Sleep is so important.
Bad sleep contributes to:
(1) feeling like crap the next day
(2) increased appetite
(3) poor reaction time
(4) loss of attention
(5) loss of HgH – believe me, you don’t want to lose that one.
(6) weakened immune systems
(7) makes you lame to be around
Here are some interesting facts about sleep:
(1) feeling like crap the next day
(2) increased appetite
(3) poor reaction time
(4) loss of attention
(5) loss of HgH – believe me, you don’t want to lose that one.
(6) weakened immune systems
(7) makes you lame to be around
Here are some interesting facts about sleep:
- Before the invention of the light bulb, the average American male slept 9+ hours nightly. Today the average American male sleeps about 6.5 hours.
- Rats usually live 2-3 years, but if deprived of sleep they live 5 weeks.
- It seems lost sleep cannot be made up (in a single day, or even two)
- People who slept less than eight hours a day had larger increases in body fat than those who slept more.
I’m not sure that I’ve ever talked with a friend who said, “I’m so well rested, I got 9 hours of sleep last night, I’m ready to take on the day!” It’s usually something like, “I’m so tired, I was up doing x y z last night,” or, “I pulled an all-nighter” etc, etc…. Our culture, for some reason, thinks it’s cool to lose sleep.
How do we get more and better sleep?
First: (this one I cannot change for you) is you have to want to sleep more. Turning off the TV, getting off the computer and letting go of all that could be done is a personal choice. Weigh out the benefits of spending 16 hours more focused than 18 hours unfocused. Do the math. If you get past that then go to step two.
Second: set up the right environment. Beds are for sleeping (and a short list of other things). Don’t read, study, watch TV or any work/school related tasks. Dark and quiet helps too.
Third: Hydrate – but not right before bed. Drink all the water you want 2-3 hours before bed time. Drink too close to sleep and you’ll probably have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Fourth: If you have trouble sleeping ditch the caffeine and alcohol after 3pm.
Fifth: if a good masseuse is not on hand, I recommend at least a brief stretching regimen. This will help loosen your muscles causing more relaxation and quicker nod-off time.
Sixth: (try this to see if it helps): Liver Fuel. I'm not talking about eating liver. I am going to give you a secret that bodybuilders have been searching for, for a long, long time. Bear with me, this is going to take a minute.
Very rarely, if ever, does anyone talk about fueling the liver. The liver is the sole source of fuel (called glycogen) for your internal organs while you sleep. There are a few important organs like the brain and the diaphragm which need glycogen all night long. Trying to keep it simple, the liver fuels up from your last meal (most westerners around 6) and has enough fuel for about 7-10 hours. So with dinner at 6, the MAX you’re going to get is until 4 (do you have breakfast then?).
What happens if liver glycogen runs out at night?
Simply put, the brain will not be starved, it activates the adrenal glands – releasing cortisol and adrenaline(do you find yourself waking up at the same time every night? This could be why). These hormones catabolize (eat) muscle. This process burns muscle to release amino acids. These amino acids are converted to glucose to fuel the brain. Body builders are always trying to find ways to prevent catabolism. Turns out, if you fuel the liver, it’s not a problem.
When your muscle disappears, you burn less fat. You worked hard to build it, so keep it!
So, now what?
We need to fuel the liver before we go to bed. Pure Honey is a great substance that directly fuels the glycogen in the liver. Milk is a slow-releasing protein. During that slow release period, your body will remain in a muscle building state. Milk will also contribute to the fuel in the liver. Turns out the old advice of drinking milk and honey before bed was right on!
Peanut Butter is another protein source as well as a fat source to slow the absorption of the sugar into the system and help reduce the insulin spike from the honey.
Below is a small, 180 calorie snack to fuel your liver for the whole night (assuming you ate dinner). You can wake up refreshed because your body has done what it was designed to do – recover all night.
1 Cup milk
½ Tablespoon peanut butter
½ Tablespoon honey
You don’t have to put it all in the same glass. I usually heat the milk, add the honey and lick the peanut butter spoon while I sip the drink. You can do it how you like. You can even swap the peanut butter for a handful of almonds.
How do we get more and better sleep?
First: (this one I cannot change for you) is you have to want to sleep more. Turning off the TV, getting off the computer and letting go of all that could be done is a personal choice. Weigh out the benefits of spending 16 hours more focused than 18 hours unfocused. Do the math. If you get past that then go to step two.
Second: set up the right environment. Beds are for sleeping (and a short list of other things). Don’t read, study, watch TV or any work/school related tasks. Dark and quiet helps too.
Third: Hydrate – but not right before bed. Drink all the water you want 2-3 hours before bed time. Drink too close to sleep and you’ll probably have to wake up to use the bathroom.
Fourth: If you have trouble sleeping ditch the caffeine and alcohol after 3pm.
Fifth: if a good masseuse is not on hand, I recommend at least a brief stretching regimen. This will help loosen your muscles causing more relaxation and quicker nod-off time.
Sixth: (try this to see if it helps): Liver Fuel. I'm not talking about eating liver. I am going to give you a secret that bodybuilders have been searching for, for a long, long time. Bear with me, this is going to take a minute.
Very rarely, if ever, does anyone talk about fueling the liver. The liver is the sole source of fuel (called glycogen) for your internal organs while you sleep. There are a few important organs like the brain and the diaphragm which need glycogen all night long. Trying to keep it simple, the liver fuels up from your last meal (most westerners around 6) and has enough fuel for about 7-10 hours. So with dinner at 6, the MAX you’re going to get is until 4 (do you have breakfast then?).
What happens if liver glycogen runs out at night?
Simply put, the brain will not be starved, it activates the adrenal glands – releasing cortisol and adrenaline(do you find yourself waking up at the same time every night? This could be why). These hormones catabolize (eat) muscle. This process burns muscle to release amino acids. These amino acids are converted to glucose to fuel the brain. Body builders are always trying to find ways to prevent catabolism. Turns out, if you fuel the liver, it’s not a problem.
When your muscle disappears, you burn less fat. You worked hard to build it, so keep it!
So, now what?
We need to fuel the liver before we go to bed. Pure Honey is a great substance that directly fuels the glycogen in the liver. Milk is a slow-releasing protein. During that slow release period, your body will remain in a muscle building state. Milk will also contribute to the fuel in the liver. Turns out the old advice of drinking milk and honey before bed was right on!
Peanut Butter is another protein source as well as a fat source to slow the absorption of the sugar into the system and help reduce the insulin spike from the honey.
Below is a small, 180 calorie snack to fuel your liver for the whole night (assuming you ate dinner). You can wake up refreshed because your body has done what it was designed to do – recover all night.
1 Cup milk
½ Tablespoon peanut butter
½ Tablespoon honey
You don’t have to put it all in the same glass. I usually heat the milk, add the honey and lick the peanut butter spoon while I sip the drink. You can do it how you like. You can even swap the peanut butter for a handful of almonds.
Now there are real sleep disorders and a good sign that you have one is, once you have tried all the above for about 1-2 weeks without relief, check with a doctor.
Keep sleep as a high priority. If you are exercising you will maximize your Human Growth Hormone and cut your cravings down a bit. It will also help you recover faster than if you are sleep deprived. Set up the right environment, fuel the liver and you should be set up for a night of restful zzzz’s!
Keep sleep as a high priority. If you are exercising you will maximize your Human Growth Hormone and cut your cravings down a bit. It will also help you recover faster than if you are sleep deprived. Set up the right environment, fuel the liver and you should be set up for a night of restful zzzz’s!
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