This does take work, though.

Another way to reduce stress before bed is through various supplementation plans. I will go into this later on in the article so stay tuned!

Regulating the Body for Natural sleep- Setting a Bedtime!

The best way to ensure that you can consistently fall asleep at night is to set a bedtime. It can take the body anywhere from 3 to 8 days to adjust to a bedtime- give it time. You will notice that you fall asleep right on time every night and wake up at the same time as well.

The thing with a bedtime is that if you want it to work, you MUST stick with it! Just missing one day of your sleep schedule can throw you off, and then you have to take another day to get dialed back into sleeping at the right times. Everyone likes to party though, even bodybuilders- if you have to party a few times a week, it might be wise to just set your bedtime later, so the party nights will not be too much later than your regular nights! I do this for nights that I have to work- I get home at 12, so I decided to make my bed-time 12 PM every night. When school starts again I will change this of course.

Control the Environment

There are many subtleties that can have a big effect on sleep. You can’t sleep if you’re uncomfortable. You can’t sleep in the light! And you can’t sleep with the television talking in the next room! So how do we control the environment for sleeping? Find out!

Comfort is key when sleeping. This category includes many things. One aspect of comfort that is very important to me is temperature. If the temperature, or the humidity for that matter, it really up there, I am forced to toss and turn, and I can’t fall right to sleep. Buying a quality mattress is also very important! Unfortunately, that item has not been added to the bodybuilding.com store stock just yet. I would recommend going out and blowing as much money as you can on a great mattress that you can fall right asleep in every night!

Another cause for sleep problems is the light! They say the darker, the better when it comes to sleep. If turning off each light in your house is not an option, you should purchase “sleeping goggles”! Just use some eye-shades to block out the light. Another thing that helps is purchasing some heavy curtains to keep the light out in the early hours!

A constant sound environment is also important when it comes to getting sleep. It would be better to have a slow music playing than sudden, inconsistent sounds in the background. For some people, there can’t be a sound in the air. I suggest closing your door, turning everything off in your room and asking everyone else in the house to quiet down the volume on their electronics and try not to be loud around your room. Tell them what hard work sleeping is- they should understand!

Non-Obvious Reasons to why You Should Sleep!

Everyone likes to sleep. However, I believe that devoting a section of this article to describing some extra reasons to get adequate sleep might motivate you enough to keep you in bed instead of staying up late! Missing sleep can lead to many degenerative health problems, and it can cause you to miss out on possible growth!

Specific Health Reasons – This Might Surprise You!

Many people think that the effects of missing sleep are just what they seem to be – a little tiredness and a little crankiness. However, in the long run, missed sleep can cause much more damage than you think! If you don’t sleep enough, you could be causing problems to grow in your body which may include decreased growth hormone, blood pressure issues and low insulin sensitivity!

Decreased growth hormone might sound like it is just an issue for us bodybuilders, but growth hormone works for people that don’t bodybuild as well! The lack of growth hormone can lead to a plethora of body-related problems, one of which is obesity! On a smaller scale, your missed sleep could be causing excessive fat gain- either way, nobody wants that!

Missing sleep can also cause a steady rise in blood pressure. Without a recuperative sleep cycle to bring the blood pressure down slightly, the blood pressure just continues to rise!

Studies have also proven that a lack of sleep can decrease the body’s insulin sensitivity, and a lack of sleep is usually correlated with various diseases.

Why Sleep Time Means Growth Time!

I mentioned above that missing sleep can lead to decreased growth hormone. In fact, compared to someone who sleeps, somebody who doesn’t sleep is missing 75% of their natural growth hormone that could be produced! This is because 3/4 of your body’s growth hormone is supplied when sleeping. People getting between 8 and 10 hours of sleep per night, consistently, are truly growing to their full potential.

Try to do your best to get a lot of quality sleep, but don’t stress if you absolutely can not no matter how hard you try. Know that you are doing your best!

An Obvious Reason To Sleep For Bodybuilders

Although there are a few often overlooked reasons to sleep enough, the main reason to sleep is still its effects on speeding up recovery from heavy training sessions. You won’t grow if you don’t sleep! Even Arnold, who was known for his extremely high volume training sessions, knew the importance of rest. “Rest and recuperation are very important because, although you stimulate growth by training, it is during the subsequent period of recuperation that actual growth and adaptation take place.” (Schwarzenegger, 147)

How Much Sleep do You Need?

Having talked to many avid bodybuilders and weight lifters, I know that many different numbers come up when talking about sleep. The most common ones are 6, 8 and 10. You also hear the occasional 2 or 4, but that is usually when someone is giving excuses as to why they could not train hard the next day- that doesn’t pertain to us!

So how come there is so much variance out there? What is the ideal amount of sleep? Really, it is different for everyone, and there is not a set number of hours of sleep necessary for each person- just think about it, who do you think needs more sleep- a 9-5 construction worker, or a 9-5 office clerk? Below, I will go into the suggested sleep times for various people.

Adults

It is a common mistake to believe that as you age, you need less sleep. This may apply to the years of adolescence for some, but as you move on through adulthood, the ideal amount of sleep does not change much from night to night. As an adult, you should shoot for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night for ideal health!

Teens

Science has shown that a sedentary teenager actually requires more sleep than even a hard-working adult! The traditional 6 or 8 hours of sleep should not be recommended for teens, according to sleep experts- even 8 hours is not adequate! Most teens should shoot for 9 to 10 hours of sleep per night instead of 6 or 8.

As a matter of fact, I always wondered why I felt worn out every day even with 8 hours of sleep a while back. Learning that my body requires more rest than that came as a shock to me, but at the same time explained a lot of things! I believe that all teen bodybuilders should sleep for at least 10 hours a night now, after seeing what a difference an extra 2 hours of sleep each night made for me.

Listen to Your Body!

When it comes to sleep, everyone is a little bit different. For example, if I had listened to my body instead of following the traditional 8 hour of sleep rule, I could have greatly sped up my results and felt a lot better each day. What you should do is see how you feel on a certain amount of sleep each night. If you are a little tired each day and need an alarm clock to get up, it is safe to guess that you need more sleep! Add another 1 or 2 hours and see how you feel!

continued in next post

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 08:13 PM

Taking Control of Sleep Through Smart Supplementation.

While sleep-related supplement commercials make up a good percent of the commercials you will usually see on television, many people are turned off by these products. It is a common thought that they are un-healthy and it is better to have natural sleep. While this thought does have some merit, you tell me what is better- sleeping 2 hours of natural sleep per night, or sleeping a full 8-10 hours of sleep with a little help? Over-the-counter sleeping pills can sometimes hurt more than help, giving a “hung-over” feeling, but smart supplementation can greatly benefit you, while making negative effects a non-issue.

For those of you in drastic situations where you can’t afford to miss 2 or 3 hours of sleep in a night, such as a high student juggling athletics and school work, taking some simple supplements can greatly benefit you in the bed-time department, without giving any worries about adverse effects.

Melatonin- Your Body’s Sleep Regulator!

Just by learning what Melatonin is, you already becoming a sleep master! This powerful substance is the KEY to sleep in the body. It regulates the body’s sleep and wake cycles. Low melatonin means bad sleep. Have you ever wondered why we sleep at night instead of in the daytime? Melatonin is really an amazing thing- it just happens to be stimulated by the dark! The light has a negative effect on melatonin levels. This, of course, isn’t a bad thing- if it was, we would all be randomly falling asleep at any time through a 24 hour period for our 8 hours of sleep.

Melatonin is a great choice for a supplement for anyone. It is extremely effective even in very low doses. Most supplements sell melatonin in amounts ranging from 1 milligram to 3 milligrams, but even the lower dosing is overkill! Luckily, melatonin is one of the least toxic substances that you can take (like Vitamin C!) There have been noticeable results with doses as low as .1 mg per day! You will probably do fine with .5 mg per night. Ideally, you would take this supplement 30 minutes prior to bed-time.

So how do we get such low doses if companies sell a minimum dose of 1 mg? Well, I recommend purchasing a pill grinder, and splitting up the serving. If you can get the caps with the powder inside, just pop them open and have a portion of that dose and put the other portion back in the container. Another more crude way to do this is get melatonin in powder, or a melatonin liquid like Natrol’s. You can just estimate. I would not always recommend this since it is very inaccurate. I recommend Country Life Melatonin, because of the small dosing that it comes in- there is no reason to have more than what is necessary.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/country/mel.html

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/natrol/ml.html

5-HTP- Overcome Sleep Problems!

5-HTP is a sleep-related product that seems to be a bit underrated. It has only been recently introduced (relatively speaking) to the over-the-counter market in the United States. 5-hydroxytryptophan, or 5-HTP is unique in that it is a form of the amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid aids sleep in the body and it is actually the same substance that makes turkey give you that “tired” feeling!

In a way, 5-HTP is like an advanced form of tryptophan, because it is derived from a safer source. Because of this, it is a useful supplement in aiding sleep, while it will not cause negative side-effects. One thing to keep in mind is that, as with any supplement, you should start with the minimum dose or even less, and work your way up to consuming more than that.

When taking 5-HTP, try to consume 50mg three times per day to start off with. You can build up this amount to 100mg but keep frequency the same if you feel that 50mg three times a day is not cutting it!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/5htp.html

ZMA- Improve Anabolism and Sleep Better!

ZMA, or Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, is a combination of a few simple vitamins. Mixing Vitamin B6, Magnesium and Zinc in certain amounts has been shown to have potent effects on natural hormone levels in the body. This is a very popular supplement, even though its beneficial effects on sleep are often overlooked. ZMA is correlated with increases in quality of sleep and increases in muscle growth!

You can make your own ZMA with a 11:450:30 ratio of mg of B6, Magnesium, and Zinc. There are two ways to do this. One way is purchasing a food scale accurate to more than 4 sig figs and weighing out your own ZMA in these ratios, every day! Alternatively, you can purchase pre-made ZMA- it might save you a bit of trouble. Primaforce ZMA is nice and cheap, and comes from a trust-worthy company.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/prima/zma.html

Kava Kava- To Help You Relax!

This relaxation supplement is part of the pepper family! Many studies have proven that Kava reduces muscle tension and stress. It can give a very elevated state of relaxation and calmness, which can be a big help for people who can not sleep due to stress and edginess. This supplement is usually utilized during the daytime to enhance focus and loosen up your personality, and it is not at all addicting. It can also benefit sleep, though.

The ideal dosage of Kava is somewhere around 200mg per day. One container of Kava Kava Extract can last you two to three months for about 25 dollars. You can get Higher Power Kava Kava Extract, which comes in 250mg capsules. You will get a 90-day supply for under 25 dollars!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/kava.html

Chamomile- For Tea Drinkers Out There!

Chamomile is an herb that has been popular for a very long time. It has a very wide range of health benefits. You will definitely notice the relaxing effects of one cup of chamomile tea 15 to 30 minutes before bed.

Valerian- A Time-Tested Supplement!

Valerian is one of the oldest supplements out there, and has been around for over 1000 years. Like other sleep supplements and herbs, it elevates your state of relaxation a noticeable amount. This supplement is effective at a very low cost!

With NOW Valerian, you take 250mg per day, separated into two 125-mg doses. The supplement costs under 10 dollars for a good amount of valerian. This stinky root can make a big difference when it comes to relaxation.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/val.html

Ginseng- Another Cost-Effective Relaxation Product.

Ginseng is similar to chamomile in that it has been used for a very long time and has a very broad range of benefits to the body’s health. It is used for many things, but one effect is its effect on the central nervous system and stress release. This is why it can be beneficial for sleeping.

NOW ginseng is a very cheap product. It is recommended that you take a serving or two every day. Since the ideal dose of Ginseng is 1-2 grams per day, you might be better of with 3 capsules per day, as each one is 520 mg.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/now/gin.html

Still Scared of Sleep Supplements?

Even after reading all of this, you might be a little bit skeptical about using supplements to help you sleep more. You have to realize that these supplements are totally different from anything you might see on television! These products are not like those knock-out pills you see. They just provide natural relaxation which is just what you need.

Don’t Sleep the Day Away!

So since getting an extra hour of sleep per day will help me a lot, I can let myself sleep in until 5 PM every day, right? The more sleep the better, right? Actually, that is not necessarily true. There are a few reasons why you should not oversleep. In fact, there are almost as many reasons not to oversleep as there are reasons not to undersleep! I will list a few.

Leaving the Muscles Hungry

Every time someone comments on me eating protein, I respond back with this saying that I have- “yep, every 3 hours of my life.” It’s just a joke that I have because ever since I started bodybuilding, it was always about getting food in every 2-3 hours. The only exception is sleep-time! The body should be allowed at least 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. However, right after my 8-10 hours, I always make sure to get in more food. This is because even though most casein proteins are the slowest absorbing, they only last up to 7 hours in the body, and I sleep for 8 or 9.

Therefore, reason 1 not to oversleep is that your body can’t wait for you to finish sleeping for its nutrients.

Keep Your Workouts In Mind!

There are many bodybuilders that have trouble working out if they do their workout before they have full woken up. When you oversleep, it actually takes a little longer to wake up, and get to your full lifting capacity.

Reason 2 not to oversleep is that oversleeping can leave you too groggy to work out at maximum intensity!

Controlling the Body’s Clock

As I said before, the body operates on its own internal clock. By setting a bedtime and getting used to a consistent wake-up time, you can maximize the quality of sleep and get the most sleep every night without fail. Just one day of missing your bedtime can throw things off, but one day of oversleeping has an even more serious impact! If you rest too much one day, it can be hard for you to get to sleep for the next day. In theory, oversleeping can put your body’s clock out of whack for at least 3 days!

Reason 3 not to oversleep is that the body’s internal clock is a fragile thing, and you should try to keep it under control.

continued in next post

sword chucks

08-03-2005, 08:14 PM

Catching up on Sleep with a Nap. Yes or No?

When it comes to sleep, it seems that napping is a whole new beast. Some people just do not possess the ability to nap! I am personally amazed by those who can just fall asleep at any time during the day. Napping can be a double-edged sword for most people, and I will go into some general aspects of napping here.

When Will a Nap Help?

The ability to nap seems to differ from person to person. A nap can help the body to achieve some recovery. Napping for over an hour is actually very beneficial in that it can allow the body to undergo actual physical recovery. A shorter nap can give a temporary feeling of recovery even if it doesn’t allow that deep sleep phase to take place.

When Will a Nap Hurt?

While a nap can give temporary relief, the body’s sleep cycle remains a fragile thing. Sporadic napping can throw off a sleep cycle by an hour or two, which might hurt in the long run.

How to Avoid Naps

Naps are most usually brought on by sleep deprivation. They are a great tool to fend off feelings of tiredness, temporarily. A good alternative to napping is just getting an extra hour or two of sleep in the morning. This way, you have a more steady sleep cycle.

Is It Better to Sleep All At Once, or to Catch-Up with a Nap?

One method to sleep that is not all too common is sleeping for a certain number of hours at night-time, and then getting in the rest of your sleep in the form of a nap! This is actually not a bad thing, because the nap is scheduled, and becomes part of the body’s regular sleep cycle. This is not always reliable though, because if something comes up and you have to miss your nap, then problems can arise. However, it is a better option for people that can not sleep for 8 to 10 straight hours! See how it works for you!

Conclusion

So by now, all of your questions about sleeping should be answered! All of the important aspects of sleep were summed up in this article and now you have a big edge when it comes to rest.

Sleep is one of the main aspects of bodybuilding and health. Anyone who cares about their sleep should definitely make an effort to get a full night of quality sleep, every night. Many people have problems sleeping due to stress and activity before bed. Having difficulty sleeping is not at all uncommon, but making sleep easy can be done by anybody.

Sleeping might carry a connotation involving laziness, but for some, it requires a conscious effort- don’t be lazy when it comes to sleeping! By sleeping, you can amplify your results greatly because of the recuperative processes and hormonal processes involved with sleep. While the stereotypical bodybuilder’s life basically consists of excessive resting, eating, and exercising, that doesn’t mean those three activities are just reserved for bodybuilders. Sleep, especially, should be considered important to anyone. Sleep deprivation gives you a terrible feeling and has many negative effects on health that can cause a long-term problem.

For some athletes, even though they put their efforts into eating properly, taking a lot of supplements, working out hard, and getting up each day for a serious cardio session, they miss out on a lot of gains because sleep does not come easy to them. Sleep is one part of the equation to making progress, and there is a HUGE difference between an athlete who sleeps well, and an athlete who does not sleep well. Any successful athlete knows that everything must be addressed to allow them to progress to their full potential and beyond it.

live4this13

08-03-2005, 08:38 PM

Growing : Even While Sleeping.

Do you ever find yourself not making progress even when your diet and training is flawless? Well your problem could be not what you are doing wrong, but what you are not doing. You may need more sleep. Sleep is the bodies most threatening weapon. Sleep releases hormones and chemicals into your body to help encourage new growth and muscle repair. This makes it getting a good night sleep vital to bodybuilding and living a health life.

I try to sleep more but I struggle falling asleep.

How often do you find yourself lying in bed not able to fall asleep. This can be extremely frustrating. I will provide you some tips to help you fall asleep at night.

Avoid Stress

This is my number one tip due to its’ importance. Stress can cause the endocrine organs/glands release too much of their hormones this increases serotonin levels which in triggers the release of adrenaline, which allows the body to work through the stress. In the Pineal Gland, serotonin converts into melatonin by enzymatic interaction. (1) However the increased serotonin levels can cause the body to produce to much natural adrenaline effecting sleep patterns.

Restrict caffeine intake

Caffeine causes increased energy and focus. However when trying to get a good nights sleep energy can be bad. I suggest avoid taking in any caffeine after 4pm.

Get in a sleeping pattern and stick with it.

This is extremely important. It will be easier to fall in and out of sleep when your body is routinely used to falling asleep and waking up at the same time day in and day out. Some studies suggest that you should not use an alarm or other form of noise to wake you up, and that your body should naturally wake up at the same time everyday once it has the pattern down. I know this may not be an option but I would suggest listening to your body to find out how much sleep is right for you.

Environment

Where you sleep is also important. You should sleep in a bed that is comfortable to you in a room that is cool. The room should also be dark as light reduces the brains production of melatonin. Some may perfer the quiet sound of a small fan or radio however I wouldn’t suggest sleeping with a T.V. on due to the light.

How much should I sleep?

The number hours of sleep a person needs varies from person to person. “For years we have been led to believe that, to maintain a healthy mind and body, we needed adequate sleep and adequate sleep meant eight hours every night. A new study, just published in the appears to refute that statement. The six-year long study that involved more than a million men and women suggested that people who slept seven hours a night had the best mortality rate while those who slept eight hours or more or six hours or less had significantly lower mortality rates. In other words, those who slept more than six hours and less than eight lived longer.”

However “The National Sleep Foundation, which recommends eight hours of sleep, was quick to challenge the study. They worry that the publication of these results will only confuse people. Dr. Russell Rosenburg, director of the Northside Hospital Sleep Medicine Institute in Atlanta suggests that the study is flawed. For one thing, it doesn't take into consideration the quality of sleep. Dr. Rosenburg mentions the many studies that show a correlation between lack of sleep and reduced mental and physical ability, increased risk of accident and adverse effects to the immune system.” (2)

So with some many views on sleep what should I believe? Well I would recommend:

10-12 hours for men 1-21 and women ages 1-18
7-9 hours for men ages 22-50 and women 18-50
6-8 hours for men and women 51+

The reason younger aged kids need more sleep is because they are still growing. Also remember sleep needed varies from person to person it is best to figure out what works for you.

Is there anything I can take to help me sleep better?

Melatonin is the king in sleeping aids. Melatonin is vital in sleeping and also controls metabolism and cortisol .

Melatonin is produced in the Pineal Gland it is also a photosensitive organ, what means that it is sensitive to light. It normally releases melatonin when it no longer receives light impulses. Just like serotonin, also melatonin has it's own day & night cycle (circadian rhythm) which begins where the cycle of serotonin normally ends. When serotonin reaches it's lowest level at night (in the dark) during slow wave sleep, the Pineal Gland starts to convert it's store of serotonin into melatonin to be released prior to REM sleep. Melatonin has it's peak around 02:00 AM. During daytime, the daylight inhibits the release of melatonin. (3)

I suggest supplementing with melatonin due to the body not always being able to produce enough due to sensitivity to light. I have had great success taking 3mg of Melatonin an hour before bed. I have noticed I do not wake up in the middle of the night and also that I wake up feeling more refreshed in the mornings. I suggest HP Melatonin due to 1 bottle lasting you 180 days: http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/melcaps.html

ZMA

ZMA has been shown to increase free form test levels and decrease muscle cramps and pulls while providing better sleep. ZMA is best dosed at 30-60 minutes before bed. http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/hp/zmahp.html

Protein

Protein is important to bodybuilders to help repair muscle. I would recommend xtreme formulations ultra peptide : http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/xf/ultrap.html to make sure your body is provided with the nutrients it needs to replenish muscles while sleeping.

Naps: Do we need them?

I would not say that napping increases results. I would only recommend napping if you are extremely tired and need to catch up on sleep. A nap can cause your natural sleep patterns to be disrupted and keep you awake at night. If you can sleep some during the day and still stay on a natural sleep pattern at night napping wouldn’t hurt you. I sometimes catch a nap if I can because I can still sleep at night. Overall I see no research or studies that would lead me to conclude that naps can increase gains or recovery.

Conclusion

Sleep is very vital as you have learned. Sleep controls your mood, metabolism, attitude and outlook on the world. You will get better results from better sleep due to the chemical substances released during sleep aiding in recovery. It also leaves you in a better mood and can cause you to have better training sessions and a better personal life. Bottom line, the best 3rd piece to the bodybuilding pyramid is sleep. When you add sleep to your diet and training you will have success. Good Luck and Good Night.

Sources

I got information from the following: They are marked throughout the article.

(1) The neurohormone Melatonin & the Endocrine System
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory.htm

(2) Sleeping Your Life Away
http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/sleepdeprivation/a/life_away.htm

(3)The neurohormone Melatonin & the Eye-SCN-Pineal Gland Axis
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory.htm

N10CT

08-03-2005, 09:11 PM

Sleep- How to maximise your results in the gym

In bodybuilding like all form of athletic training there are three key elements that account for your success. These elements are: training, nutrition and recovery. Being deficient in any of these elements will not only limit but even hinder ones progress. While there are many different factors and aspects of recovery (Cryotherapy, EMS, massage etc.), sleep is by far and away the most important. Without adequate sleep and the right kind of sleep your gains will be minimal.

What is sleep?

From a physiological standpoint a person is considered asleep when they are unconscious but can still be awakened by normal sensory stimuli (Martini 2001:496). Therefore you are not sleeping anytime you are conscious or if you are unconscious and unable to be woken (eg under general anaesthesia).

Levels of sleep

There are two recognised levels of sleep each with different characteristics.

The first of these stages is called ‘deep sleep’, ‘slow wave sleep’ or ‘non-REM sleep’. During this level the entire body relaxes, cerebral cortex activity is minimised and heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and energy usage declines by about 30% (Martini, 2001: 496).

The second level of sleep is known as rapid eye movement or REM sleep. This level is where dreaming occurs as well as changes in a person’s blood pressure and breathing. Studies conducted with an electroencephalogram (EEG) have shown that activities within the brain are similar to those that occur while awake. Although this is the case people in the REM stage of sleep are less receptive to external stimuli.

These two levels of sleep alternate throughout the night. Deep sleep fills the initial hour and a half of sleep followed by REM sleep for much shorter periods (starting at 5 minutes) and alternates throughout the night. Over an eight hour night around 2 hours is spent in the REM sleep (Martini, 2001). Although like most things this varies from individual to individual.

What can be done to use sleep to its maximum ability?

To get the maximum benefit from sleep you need both quantity and quality. You need to get it on a regular basis but also you need it to be deep to allow full recovery.
There are generally considered five key elements to getting the most out of sleep and making it the most effective it can be.

1. Establish a Sleeping ‘Cycle’
This should be a gimme for most bodybuilders who would go to bed a rise at the same time everyday. Not only is this cycle vital for sleep and recovery it is vital for your diet. Sleeping haphazardly is not good for a person’s progress.

2. Establish a Pre-Sleep Routine
Try a devise a routine that you can go through ach and every night to relax and help yourself fall asleep. Participating in stressful activities leading up to bed (such as bringing work home) can make it hard to get to sleep. Avoid spending too much time in your bedroom before you want to go to sleep as well. By participating in other activities (watching TV etc) in your bedroom it may impair your ability to get to sleep as quickly as you might like.

3. Establish Darkness

Light (or lack of it) is one of the key factors in sleep. Melatonin (which will be discussed later) production is inhibited by light. This means if light is present your body will not be producing melatonin and you won’t be able to fall asleep.

4. Control the Temperature and Noise Levels

Regarding temperature there is much debate about the ‘perfect’ level for sleep. These levels average however somewhere around 17-19 degrees Celsius (63-66 degrees Fahrenheit). Most people know anecdotally that it is much easier to sleep on a cold night than a hot one. High levels of humidity will also disrupt your ability to fall asleep. Noise levels obviously play a role, I mean try sleeping in a noisy environment and see how you go.

5. Bedtime Nutrition

Nutrition at bedtime is as vital as another time (except maybe post workout) for bodybuilders and athletes. Like other times of the day if you are fasted, sleeping will not build muscle. It is vital to make sure adequate amino acids are available for recovery. Ideally a slow absorbing protein source is best. Obviously the amount will be an individual thing but 20-50g should be enough. Many supplement companies have produced ‘night time’ or ‘PM’ protein supplements. These should contain Micellar casein protein or something similar. Bedtime is not whey time. This last meal should also contain some fats but probably be with a lot of carbs. A solid alternative to a protein shake is cottage cheese which is slow digesting and has an excellent amino acid profile. Makers of cortisol controlling supplements, such as PS, also recommend taking at bedtime but they don’t improve quality of sleep.

Just as important as what you do eat before bed is what you don’t. It is very important to avoid methylxanthines before bed. This means no caffeine and no chocolate. Also avoid high glycemic or high sugar foods and alcohol which has been shown to overstimulate the mind and increase the chances of keeping you awake (Balch et. al. 1997).

CONTINUED BELOW..........

N10CT

08-03-2005, 09:12 PM

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE

How many hours of sleep should people of different age groups get per day?

While there is a little variation in most recommendations regarding sleep the averages tend to be about 7-9 hours per night for adults and 8-10 for teens (since this will be the audience covered here that is all I will address). Obviously a person can get by on much less sleep, many people might struggle to get 6 hours or even 2 on some rare/ special occasions. While it is possible to ‘get by’ on less sleep, you will never be at your optimum in any endeavours without adequate sleep. For example working out after 8 hours vs 5 hours will make a large difference. Being tired can also be dangerous. Studies have shown that while driving being tired can have the same effect as being drunk. Loss of concentration, control, decision making ability etc etc. Nobody would workout drunk so why would you want to workout with less than adequate sleep. While these recommendations are for the ‘general population’ it is often suggested that bodybuilders and athletes try to get an extra hour of sleep. I have always wondered why but as I will explain soon it makes a lot of sense.

What are some of the effects sleep has on bodybuilding and fitness?

In answering this question I feel it should have been reversed, “What are some effects bodybuilding and fitness has on your sleep?”, and I’ll get to that in a minute but now for the question at hand.

There are three main effects that sleep has which are vital for athletes.

Firstly, central nervous system recovery. There are only minor changes in the physiological systems during sleep and scientists are unaware of a physiological of biomechanical reason for sleep (Martini, 2001) suggesting the main reason is its effect on the CNS. The CNS plays a large role in any athlete’s success, keeping it refreshed and working at its peak is vital to ensure maximum performance and limit the chance of overtraining and burnout. Sleep is the number one way for your CNS to recover.

Secondly, during sleep protein synthesis increases. This is basically when you grow. Your body is at rest and can continue repairing the damage you did the previous day.

Finally, the majority of growth hormone is released. By now you should be well aware of growth hormones and roles played in muscle building and other bodily functions. Growth hormone is usually produced while weight training and while sleeping, although sleep is when the most is released and most recovery takes place.

“What are some effects bodybuilding and fitness has on your sleep?”

This is probably the most important question I will answer here. To answer it I’d like to use an example scenario.

Let’s assume that all people have an eight hour sleep cycle (everyone varies but this is close to what most people need). A ‘normal’ person (sedentary, non-weight trainer) will produce the most growth hormone over the first 4 hours of the sleep cycle and in the second 4 hour period only about 20% of what was produced in the first 4 hours will be produced. So in theory the majority of anabolic effects take place early in the sleep cycle and occasionally getting 6 hours and missing the final 2 hours of the cycle might not be that harmful. Well in 2001 Nindl et. al. conducted a study with regard to growth hormone production and resistance training. The findings were very interesting. In individuals who participated in resistance training the growth hormone production during sleep was almost reversed. Although more growth hormone was still released during the first 4 hours than the second, the drop in the second four hours was much less, about 40-50% compared with 80%. It also must be noted that total growth hormone was the same. This suggests that participation in resistance training leads to a more steady release of growth hormone over the eight hour period, rather than an early peak followed by drop off. Therefore for a person who resistance trains, such as bodybuilders and fitness competitors, the final hours of sleep are still vital. Limiting ones self to 6 hours and missing the final two hours of sleep would be a terrible option, especially as the study shows a sharp rise in growth hormone levels towards the end of the cycle.

What supplements can be used to help enhance a better and deeper sleep?

Although it is best to get as much ‘natural’ sleep as possible, that is not always the case. There are a wide variety of supplements (all available from the bodybuilding.com store) which can assist in getting to sleep or getting a deeper sleep than usual. Literally there are arguments that almost everything you put into your body may help you sleep (vitamins etc.) I will be focussing on the main supplements that are primarily used as a sleeping aide and more specifically give you a better or deeper sleep as the question asks. Also note protein powders etc are not included as they do NOTHING to “enhance a better deeper sleep”. Granted they will help build muscle and prevent catabolism as discussed earlier but they have no place in this list. In no particular order:

1. ZMA
ZMA consists of 30mg of Zinc monomethionine aspartate, 450mg of magnesium aspartate and 10.5mg of Vitamin B6. This product has been a bodybuilding staple for many years due its numerous benefits. Studies have shown the product to raise testosterone levels by up to 30% and increase strength 2.5 times faster than a placebo group. While there has not been much scientific evidence regarding ZMA specifically and sleep, anecdotal evidence is overwhelming. Almost all users report deeper sleep when using ZMA and that is one of the keys to its longevity. Every month at least one pure ZMA product is in bodybuilding.com’s top 50 sellers. The inclusion of magnesium is thought to provide these sleep benefits. In 1998 a group of German scientists showed that 300mg of magnesium greatly improved the efficiency of sleep (Hornyak et. al. 1998). This product is truly one good thing that has come for BALCO LABS. For between $10-20 per month, depending on which brand you use, you simply cannot go wrong with ZMA.

2. Melatonin

Melatonin is a supplement purely used for sleep inducement purposes. Produced by the pineal gland, melatonin is a natural substance and is produced at night to regulate sleep cycles. It is thought however that some people do not necessarily produced enough melatonin by themselves, in particular as they age (hence teenagers can sleep all day while their grandparent have trouble sleeping at all) and this is why supplementation may help. Effective melatonin supplementation should begin with 1.5mg before bed and assess its effectiveness from there; however dosages can range from 0.5mg-3mg. There have been many hypothesises put forth regarding other effects of melatonin from preventing cancer to extending life. While most of these are far from being validated some animal studies have shown that melatonin supplementation may retard neurodegenerative changes associated with brain aging (Lahiri et. al. 2004). Further studies are required however to confirm any of these potential benefits. It is important to note too that one can become dependant on melatonin and therefore it should be used sparingly or in situations of need, such as when suffering jet lag.

3. Valerian

Although milder than melatonin, valerian supplementation is also a very popular sleeping aide. Valerian root (Valeriana officinalis) is a herbal sleeping aide and is completely non-toxic. It is also without many of the side-effects harsher sleeping drugs and even some supplements may have (eg extra drowsiness, inability to operate heavy machinery etc.). Academic studies on Valerian root are numerous. Balderer and Borbely (1985) studied the effect of 450mg and 900mg doses of valerian with results producing reduced perceived sleep latency and wake time after sleep onset. Although these results occurred there was no evidence of changes in sleep stages and EEG spectra, suggesting Valerian root helps you get to sleep but doesn’t necessarily affect the quality of the sleep. Leatherwood et. al.’s study in 1982 agrees on the reduced perceived sleep latency but participant felt the also received an increase in sleep quality, especially if the were poor or irregular sleepers before hand. One final note, there have been case reported where, depending on a persons biochemistry, valerian has acted as a stimulant. If this is the case for you avoid using it as a sleeping aide.

While there are many other supplements and herbs (Kava etc) promoted as sleeping aides they are mainly used as relaxants rather in enhancing and quality and deepness of sleep.

CONTINUED BELOW....

N10CT

08-03-2005, 09:13 PM

CONTINUED FROM ABOVE..

BONUS QUESTION: How effective are naps? Will taking a nap after a workout of during any certain time increase results?

Naps have been popular with athletes and bodybuilders alike for a long time. It is not unheard of for a professional bodybuilder or athlete to have a short sleep or ‘nap’ after their training session to help with recovery. The major problem with taking a nap, apart for the time restriction, is it may disrupt you sleep cycle. As discussed earlier getting a full and effective nights sleep is vital for maximal performance in and out of the gym. Sleeping mid-afternoon may disrupt your ability to get to sleep later than night. Your body can adapt the nap into your sleep cycle (eg after a while you should be able to get to sleep at night easily) but then you would have to be consistent and possibly nap everyday. I am basically going to go out on a limb and say for the average bodybuilder naps are a waste of time. In addition to disruption to sleep patterns I feel there is not real benefits derived from naps. If you look at most athletes who nap they are usually elite athletes who train at least twice, usually three times per day (eg professional swimmers, rugby players, sprinters etc). This is because of the effect naps have on the CNS rather than muscle building etc. Strength coaches whose programs revolve around the CNS, such as Jay Schroeder, have their athletes nap after workouts for this very reason. Unless you are training several times per day, can fit it into your schedule and are able to adjust your sleep patterns naps are not essential and could be possibly either ineffective or a hindrance.

It is clear that sleep is vital for all athletes in particular bodybuilders and fitness athletes. But it is also clear that both quality and quantity count. Resistance training individuals tend to be anabolic for a more sustained period during the night and therefore falling short on sleep will leave them short with results. With the right techniques, dietary habits and supplementation sleeping well can take your gains to a whole new level.

References

Balch, J. and Phyllis Balch. 1997. A Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Avery, New York. P. 35-36.

Balderer, G and A. Borbely. 1985. ‘Effect of valerian on human sleep.’ Psychopharmacology. 87(4): 406-9.

Hornyak, Magdolna., Ulrich Voderholzer, Fritz Hohagen, Mathias Berger, and Dieter Riemann. 1998. ‘Magnesium Therapy for Periodic Leg Movements-related
Insomnia and Restless Legs Syndrome: An Open Pilot Study’. Sleep. 21 (5): 501-505

Lahiri, D., D. Chen, Y. Ge, S. Bondy and E. Sharman. 2004. ‘Dietary supplementation with melatonin reduces levels of amyloid beta-peptides in the murine cerebral cortex.’ Journal of pineal research. 36(4): 224-31.

Leathwood, P., F. Chauffard, E. Heck and R. Munoz-Box. 1982. ‘Aqueous Extract of Valerian Root Improves Sleep Quality in Man.’ Pharmacology Biochemistry & Behaviour, 17:65-71.

Martini, F. 2001. Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology. Prentice Hall. New Jersey.

Nindl, Bradley C., Wesley C. Hymer, Daniel R. Deaver and William J. Kraemer. 2001. ‘Growth hormone pulsatility profile characteristics following acute heavy resistance exercise’. Journal of Applied Physiology. 91: 163-172

MuZI

08-03-2005, 10:02 PM

Sleeping Beauty?
http://ck.kolivas.org/pictures/trip2004/075%20Sleepy%20Bug!.jpg
Sleep may not necessarily help you become beautiful over night, however when the human body receives the needed amount of sleep in a respectable manner, the effects can change ones life. When we fall asleep we enter a surreal like state, making it hard for us to completely understand what is happening, thus it has been difficult for us as individuals to comprehend this mysterious world. Because of this questions have arose, many of which the general public believes have never been fully answered. Questions such as what is normal sleep? How much sleep do people need? What are the health effects of decreased sleep? Just because we are asleep and cannot study ourselves at that present time, does not mean that others can not study our sleep patterns to help answer these questions. Studies have been conducted and these questions have been answered with scientific backing. Many of us take sleep for granted, and are unaware of the power it posses. The most frequent complaint physicians hear, is in regards to disturbed sleep. More than one-half of adults in the United States experience at least intermittent sleep disturbances. For many of us it is usually just a poor nights rest, which results in a slow start when we wake up. However, at least 15 to 20% of adults report chronic sleep disturbance or misalignment of circadian timing, which can lead to serious impairment of daytime functioning. The bottom line is, sleep, next to nutrition, is perhaps the most important thing our body needs to have in order to function.

There are 2 different situations for people who cannot get sleep:

1.) Problem falling asleep

2.) Problem staying asleep

*Simple Questions

How Much Sleep Do I Need?
The general rule of thumb is that most adults need 7 - 8 hours of sleep per night, but this number often changes with age as well as with the health of the individual. The question to ask oneself once you wake up is, "Do I feel refreshed with energy? Am I 100% ready to take on the world?" Some people can answer "yes" to this question with only 6 hours of sleep, others may need 9. If one night you suddenly are sleeping much more than previous night, it is probably a result of compensating with lost sleep from previous nights. Even if your past nights met the hours of sleep you generally need to function, you might be sleeping more another night to help compensate with the quality of sleep from the past nights. We often hear the phrase "it's not about quantity, it's about quality", well believe it or not, this also applies to sleep.

What Would Be A Healthy Sleep Pattern?
Now knowing that a good nights rest consists of how many hours we receive, as well as the quality of the sleep we receive, what would be considered a healthy sleep pattern? In the United States, many of us tend to have one consolidated sleep episode per day, generally at night with a large span of time. Some countries have different traditions than the United States, and their sleep may be divided into a midafternoon nap and a shortened night sleep. Both patterns are considered normal. As mentioned earlier, age has a profound effect on sleep. The extremes of age (infants and the elderly) have frequent interruptions of sleep, thus they need much more to compensate with the poor quality.

What Are The Results Of Poor Sleep?
Insomnia, or the chronic inability to fall asleep or remain asleep for an adequate length of time, is associated with many problems. Problems such that relate directly to an individuals health as well as to significant social complications. It has been known, at it's extreme, that sleep deprivation can in fact be a cause of death. Problems with memory as well as concentration are the most common side effects of sleep deprivation, these problems may seem minimal, however should in no way be ignored. Word-finding difficulties, irritability, and believe it or not even marriage related problems can arise because of sleep deprivation. A study found that those people with sleep deprivation problems are more likely to become divorced rather than those people who get a good nights rest. A few other causes which are generally not thought to be linked with sleep deprivation are: productivity at work, car accidents, common cold, and even poor sex. The cost of medications for sleeping pills or for stimulants amount to nearly ONE BILLION DOLLARS PER YEAR! It is quite evident that sleep deprivation is a very common problem among our society and should not be ignored nor thought as a "small" problem

http://www.geocities.com/diesel_unlimited/rem_sleep_illus.gif
Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M): R.E.M was discovered in the early 1950’s, this phenomenon is an active period of sleep marked in humans by intense activity in the brain and rapid bursts of eye movements. R.E.M sleep occurs in the last 25% portion of sleep where the brain is most active. This cycle occurs every 90 minutes in humans.
Scientists have since discovered that R.E.M sleep begins in the pons areas of the brain which signals the thalamus and cerebral cortex which are responsible for most of the thought processes, during this period the motor neurons are also turned off for a temporary paralysis effect. People who enter R.E.M sleep often wake up more refreshed and concentrated toward daily tasks, they often also remember the previous nights dreams. It is quite common to wake up after R.E.M sleep.
One theory on R.E.M sleep is that when monoamines (nor epinephrine, serotonin and histamine) are turned off so they can rest and have full sensitivity for the next day.

http://www.geocities.com/diesel_unlimited/rem-duree-graph.gif
As one gets older, the amount of R.E.M dramatically declines.

What are some simple steps to better sleep patterns?

Supplementation for better sleep:
ZMA: Although once used by people with zinc deficiency, it is used by many now for its power to give a good nights rest, although side effects such as abnormal dreams have occurred frequently. This supplement helps induce deeper R.E.M sleep.

Melatonin: A very common drug used to help those who have trouble sleeping is melatonin, also commonly used to help those suffering from jet-lag. When the amount of light exposure differs from light to dark, there is a greater possibility of abrupting the sleep/wake cycle, this change is believed to be a result from barying levels of melatonin being produced. Taking melatonin therefore would induce better, quality sleep. It has been found that melatonin works best when taken between twenty to forty minutes before sleep.

5-HTP: This derivative of the amino acid tryptophan had gained recognition lately due to it ability to increase pain tolerance, induce deeper sleep, and effect how hunger is perceived.

Other Supplements shown to increase deep sleep are:
Kava Kava – Used as a relaxing agent and higher consciousness.
Valerian – Enhances sleep, decreases stress and anxiety levels.
Chamomile - Has sedative effects.

Sleep Hygiene:

1.) During daytime do not ingest excessive caffeine or nicotine.
2.) Don’t drink excessive water during the end of the day.
3.) Don’t take a daytime nap if you have trouble sleeping.
4.) Never use alcohol, effect can run off and you will wake up.
5.) No sharp light near sleeping area, it can cause brain to think there is sunlight outside.
5.) Try to sleep in a comfortable environment and time every right so your body has the right internal clock.
6.) Try to meditate in a safe environment for atleast 15 minutes a day, this will lower stress and help increase your lifestyle. Try it, it works!

So in conclusion, Sleep is a basic building block in packing mass onto your frame. If you are wondering why your gains are hindered, try and correct your sleeping patterns.
(Proper sleep patterns also increase testosterone and GH levels!)

Bonus Question: Harvard researchers and many profesionals have confirmed that taking a POWER NAP during lunch time can help boost alertness and productivity through out the day. Because a quick power nap only takes 30-40 minutes the person never reaches the R.E.M portion of sleep, this can help promote memory efficiancy and enhanced productivity.
Tips for power naps:
- Limited to around 30 minutes, otherwise you might get groggy & tired.
- Make sure you use a alarm clock, you can easily oversleep.
- Make sure the environment is comfortable place where you can sleep easily.
- Try to nap around lunch so you don't mess up your sleep cycle.
- Even if you can't sleep, just closed eye rest is also beneficial.

Dallas68

08-04-2005, 03:55 AM

well if i have any chance in this totw i wont be able 2 see who won [going away...) how late r they bein announed on friday soz if post is Unnecessary...

live4this13

08-04-2005, 08:02 AM

well if i have any chance in this totw i wont be able 2 see who won [going away...) how late r they bein announed on friday soz if post is Unnecessary...
5pm. you cabn always check when you get back.

Nice job guys.

sword chucks

08-04-2005, 08:15 AM

yeah the store credit lasts over a day

mivi320

08-04-2005, 08:39 AM

Nice job guys.

^^

Yep.

Great articles everyone. :D :)

sword chucks

08-04-2005, 09:32 AM

^^

Yep.

Great articles everyone. :D :)

i concur

Dallas68

08-04-2005, 11:42 AM

i get back on 14th i think so loooong time! going diving see sharks! they cool
yea awesome articles ppl!
sleep has officially been pimped lol

bigcalves

08-04-2005, 10:28 PM

Good job everyone.

Let the best man win! :D

Waqar Younis

08-12-2005, 02:36 AM

masturbating improves sleeping.

Pies_for_me

08-12-2005, 05:55 AM

bubba g

08-12-2005, 06:19 AM

i got a problem with caffiene, i can sleep alright sometimes, just that im addicted to the stuff usually about 8-10 cups a day (is there a technical term for the addiction of caffiene other that stupidity?) does your body not build up a resistance to it? and how will this affect my training?

Yeah I believe the scientific term for this is caffeine addiction.....lol
the simple answer is to break your addiction which may not be so simple..

try switching to decaf, or atleast for the second half of the day switch to decaf.... then ween your self off caffinated coffee completely over time...

I have been drinking coffee every day for years.. and some times I just stop for a month and I feel no withdrawls from it at all... maybe you should try going cold turkey.. see how it works out.. I think the biggest complaint is headaches... so bring some asprin, or tylenol with you for the day incase...
good luck.

Pies_for_me

08-12-2005, 06:22 AM

thats wat im worried about, i had migranes when i was younger but it wasnt caffiene related but ive got this thing about headaches sort of like a fear but i dont realy want to go thru the headache, dont care about feeling tired ill just sleep more (excellent), cheers G

bubba g

08-12-2005, 06:33 AM

Pies_for_me

08-12-2005, 06:42 AM

ill probs make a chart or summat good plan thanks again G

sword chucks

08-12-2005, 09:18 AM

masturbating improves sleeping.

hahahaha

Brad4321

09-07-2005, 08:13 AM

booger_dee

09-09-2005, 08:16 AM

Prescription Way: Percodan, Soma, and Valium. All at the same time. Nice.

Non-Prescription Way: 3 grams Tryptophan and 2 grams GABA. At the same time. Scary the first time. You'll understand what a person in coma feels like.

bubba g

09-09-2005, 09:12 AM

Just curious about something...I drink so much damn water that i usually get up 2-3 times in the night to go the bathroom. Does this waking/getting up every 3-4 hours effect the quality of my sleep in terms of muscle growth and hormone release?

yep.... try to cut back on your water consumption a few hours before bed...

as long as you get in a gallon a day you will be fine.... don't stop all togetehr atthe end of the day just cut way back and sip on some water the last 3 or 4 hours of the day. but before that chug all day.

Jack Bauer FL

09-15-2005, 07:16 AM

I find sleep is dependent upon passion in your life!

Have you ever had passion in your life to the point where it causes you to stay up late at night and wake up early each morning with a burning desire for it?

The passion im refering to is sort of like a child the night before christmas. Where they try to stay up as long as possible, fall asleep and then wake up very early in the morning.

Depending on how passionate your life is will determine how much sleep you need. Unfortunately, most people live a "routine" lifestyle which creates bordom. They have the same daily routines like wake up, shower, drive to work, take lunch at x time, leave work at x time, go home, get ready for gym, come home, eat, watch tv and then sleep (or something similiar).

Medical studies also continue to show that adults who sleep in on their days off usually experience high levels of stress during the work week.

So here is my personal example of how passion has influenced my physique.

About 7 years ago i was your typical 324lb, 6'4" tall, athlete with 25% bodyfat. Not obese but also not shredded.

A series of events occured around that time that kind of put me in a situation i disliked completely. That is to say i had ended a long term serious relationship, my company reorganized resulting in me losing contact with many good friends i had, and i was finding myself becoming isolated.

Anyway i found passion in in following a healthy fit lifestyle. I enjoyed eating organic freshly made foods and enjoyed the time it took to prepare these meals from scratch. I also enjoyed running in the morning before work and then weight training at night.

The passion of knowing i could change myself into a better person through diet and exercise ignited within me. I found i was spending most of my time reading about fitness, working out, cooking healthy etc. all which i enjoyed very much and felt happy about.

I eventually reduced my bodyfat down to 12% with two occasions dropping it further to 8% and 6% though it was difficult to maintain without complicating my diet.

During those five years of maintaining this 12% bodyfat percentage, i slept an average of 3-4 hours a day during the week and on weekends i slept for about 5-6 hours. It wasnt planned, it just happened. When i got tired i would go to sleep and then i would wake up with no assistance from an alarm clock or anything.

Its hard to believe someone only needed 3-4 hours a day sleep and im sure many of you will say it affected my workouts or life. But, that was untrue. I had that passion that just kept me going, never felt tired, never slept in late, never called it an early night.

During those 5 years i kept up this schedule and achieved a 425lb bench press, 780lb squat, was running 2-3 miles for my cardio and had a Lean Body Mass of 256lbs with 12% bodyfat. I also managed to go from a size 46 pants to a size 38 (sometimes 36 depending on leg cut as i have always had football style tree trunk calves/thighs)

Life was going great during those 5 years. I ate mostly organic, freshly made foods. Worked out every day, had a beautiful girlfriend, had low stress at work, had lots of friends etc.

Unfortunately these last two years i lost that passion and as a result everything flipped on me.

Basically my girlfriend cheated on me a few times, my company had 911 layoffs which increased everyones workload and stress, and i ended up hurting my back while i was in a weakened state from bronchitis. This all led toward me straying from life and gaining weight etc.

So after 5 years of effortless success and 2 years of straying i am sadly now 374lbs with 36% bodyfat and wearing a size 52 pants.

I have also noticed now that i lost this passion that i have been sleeping 8-9 hours a day during the week and sometimes 10 hours a day on weekends.

Which is what brings be to this forum, to help regain that passion i had for working out and eating healthy.

So that is my thought on how much sleep is needed. Its not scientific. But, im sure most of you can relate to this passion. Whether its restoring an antique car, finding love, getting involved in stocks or whatever your passion is that keeps you going when others cant.