Should I Sacrifice Sleep for Exercise?

A common issue for those searching for greater health and productivity in life is whether or not they should sacrifice sleep for exercise. It may be due to the glorified actors and famous individuals who brag about how little sleep they get because they are waking up at 3 AM for the gym, etc. 

Many claim that you can “sleep when you’re dead’ or that sleep is for the weak or lazy. It’s part of our hustle culture here in the United States for sure. 

While less sleep may work for some people, it’s hard to say that less sleep is the way to go for everyone. As a general rule, it’s important to get the amount of sleep you need to feel good in your particular body. However, a small reduction in sleep for long-term fitness benefits if you are already oversleeping could definitely be beneficial! You just have to make sure it isn’t taken to the extreme.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

This is a question that scientists have been trying to answer for years. And the answer is, it depends.

Most adults need between 6 and 8 hours of sleep a day. But there are some people who need more, and some who need less. The important thing is to get the right amount of sleep for you.

If you’re not getting enough sleep, you may find yourself feeling tired during the day. You may have trouble concentrating, and you may even feel grumpy. Getting enough sleep is important for your physical and mental health.

So how do you know if you’re getting enough sleep? Pay attention to how you feel during the day. If you’re feeling tired and sluggish, it may be a sign that you need to get more sleep. Talk to your doctor if you’re having trouble sleeping. They can help you figure out how much sleep you need and offer tips for getting a good night’s sleep. 

There are some tips here as well for better, deeper sleep!

Why Is Muscle Recovery Important?

Sleep will also help your muscles recover and come back stronger. When you work out, you are creating micro-tears in your muscle fibers. So you are literally damaging your muscles. And the only thing that actually creates stronger muscles is when they rest and build back bigger. This mostly happens during sleep

There are a few more key reasons why muscle recovery is so important. First, it helps to prevent injuries. When muscles are properly recovered, they are better able to handle the stress of exercise and are less likely to be injured. 

Second, muscle recovery helps improve performance. Proper recovery helps to replenish energy stores, remove waste products from muscles, and repair any damage that has been done to muscles. This all leads to better performance both in the short- and long-term. 

Finally, muscle recovery helps to promote overall health. When muscles are healthy and functioning properly, it can help to improve posture, reduce stress on the joints, and improve circulation. All of these things contribute to a healthy body and mind.

When You Can Sacrifice Sleep for Exercise

Sleep is important for our overall health and well-being, but sometimes we sacrifice a little sleep in order to get in a good workout. Exercise is important for our physical health, and it can also help improve our mental health and mood. Sometimes we have to choose between getting a good night’s sleep and getting in a good workout, and it can be tough to decide which is more important. 

If you’re struggling to decide, consider your goals and priorities. If you’re training for a big race or competition for example, you might need to sacrifice some sleep in order to get in the extra training or stick to your regimen, but here are some other general rules.

1. When it’s to force yourself into a better routine: Sometimes you actually need to change your sleep schedule because you are staying up and sleeping in too late. So when you first start waking up early to go to the gym, your body won’t be used to it and you’ll be tired. But if you stick with it you’ll naturally start sleeping earlier and feeling better with an earlier schedule.
2. When it’s just a one-time thing: If you just happened to stay up too late one night but want to stay disciplined and wake up early for your workout still, you should be ok. One or two nights a week won’t affect your overall health too badly. You just have to make sure to sleep enough the other days if you do slip up.
3. When you are still getting a decent amount of sleep: If the cost of getting fit is reducing your sleep from like 8 to 7 hours for example, for most people that’s probably worth it. Seven hours is still enough sleep for most bodies and the benefits from the gym will most likely outweigh the cost of that one hour.
4. When you are older in age: The older you get, the less sleep your body actually needs. This is why your grandparents may only sleep 4-5 hours a night and be fine. However teenagers may need more like 10 hours of sleep sometimes because of all of the changes happening in their bodies. So if you are no longer growing rapidly in either your body or brain, there will be less harmful effects in sleeping a little less.
5. When you feel fine doing it: If you’ve started waking up earlier or going to bed earlier due to your exercise and you feel no difference or even better because of it, that’s a good sign. It probably means that the exercise benefits outweigh that extra sleep. Or it’s possible you were simply sleeping more than you needed to before. Of course, if you are getting 2 hours of sleep a night and say you’re fine, something is wrong. So there is a limit to this.

If you’re trying to stay healthy and fit and hit the gym in the morning, you might be able to get by with a little less sleep. Ultimately, you have to decide what’s best for you and your health. So listen to your body and consult with your doctor on what would be the best option for you.