Challenge N°6: GET AT LEAST 7 HOURS OF SLEEP

Facts:

sleep deprivation makes you fat

sleep deprivation makes you burn muscle instead of fat

sleep deprivation decreases the athletic performance

During sleep our body recovers and rebuilds itself. Sleep is also crucial for regulating the hormones. When you are sleep deprived your leptin (metabolism regulating hormone) levels fall and your ghrelin (hunger hormone) increases. This slows down your metabolism and enhances food cravings. Slow metabolism + higher food intake = fat gain.

Sleep deprivation also increases cortisol production (cortisol is a catabolic hormone usually produced during the day). This not only makes it harder for you to gain muscle, but it also make the body burn muscle rather than fat.

If you can go by with 6 hours of sleep it's only because of stress and an elevated caffeine intake. Most people say they don't have time to get enough sleep or that they don't need it. That's nonsense!! it's all about planning. Like you learned to plan your workouts and meals with the past challenges, you have to learn to plan your sleep time. you have to determine the priorities in your life. Housecleaning is not a priority! Watching tv or spending hours in front of the computer is not a priority. Your health is a priority!!

Here are a few reasons to get enough sleep:

sleep makes you burn fat

sleep makes you gain muscle

sleep increases your athletic performance

adequate sleep results in energy increase

adequate sleep improves your mood

sleep improves immune function

sleep improves memory skills

sleep lowers stress hormones

...

How to get enough sleep:

-don't consume caffeinated beverages after 1 pm

-the earlier you have to wake up in the morning, the earlier you need to go to bed. 

-run your errands preferably in the morning and do stressful work in the am

-relax and take some time for yourself 1 h before going to bed. watch some tv if that relaxes you, read a book, take a bath, have a cup of warm milk with honey,... chill out. if you have a hard time falling asleep, these steps are very important. of course you won't have results in one day, like you can't teach a baby to fall asleep alone in one day. But practice makes perfect.

-lower the lights in the house 1 hour before going to bed

-don't go to bed on an empty stomach. Have some protein and good fats. Dairy works perfect at night: cottage cheese, warm milk, Greek yogurt, a protein shake.. are all great options.

-don't eat sugars and foods high in carbs before going to bed. Not only you don't need them during the night when you lay still, but an increase in blood sugar can make it hard for you to fall asleep.

-exercise in the morning or in the early afternoon

-turn your phone off 1 hour before going to bed. No one will die if you don't answer!

-set a regular bedtime!

-wake up at the same time every day!

-don't fall asleep on the couch

-be smart about napping: if you need to make up for lost sleep, go for it. Research shows that 25 minutes are the ideal time to pay off the sleep debt. Set the alarm! If you sleep longer, you may have a harsh time falling asleep at night. Also make sure you take a nap in the early afternoon (eg after lunch) and not later.

If your alarm wakes you up in the morning, it means that you are sleep deprived. 

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