Most of us have every intention to wake up early and go workout whether it is going for a run, taking a group class or walking the dog.  But some days when the alarm goes off, exercise is the furthest thing from the brain and you just want to roll back over to sleep.  On those days, it actually may be best to do just that. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) recommends that adults get at least 7-8 hours of sleep per night. So ask yourself, how many hours of sleep are you really getting each night? And would you be willing to get more sleep if you knew your “gains” depended on it?

When we sleep, our body is recovering and building muscle.  Without that time to recover, we will just continually break down the muscle by stressing it during a workout but not give it any time to repair.  This also interferes with hormones and can send mixed signals to the hunger hormones and cravings throughout the day.

Sleep also helps regulate your blood pressure, alertness and energy levels.  If those areas are lacking, you may be more prevalent to injury during your workout.

Exercise helps improve the quality of sleep, but if you’re sleep deprived or overly tired and struggling to wake up, prioritize sleep and aim for two to three workouts a week. Once you achieve a better sleep pattern and plan, you can increase the number of workouts to best fit your schedule.