The most anabolic factor for muscle growth and recovery!

Sleep is generally considered a critical factor in an athlete's performance. Of course, insufficient sleep is thought to have a detrimental effect on performance. Also, compromised sleep can affect cognition, learning, memory, pain perception, immunity and inflammation. Chronic partial sleep deprivation can lead to changes in carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis, appetite and food intake. These factors can ultimately have a negative impact on the athlete's nutritional, metabolic and hormonal status and therefore could potentially reduce athletic performance.

Sleep is thought to affect both physiological and cognitive functions, leading to an impact on athletic performance. Evidence suggests that athletes have poorer sleep quality as well as less sleep than non-athletes, particularly during periods of intense training.

Obviously, there are a number of sleep hygiene measures that can be considered to improve sleep quality.

Here is what the personal trainer of one of the most successful basketball players of all time - LeBron James - shares:

The body recovers best when the brain enters REM sleep. This is the phase of sleep in which the eyes begin to move very quickly (from English - Rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep, REMS)). However, it occupies only 20-25% of the entire sleep cycle, so a person should sleep long enough.

"Whether you're an athlete, a businessman, or a doctor, you need sleep. Without it, one cannot recover from a match, a business meeting, an operation..."

"You also have to create the right environment," Mike continues. – For us, for LeBron, it's always the hotel room. We have to make sure that the temperature is perfect - around 20 degrees. The room should be completely dark. Nothing should distract you while you sleep. Try to turn off all electronics - TV, phone, etc. Turn them off about 30-45 minutes before you go to sleep. You have to really try.”

LeBron also chimed in and talked about his regimen, saying he makes sure to get a minimum of eight hours of sleep a night.

"Only in this way will you be able to recover physically and mentally to 100 percent. Will there be some days where you wake up not 100%? Of course. Some days are better than others. But the more and more you sleep eight hours a night… If you can get nine, even better. I, personally, sometimes sleep for 10 hours.

This is the best way for me to recover. I can work out and take ice baths and whatnot during the day, but when you get a good night's sleep, you just feel fresh in the morning. You don't even need an alarm. You wake up feeling like you can tackle anything during the day.”

A supplement often associated with sleep is melatonin. Studies investigating the use of melatonin for primary insomnia have shown inconclusive results. A meta-analysis reported a reduction in sleep onset latency of 7 minutes (the clinical significance of this may be questionable.) and concluded that while melatonin appears safe for short-term use, there is no evidence that melatonin is effective for most primary sleep disorders.

Melatonin is a hormone that affects the sleep-wake cycle and induces sleepiness, producing a sleep-promoting effect. When the retina of the eyes is exposed to light, the secretion of melatonin will be suppressed, resulting in an awake state.

Another recently studied dietary supplement is tart cherry juice, which contains relatively high amounts of phytochemicals, including melatonin. Ingestion of tart cherry juice has been shown to increase melatonin in the urine and when consumed over a period of one week has been shown to produce modest improvements in sleep time and quality

The next supplement that can be taken to improve sleep is Valerian.

Valerian is an herb that binds to gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors and is thought to produce a calming effect by regulating the nervous system. The results of a meta-analysis examining the efficacy of valerian showed a subjective improvement in sleep quality. Although valerian is one of the most common ingredients in supplements that claim to promote sleep, side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, and allergic reactions can occur.

Practical recommendations for improving sleep include:

-Room temperature around 20 degrees

-Turning off all electronic devices in the room and those that emit even minimal light

-The hormone melatonin and foods with a high concentration of melatonin (eg tart cherries) can reduce the time it takes to fall asleep.

-Subjectively, the quality of sleep can be improved by ingesting the herb valerian

-High GI foods such as white rice, pasta, bread and potatoes can promote sleep; however, they should be consumed more than 1 hour before bedtime.

-Diets high in fat can negatively affect overall sleep time.

-When total caloric intake is reduced, sleep quality can be impaired.