Sleep Helps With Exercise: Daily Workout Log Week 14

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It is generally known that exercise helps people sleep. Makes sense, when you are worn out, your zzzzs tend to be deeper and more restful.  But the reverse is also true - sleep helps people exercise, or at least increases the effectiveness of exercise.

1. The hormone that aids in muscle growth is generally released in several bursts throughout the day and night for women, but men generally only get a single burst of this growth hormone, and it happens when they are entering the slow wave phase of sleep (deep sleep or stage 3-4 non-REM ("Rapid Eye Movement") sleep). Since the growth hormone is closely correlated to increases in muscle size, it indicates that without sleep our efforts to build muscle may be wasted. At least for men.

2. We've talked about how excercise and muscle growth is really a process of creating micro-tears in the muscles, then allowing them to be repaired, and therefor growth in size and strength. Well that repair process takes place while you are sleeping. Don't cheat your body of the opportunity to rebuild what you've just broken down.

3. Sleep gives your immunse system time to do its job. Your immune system spends sleepy time repairing the damage done to your whole body the day before, and if you don't give your body time to do all of its repairs, it can lead to fatigue, including muscle fatigue that will prevent the maximum use of your muscles for your next workout.

4. Sleep helps to regulate your metabolism. The best route to burning fat includes maintaining your metabolism. Without proper sleep, your metabolism will be out of whack. Lack of sleep tends to suppress the thyroid hormone, which is the primary regulator of how many calories you burn on a daily basis. Insufficient sleep tends to increase the production of ghrelin, the hormone that tells us we are hungry, and suppresses leptin, the hormone that lets us know to stop. 

Source 1, Source 2

Monday

Goal: Run

Nutrition: I did ok, salad, small omelet, sandwich. No junk.

Hair: Lost cause.

Outcome: I ran/walked 3 miles.

Tuesday

Goal: Run 6 miles

Nutrition: Too many carbs - smoothie in the morning (no sugar added), onion spinach omelet on a whole wheat bagel, turkey chili and another bagel, strawberry cheesecake.

Hair: Still doing what it's doing.

Outcome: I ran 6, walked 1. It was fine.

Wednesday

Goal: Run 3 miles & Boxing

Nutrition: Banana nut muffin. I had a turkey sandwich on a bagel with Sunchips. I ended up eating fruit for dinner and a handful of nuts.

Hair: Please stop asking - oh wait, I guess I'm the one that keeps including it in the post!

Outcome: I ran this morning - to slightly more success than Monday. More running, more sprinting, much less walking. And I made it to boxing - and again had a great workout. And I got the sparring routine right on my first try!!!!!!

Thursday

Goal: Run 6 miles

Nutrition: I had a scrambled egg sandwich with spinach, onions and peppers - it was my breakfast and lunch. I had nuggets and fries again for dinner (but I think I'm finally getting sick of them), and later I had some sliced watermelon - delicious!!

Hair: Wore a headband.

Outcome: I DID IT! Running was a huge challenge for me yesterday, but I made it all 6 miles - and I did it in a decent time. I didn't want to get up, I hadn't gotten enough sleep and my legs were sore from Wednesday's workout. I got my first ever blister, but since I didn't know what it was until after I ran, I just worked through the discomfort.

BONUS: I MET ANDRE' BENJAMIN from Outkast!!!!

Friday

Goal: Run 3 miles

Nutrition: I tend to run on an empty stomach, and today will be no different.

Hair: It's all washed and twisted, we'll see what happens.

Outcome: I walked 3 brisk miles.

Saturday

Goal: Run 6 miles & Box

Nutrition: I just realized that I ate two hamburgers today. A thin one with guacamole and salsa, and another with mushrooms, blue cheese, and a mojo sauce. I don't generally eat red meat, so I was actually surprised when I started thinking about what I ate over the course of the day. and I threw in a little popcorn, and a little chocolate, and some trail mix.  

Hair: I left my twists in all day Friday and left them in a damp topknot. I formed a french braid for my run, and topped it off with a thick cloth headband. I left it like that for my boxing class. 

Outcome: I ran just under 10 miles and I went to my boxing class. And I am amazed that I made it through and had enough energy to put in several hours of work, and go out last night.

Sunday

Goal: Run 3 miles
New goal: Boxing

Nutrition: I've eaten a lot of fruit today, and had a slice of spinach pizza. And a piece of chocolate. 

Hair: In a twist-out. I am going to boxing in about 20 minutes, so I'm going to pin up the front, and leave the rest. I'll wear a headband.

Outcome: I went. And I've exercised 7 days this week. First time ever!


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For the previous weeks, click here: Week 1,  Week 2,  Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7 Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12, & Week 13.

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Write by: Unknown - Wednesday, June 26, 2013