How to Sleep for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

Did you know, as many as 30% of adults sleep fewer than six hours per night, which is the minimum amount of necessary sleep? If you think you can get away with fewer than six hours of sleep, then allow me to drop some knowledge.  Sleep is a necessity for life as it has a huge impact on your quality of life.  Just as we need food, water, and exercise, we need sleep to survive.

Now, we all know we need to get better sleep, so why don’t we actually do it?

It’s easier than ever to rationalize poor sleep because we all love to embrace the “grind” and “hustle” of today’s age.  We feel superior to others for sleeping less and wear it as a badge of honor. 

Unfortunately, those individuals don’t understand the severity and consequences of sleep deprivation.  We all know we should do it,  but we don’t specifically know the downsides- we perceive it as less important. 

Let’s clear the air 

Poor sleep quality can have a huge effect on your life by negatively impacting your workouts, recovery, sex life, mood, dietary decisions, and can lead to potential health problems (think obesity and hypertension). 

 The truth is we get our muscular gains while sleeping. So, by not getting enough restful sleep, you are inhibiting the body’s ability to rebuild and restore your muscles.

But don’t just take my word for it. This is backed by science.

There was a recent 8-week study done that focused on the effects of sleep restriction on weight loss when in a calorie deficit.  There were 36 people in the study and got their baseline body compositions (muscle and fat mass) tested in week 1. 15 of the people (Group A) simply used a calorie deficit for the 8 weeks.

The remaining 21 individuals (Group B) used a calorie deficit combined with sleep restriction for  8 weeks.  They were instructed to reduce their time in bed Monday-Friday and cold sleep as much as they wanted on the weekends (to “catch up” on their sleep).  This was an average of 169 minutes less sleep for the entire week.

The results: Group 2 loses an average of 39% of their total weight loss as muscle mass and 58% as fat mass.  When sleep was not restricted, Group A only lost 17% of their weight as muscle mass but 87% as fat mass.  That means both groups lost the same amount of total weight, but the group with more sleep lost more fat and less muscle!

Still not convinced?

In 2010, there was a randomized crossover study of 10 untrained people who moderately restricted calories for 14 days.  They did this 14-day study twice and compared the effects of different sleep times.

For the first two weeks, they slept for an average of 5 hours and 14 minutes while getting their hormones and body composition measured in the lab.

This was followed by a 3 month period where their hormones and body composition were monitored but didn’t analyze their sleep.

Then, they had a second period of 14 days, but this time they slept for an average of 7 hours and 25 minutes (still getting tested for hormones and body composition).

The results: During both periods, they lost about 6.5lbs. But when they slept for ~5 hours per night, they lost 80% of their weight from muscle mass and 20% from fat!  In addition, they also had an increase in hunger throughout the day.  Compared to when they slept ~7.5 hours per night, they lost 52% of their weight from muscle and 48%  from fat.

What these studies mean:

These two studies show that your sleep maybe even more important than diet when it comes to gaining muscle and losing fat.  When your sleep is poor, you still lose weight with a calorie deficit, but you lose more muscle mass and less fat when compared to those who get better sleep.

Poor Sleep = Less muscle and more fat

6 Ways to Sleep like a baby again and get the best sleep ever:

1. Keep Your Room Cool:

   1. By keeping the room between 65-69 degrees Fahrenheit, you fall asleep faster,

2. Keep your room as quiet and dark as a cave

   1. Eliminate all lights and noise.  No TV on.  Blackout curtains/shades over the window.  This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people fall asleep with the TV on.

3. Eliminate blue light ~60 minutes before bed.

   1. You’ll be surprised how many people watch Netflix or watch the latest episode of the Mandoranian only to fall asleep with the tv on all night.  

4. Avoid afternoon caffeine

   1.   As a coffee addict myself, I love my morning cups of coffee.  However, caffeine has a six-hour half-life. If you have caffeine around 5 pm, the effects won’t wear off until 11pm.  

5. Perform a “brain dump” about two hours before bed

   1. Take a piece of paper and write down everything that is stressing you out. Then, circle the most important ones.  That’s you’re most important tasks to get done tomorrow. 

6. Go to Sleep and wake up at the same time every single day, or most days

   1. Routine, routine, routine. Our bodies love consistency and getting into a routine.  Consider developing a “powering down” ritual about an hour before bed where you shut down all electronics and prepare for sleep.

7. Use the bed for sleep and sex only

   1. That means no eating, no work.  That way as soon as you lay down, you have a mental trigger it’s time for sleep (or sex. Both really good options 🙃) 

“Think in the morning. Act in the noon. Eat in the evening. Sleep in the night.” ~William Blake

Sleep is often the forgotten component of fitness. In fact, it’s as equally as important as your workouts and nutrition. Without proper sleep, it’s difficult to see significant improvements in general health and/or fitness.  Some of these tips will be easier to include in your routine, yet if you stick with these, you should be achieving more restful sleep and better gains.  If not, check your overall stress levels.  Stress, if not proactively dealt with, can significantly impact your sleep quality and overall health.