[recovery] -- sleep
Sleep is by far the most important recovery variable in barbell training. If a trainee does not get enough (8 - 10 hours) quality sleep, his progress will stall, regardless of how good his nutrition and programming are.
Sleep can be optimized using the following practices. They are organized roughly in order of decreasing importance.
(1) Going to bed at the same time every night and getting up at the same time every morning will do more to improve sleep than anything else. Stan Efferding says that every hour of sleep before midnight is like two hours in the bank. Unfortunately, early to bed early to rise is a difficult habit to build. We are indoctrinated to think that we “deserve” to stay up late and then sleep in on weekends. This may be fine in high school and college, but it becomes increasingly difficult to sustain as we get older.
(2) It is impossible to get deep sleep in a bright room. When light strikes the skin, it stimulates the production of cortisol, a stress hormone that keeps us awake and alert. Dimming the lights an hour or two before bed and staying away from screens signals the body that it is time to wind down. Blackout curtains keep our sleep environment cortisol free all night.
(3) Many people have difficulty falling and staying asleep simply because they are too hot. Keeping the room somewhere between 60 - 70 F works best for most people. However, during the summer, the bed itself absorbs heat and becomes uncomfortable. The Chilipad remedies this situation by cooling the mattress directly.
(4) The older we get, the more sensitive we are to sleep disturbances. Creating a constant background of white noise with a fan makes it easier for us to relax into deep sleep. Earplugs can also work, although some people find them uncomfortable.
(5) A 20 minute nap during the day can refresh some but wreak havoc on others. Experience is the best teacher here.
(6) Many people benefit from taking a magnesium supplement.
Sleep is not a luxury. Sleep is not optional. If a trainee is having trouble in the gym, the first thing he should examine is his sleep hygiene.