Written By: Akshay Chopra | Published : February 20, 2015 2:41 PM IST
How much sleep should I get while on a weight training programme? I know 8 hours of sleep is recommended for everyone, but someone at the gym told me you should sleep 10 hours to allow the muscles to form. Do let me know if this is true.
Answered by Flight Lieutenant and fitness trainer Akshay Chopra
You do require 8 hrs of sleep but the word is undisturbed sleep. It is not just the quantity but the quality of sleep which matters. After a bout of heavy weight training your body needs phenomenal resources, both in terms of rest and nutrition, for optimal recovery. So compromising on sleep would mean a huge rise in stress hormone cortisol, which would mean the opposite effect to what you desire.
In case you are not able to get the required sleep in one go then make sure you are able to steal a nap of an hour in the afternoon. But not more than an hour as in the afternoon, if the sleep increases you will remain in the state of sleep inertia, that is, you will feel drowsy throughout the remaining day. Read about some tips that can help you sleep.
You do not require 10 hrs of sleep until you are a world class athlete who is practicing for 6-8 hrs a day and you are being sponsored for the same so only thing you have to concentrate is on eat, sleep and training.
Flt. Lieutenant and fitness trainer Akshay Chopra is the owner of Body Mechanics, a New Delhi based gym with modalities like battling ropes, sandbags, chains, tyres, monkey bars, agility ladders, hurdles and a lot more apart from the international cardio and strength equipments. You can check out their Facebook page.
Image source: Getty Images
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