-+= Sleep.. Something You May Have Underestimated!!!=+-

[Maximus_Stats]

/To the mods, feel free to post in any section../ Thanks

Hello again my fellow lifters. This time my article is going to be on something very important in the factors of bodybuilding. Of course you know what I'm going to be talking about already and thats... SLEEP! Sleep is one of the most important things we can pay attention to right now. Let's face it, there are
3 steps of how to grow and those are:

1)Eat (Six meals, nutritious)
2)Lift
3)Rest

Now let's look at rest. Without resting we would never grow, and the best form of rest is quality sleep! However, research shows that 74 percent of people have trouble sleeping in some point of their lives! Other than that research proves that the majority of us do not get the quality sleep that is intended. Isn't there sometimes a morning where you wake up ahead of the alarm clock, and the sun is out, your in a good mood and you do not feel tired... THIS IS A QUALITY SLEEP. Now how many times have you had this? Exactly, not many.

If we take a look at one's sleep cycle. There are many.. how can I put this, forms of how you sleep. Many of us sleep in a distressed form, where we toss and turn, wake up during the night and have anxiety about waking up. This of course is not the way to sleep... Sleeping like this will only make you feel tired in the morning and grouchy. Other symptoms include dozing off during the day, mood swings, and a lower concentration level. Now let's learn a few steps to a better nights rest, and ultimately a new way to GROW better!!!

1)Sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time. The body has a internal clock and if you stick with this pattern it will memorize it and soon you won't even need an alarm clock. Yes this does mean going to sleep and waking up earlier on saturdays!!!

2)Get at least 7-9 hours of sleep. Adults may need as little as 7, this of course is due to the hectic time schedule. Teens may go for 9...

3)Schedule Power Naps. No these aren't the naps your thinking off... A power nap only lasts 15-20 minutes. During this time period your body gets sufficient rest without going into a deep sleep. Power naps should be spaced out at least 5 hours before bedtime. Do not take naps longer then 20 minutes, as you start going into a deep sleep, your body will reset it's internal clock and you will have a hard time sleeping at night. Also you will feel grouchy and tired when you wake up anyways.

4) Turn your alarm clock at night. This removes the anxiety of always looking at it thinking.. O MAN, ONLY 4 HOURS TILL WORK! Also if you have one of those radio alarm clocks use that to wake you up. As your body starts memorizing your sleep schedule it will wake you up sometime before you hear the unpleasent BEEP BEEP BEEP! Everyone gets annoyed by this. However, if you use your radio you wake up to a different sound each day. This way your body will not recognize the annoying wake up signals.

5) Keep your bed only for sleeping. When you talk on the phone on your bed, or due your homework there your body begins to realize that the bed is something that is used for day-time activity's.

There, these are the ways to get more of a quality sleep. Now I'm going to outline some ways of falling asleep easier.

1) Have a slow down period 30 minutes before you hit the sac. This allows your body some time to adjust.

2) About on hour before take a warm shower or bath.

3) Read a boring book during your slow down period.

4) Before you go to sleep write down your thoughts on a piece of paper assuring yourself they will be still there in the morning.

5) Drink some warm milk. This posseses natural sleeping agents in it. Can also be benificial for your bulk .

6) Do not allow yourself exposure to any bright lights during the slow down period. To your body bright lights = daytime.

7) When your in bed, start focusing on your breathing, just picture your lungs expanding as the air is taken in, and deflating as the air is breathed out.

Conclusion.

Hey, getting a better night's sleep just takes a little more work. The benifits can be outstanding, not only for your growth, but for your strength and mood the next day. Remember sleep is the best form of rest. Now go and hit the sac!!!

Maximus_Stats

[Bulking_Brit]

wow great post...Good read

[Big Tall Rich]

What about extremely long naps, like in the 2 to 3 hour range? I pretty much live off of those, except on the weekends. Plus it's a good motivation for me to make it through classes, knowing that a solid sleep session awaits when I'm through. I mean, I've heard from many sources that only short naps are healthy, but if I nap until I wake up naturally, what's wrong with that?