BodyBuilding for Dummies #6 – Don’t worry too much about sleep deprivation

This is a problem for bodybuilders/athletes alike.

So if you’ve been keeping up with the bodybuilding series or for those that are new, there are three key components you must perfect if you want quality gains/performance:

Eat quality food
Sleep a minimum 8 hours a night
Train well

A problem has arisen with sleep. Most of us have busy lives and so sleep deprivation will happen. We say we want 8 hours of sleep, but that 8 hours turns into 6 (3 if you’re a student) and the missing hours get substituted for by 10 cups of coffee.

Since this is true for most of us, sleep will eventually become a problem for us at one point in our training. However, that’s not too big of a deal.

Why? Because your body has control over you in this area. You can stay up till 3AM or sleep 5 hours a night for a whole month but eventually your body will say, “Fuck you” and it’ll shut down and sleep. It’ll compensate for that lost time with a 16 hour night of sleeping. Sound familiar?

So if you have a lot of homework to do, lots of studying, working two jobs, a sleeping disorder etc. Whatever the case may be, don’t worry too much about it.

Sleep is one of the golden rules because its during this time that our body rebuilds the muscle tissue we broke down during exercise, using the quality food we provide it. However, if you had a perfect workout and ate all the food you planned for the day, then 3 hours of lost sleep won’t hurt you. You’re body will compensate for that lost sleep in its own way.

Also I want to add, that if you’re reading this and out of all three golden rules I mentioned above, sleep is your only problem, then in fact I applaud you. If sleep truly is your only problem and not eating a lot, or working your ass off in your gym, then congrats because that’s a problem most of us would want to have.

Keep in mind. I’m not encouraging you to sleep 5 hours a night and to depend on that 16 hour window of compensation. Instead, I want to lessen the weight on the shoulders of those that think 5 hours of sleep will deprive them of their gains.

Remember: If you work hard, you’ll be rewarded. It’s that simple.

Happy Training!

Follow for more fitness/bodybuilding or motivation/happiness advice!

Bodybuilding for Dummies #1

BodyBuilding for Dummies #2 – Step 1

BodyBuilding for Dummies #3 – Water Motivation

Bodybuilding for Dummies #4 – Don’t remove junk food

BodyBuilding for Dummies #5 – Gaining size/looking good without the gym