When I was a kid…
My bed time was 9 o’clock on school nights.
No matter what I was watching – no matter how quiet and unnoticed I tried to be – without fail, my mom would always hear the clock chime 9 times and say, “Alight, Shawner… time for bed.”
Of course there were times that I’d protest… and every once in a while – I might get another 15 minutes or so…
But for the most part – when the clock struck 9pm – my head had BETTER be on its way to striking the pillow… or the wooden spoon was going to be striking my Star-Wars-pajamaed ass.
Now…
I slept great as a kid – every once in a while a nightmare would wake me up – but like most innocents, I slept like the proverbial baby.
As I got older – my parents ditched the mandatory bedtime – putting the onus on me. If I was tired… that was my problem…
And if my grades suffered – that was DEFINITELY my problem – so, I would generally go to sleep around 10:30 – but it also wasn’t uncommon for me to be sleeping at 9:30.
Unless…
I had a little pretty thing I was talking to – then all bets were off.
My drug of choice has always been girls…
I never drank, smoked pot or did any other kind of drug – but I was DEFINITELY addicted to girls and even weirder – the PURSUIT.
Once, I talked to a girl from 8:00 pm to 2am…
6 hours! And would have kept talking too – had my mom not come in and ripped the cordless phone (and some of my hair 😬) out of my hands.
Ahhhhh… the 80’s – God, I miss them.
Anywho, once I got to college and got a taste of REAL freedom – when it came to sleep – we were more acquaintances than friends.
Back then – 2am or 3am was the norm – and sometimes even later!
Class at 8am? No problem… I’ll sleep for 4 hours – grab a quick shower – head to class and then back to the dorm to nap before practice or the next party.
As long as I performed on the field – I was golden…
But then again – no sleep and bad grades was why I was on academic probation my Sophomore year.
That being said, when I did sleep… I slept like a log.
But then…
After college, when I was bouncing and working to get my burgeoning pro-wrestling career off the ground – I bulked up to 330 pounds…
And sleep and I went from acquaintances to enemies.
I didn’t know it, though…
It wasn’t until my wife pointed out that I fell asleep anytime I sat down at a party or family gathering – that I had any idea that my sleep cycle wouldn’t kick start.
So, I got tested…
And the test came back positive: I had the apnea. (Read that in a Wilford Brimly voice)
So, I got a C-PAP machine and started sleeping better.
I guess that’s what happens when you’re not trying to suffocate yourself with your own neck meat in your sleep.
And not only did the C-PAP help me sleep – my wife was sleeping better because I was no longer snoring like an old mufferless Buick.
However, now that I was sleeping soundly – I found I needed less of it.
I discovered that if I could get at least 5 full hours – I was good to go.
Not anymore…
5 hours just ain’t cutting it.
In fact, 6 hours ain’t cutting it – but the problem is – I can’t get more than that at a time.
So, I’ve been doing some research into sleeping habits…
And what I’ve found so far has really opened my eyes (no pun intended 😅) – because as it turns out – sleep may be the most important thing you can do to be a functioning human, much less a strength or competitive athlete.
We’ve all heard about REM sleep and non-REM sleep – but I didn’t know that one was more crucial to recovery than the other…
But there is.
REM sleep is important…
That’s where we get to live out our subconscious in dreams, right?
But for athletes and gym 🐀 alike – it’s the non-REM sleep that we need more than anything.
Non-REM sleep – AKA slow-wave or deep sleep – is ESSENTIAL for muscle recovery and restoring the body.
It’s during this phase that your blood pressure drops and your breathing becomes deeper and slower – so your brain can basically shut off – so the body gets to divert blood supply from the gray matter to your muscles.
This blood shift increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients we need to both heal and grow…
This is why when somebody has gone through a tremendous amount of bodily trauma – doctors will induce a coma to kick start the healing process.
Or… at least that’s what the internet says.
But that’s not the only thing that happens during the non-REM cycle..
Because it’s at this time that our pituitary gland releases growth hormone into our body.
So, if you’re not getting enough sleep…
You’re stunting your muscle growth and tissue repair.
That’s why it’s important – actually… it’s CRUCIAL – that athletes and lifters get at least 7 to 9 hours a night.
Unless you want to stay small and like having sore muscles constantly…
Then stay up as long as you want… YOLO!
Now, I’ve been trying to go to bed at 10pm now…
Because NOTHING good happens after 10pm – at least that’s why the old adage says.
But the older I get – the more this makes sense. If you’re out past 10pm – you’re most likely partying or at least in an environment that’s not ideal for health…
Or if you’re just staying up past 10pm – you’re most likely rotting your brain with bad TV or worse – scrolling social media and arguing with strangers.
So…turn your phone off and go to sleep!
That being said…
For some of us – that ain’t easy.
I can go to bed and go to sleep… easy – but I can’t STAY asleep. I wake up at least once a night and am up for at least 20 minutes – and sometimes – an hour or more.
So… what to do?
There are literally THOUSANDS of ways to approach this.
Now, I won’t take Ambian or other prescription sleep aids – because I’m not looking to go sleep-walking naked to the grocery store…
So, I’ve researched more natural remedies that work.
First, putting the phone down or turning the TV off at least an hour before you go to sleep (TWO hours would be better) to reduce the amount of brain-stimulating blue light your eyes take in.
Another sleep remedy… herbs, vitamins and minerals.
Valerian root, Chamomile, lavender, passion flower, melatonin, L-tryptophan – there are a lot of options to go with…
One of my favorite blends is by Celestial Teas called Sleepy Time – a cup of this stuff will not only put you to sleep… but keep you asleep through the night.
I use it sparingly because I don’t want it to lose its effectiveness…
So, I go a different route.
I take most of my supplements at night…
And I make sure to take zinc and magnesium with my nightly pile o’ pills…
However, what has been getting me through has been what I’ve been calling the Sleep Wonder Twins…
Nutrex has both Anabol Hardcore PM and LIPO-6 Black Nighttime that both have a sleep profile to help you rest.
Now, I know not many people think about stacking a muscle builder and a fat burner together – but I think I’ve discovered the secret to maximizing my body while I sleep… while getting more of it.
Bottom line is…
Sleep is important – not only for your sanity – but for growth and recovery.
If you find you’re not reaching your strength or sport goals – you may want to look at your sleeping habits.
It may be time to make sleep and rest a priority – rather than an afterthought.
Until next time, Nutrex Fam…
Sleep TIGHT!
“O sleep! O gentle sleep! Nature’s soft nurse.” – William Shakespeare
Editor’s Note: Sleep IS important… and if you’re looking for a little bit of help getting the rest your body needs – you may want to give either Anabol Hardcore PM or LIPO-6 Black Nighttime a try. If you REALLY want to kick things up a notch – create your own stack and get BOTH! Though… don’t get mad at us when your pants get too big and shirts get too tight. You’ve been WARNED!! TryAnabol PM or LIPO-6 Nighttime today!
For More Tips On The Benefits Of Sleeping – Click HERE
