How to promote restful sleep?
Do you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning, and feel tired despite getting 8 hours of sleep? Or are you wondering what the risks of poor sleep are for your health and physique? Don't worry, we'll explain it all in detail in this article!
Remember, you spend more than a third of your life asleep, and sleep is essential for your brain activity, the preservation of your cognitive capacities, your muscular growth, and the recovery of your body and brain.
It's therefore a very important factor that you need to take into account to achieve your physical goals, bearing in mind that a lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity and weight gain, according to the Institut National du Sommeil.
But why do we sleep?
Quite simply, your body needs to sleep in order to recover from the efforts it has made during the day. It's through your nervous system that you get the urge to sleep, and when you finally find sleep, many things fall into place.
Your physiological mechanism secretes hormones, regenerates your skin and muscle cells, and helps you better remember the events of your day. As a result, a good night's sleep provides you with the intellectual, physical and physiological recovery you need to prepare for tomorrow.
What are the phases and how is quality sleep organized?
When you sleep, your sleep is organized into several phases during the night. These stages are organized into cycles that repeat several times. Here are the different stages of sleep and how they are organized:
Stage 1: Light sleep (N1): the onset of sleep
- It is characterized by a transition between wakefulness and sleep.
- Sleep is shallow and eye movements are slow.
- It is easily interrupted and may be associated with feelings of drowsiness or floating.
Stage 2: Slow wave sleep (N2): deeper but still light sleep
- It accounts for around 50% of an adult's total sleep.
- Eye movements cease and heart rate and breathing slow down.
- Specific brain waves called K-complexes may appear.
Stage 3: Deep sleep (N3): called slow wave or delta sleep phase
- It accounts for around 20-25% of total sleep in adults.
- It is characterized by slow, synchronized brain waves.
- This is the most restorative stage of sleep, when physical recovery, growth and tissue repair take place.
Stage 4: REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep: associated with dreams
- This stage is characterized by rapid, irregular eye movements.
- Brain activity increases, but the body's muscles become temporarily paralyzed, except for those involved in breathing and eye movement.
- It is essential for memory consolidation and emotional processing.
How do you get a good night's sleep and a deep, restorative sleep?
Here are a few tips to help you get the deep, quality sleep that plays a crucial role in your body's recovery and development:
1. Sleep at regular times: your body loves routine, it has a biological clock. Set a fixed ideal bedtime and wake up at the same time every day, even on your days off. This is essential for a good night's sleep, and will help you regulate your internal clock and improve the quality of your sleep.
2. We strongly limit caffeine and alcohol: don't worry, you don't have to give up alcohol and coffee to sleep better... However, you should avoid drinking coffee after 5 p.m., and reduce your alcohol consumption, as these stimulants can disrupt your sleep. It's also important to hydrate before drifting off to sleep, so drink water or a relaxing herbal tea to help you fall asleep.
3. Relaxing before you fall asleep: before going to bed, I advise you to take part in low-stimulus activities to put your body into a state of rest, such as meditation, reading, quiet music, gentle stretching or breathing exercises. This is an important step to take, especially after a hard day's work. It will help you relax, preparing your body for a state of well-being and your mind for sleep.
4. Furnish your bedroom: according to the Institut National du Sommeil, your sleep is best quality when the room temperature is between 16 and 18°C. To promote restful sleep, in addition to temperature, it's important to plunge the room into complete darkness and reduce external stimuli. You can invest in good bedding with a comfortable mattress and memory foam pillows to improve the quality of your sleep.
5. No screens before bedtime: the blue light emitted by phone, computer and TV screens can disrupt your circadian rhythm and inhibit the production of melatonin, an essential sleep hormone. I advise you to limit your exposure to screens to at least an hour before bedtime, and to put it on airplane mode when you're asleep to avoid micro-awakenings from notifications.
6. Take a nap during the day: if your pace of life allows it, make time for a short nap (around 20-30 minutes, no more) in the afternoon. This can be beneficial for recharging your batteries and improving your concentration and performance when practising sport.
7. Healthy eating in the evening: before going to bed, opt for rich, healthy foods, and avoid excess fat, which can make digestion difficult and disrupt your sleep. After your meal, if you're hungry, eat easy-to-digest snacks like plain yoghurt, an apple, a square of dark chocolate, etc.
Quality sleep is fundamental to any sports program. By following these simple but effective tips, you can optimize your recovery, improve your performance and make faster progress towards your sporting goal. You can also opt for dietary supplements to help your body relax and optimize your sleep. Remember, discipline is key, so adopt healthy sleep habits to improve your results and performance.
What is the role of restorative sleep and what are its benefits for bodybuilding?
Sleep is much more than just a period of rest for the body and mind. It plays an essential role in the muscle recovery process, particularly for those involved in strength or performance sports. Here are some specific benefits of sleep on bodybuilding recovery:
Accelerate muscle growth: when you sleep, your body releases growth hormones such as somatotropin, which improves the repair and growth of muscle tissue damaged during training. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showed that sleep deprivation alters the regulation of muscle protein synthesis, which can compromise recovery and muscle growth after exercise.
Better recovery of your muscle tissue: deep sleep helps repair micro-damage to muscle tissue caused by strength training. This in turn promotes recovery and the rebuilding of stronger, more voluminous muscle fibers. A meta-analysis published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that quality sleep is positively associated with improved sports performance, including muscular strength and power, as well as better recovery after exercise.
Promotes the regeneration of your energy reserves: when you sleep optimally, your body replenishes your glycogen reserves, the main source of energy used during intense exercise. This ensures that your energy levels remain at an optimum level for your next training session. A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences has shown that sleep is crucial for replenishing muscle glycogen reserves.
Reduce the risk of injury and strengthen the immune system: a good night's sleep improves coordination, concentration and reactivity, reducing the risk of muscular and joint injuries during training. What's more, a good night's sleep is essential for a strong immune system! Good recovery prevents infections and illness.o.
What is the ideal length of deep sleep for an adult?
Deep sleep is a phase of sleep characterized by slow, synchronized brain waves. It's during this phase that your body regenerates, tissue growth and repair takes place, and muscle recovery processes are optimized.
The amount of deep sleep required can vary from person to person, but in general, it's estimated that a healthy adult needs around 1-2 hours of deep sleep per night.
However, it's important to note that the amount of deep sleep can be influenced by several factors, including age, gender, level of physical activity, stress levels and overall sleep quality. In addition, it can vary over the course of the night, with a higher proportion of deep sleep at the start of the night and a gradual decrease as sleep cycles progress.
To improve the quality and quantity of your sleep, create an evening routine and apply the advice you feel you can implement in your daily routine. A good night's sleep is essential for your body, so don't neglect it!