The Mount Rushmore Of Fitness
We at Fit Dads Over 40 believes they are 4 major aspects of fitness. They are Diet, Exercise, Sleep and Mental. We’ve talked a lot about Diet and Exercise so let’s look and an overlooked aspect.
Sleep is an overlooked activity but it’s very important for men 40+ especially for us living the fit dad lifestyle. It’s right up there with Diet and Exercise with the fourth being Mental which we will get into in November. You can look at it as one of the major aspects of staying fit and avoiding the dad bod.
Being 40 plus with kids it’s pretty safe to assume most of us are not getting a full 8 hrs of sleep very often.
Sleeping enhances muscle recovery through protein synthesis which is a process cells use to make proteins. It also releases human growth hormone and helps muscles release protein building amino acids at a fast rate which helps them grow bigger and stronger. So if you are working out and not getting enough sleep you are not giving your muscles the time it needs to develop and grow. 8 to 10 hours per night is recommended for optimal results, that can be a challenging objective for us with busy schedules. If you can’t get that amount of sleep every night at least try to do at least 8 hours on the days that you workout.
It’s not only important for muscle building but there’s a slew of negative effects for not getting enough sleep.
Here are some:
-higher risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart attack and stroke
-less energy, feeling too tired to exercise which can lead to weight gain and muscle loss (hello dad bod)
-interruption of growth hormone production and testosterone production
-mood swings
-memory issues (neural connections are formed when you sleep)
-trouble concentrating
-risk of diabetes (lack of sleep affects your body’s release of insulin resulting in higher blood sugar levels)
-lower libido/sex drive due to lower testosterone levels
Disclaimer: Always consult your doctor before trying anything mentioned in this article. All information in this email is intended for educational use only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Fit Dads Over 40 is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article.
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