Importance of sleep for fat loss and muscle gain!

Sleep and recovery is often overlooked but is highly essential for muscle building, fat loss and staying fit and healthy!

1) Restful sleep is when your body recovers from the microtears in your muscles caused by exercise thus building stronger muscles - by utilising the protein in your diet supported by other macronutrients and micronutrients found in whole foods.

2) Sleep is essential to the proper functioning of various aspects of the body. It keeps us looking youthful, helps in building memory by clearing all waste materials accumulated during the day in your brain, keeps your reaction time high and reduces fatigue - thus keeping your performance high in everyday life as well as in your workouts!

3) Lack of sleep leads to reduced insulin sensitivity and increase in cortisol (stress hormone) levels - thus leading to fat accumulation even though you may be having proper nutrition and exercise routine.

4) To achieve high quality sleep we must follow our body's natural circadian rhythm which relies on getting enough sunlight during day and darkness at night. This enables the correct hormonal environment in our body for proper recovery.

5) Thus, atleast 8 hours of sleep every night starting at 10-11 pm or before is essential for proper recovery.

Light emitted by any screens (smartphones /tv etc) especially at night messes up your circadian rhythm.

Similarly caffeine intake in the evening doesn't allow your body to enter deep sleep at night thus making you wake up feeling slightly tired - which leads to craving for more caffeine.

Thus for high quality sleep - screen time and caffeine especially in the evening must be minimised.