Health & Fitness

/Health & Fitness
Health & Fitness2018-11-06T20:29:38+00:00


For years no one talked about this. Now beginning to be more thoroughly understood, this is the missing link in fitness training and athletic performance. Today, virtually EVERY top sports team and athletic trainer recognizes that THIS is often the ingredient that separates champions from also-rans. Gold Medal Winners from all the others.

Without this, you will NEVER achieve the highest results from your workouts. ALL the top trainers agree on this

If you have ever struggled to lose weight and keep it off, or have tried and failed to maintain an exercise and fitness program because you were frustrated with the results, or if you want to maximize the hard work you have put in to your fitness and athletic performance and see the greatest possible results… READ THIS REPORT!

The biggest LIE in fitness training and athletic performance is that simply working harder will bring you your maximum results. It’s simply NOT TRUE. You CAN NOT achieve your goals with just training and nutrition. They are, of course, extremely important. But without the 3rd side of the fitness triangle, it is IMPOSSIBLE to achieve your best results.

Whether you are exercising for your general health, trying to lose a few pounds, or committed to maximizing every aspect of your physical ability, the triangle is the same: One side is training, one side is nutrition. Those are obvious. But it is amazing how many individuals downplay or overlook the third side of the triangle When in fact without the third leg, the first two legs are rendered virtually meaningless! In fact the third side is actually the BASE of all health and fitness!

That’s right. You can discipline yourself to eat the exact right foods and combinations for your body and your training regimen You can commit yourself to the most advanced techniques in training and execute every workout perfectly. But if you ignore the ‘third side of the triangle,’ the catalyst that actually creates the changes you are seeking in your body and your health, you will not see the results. You may, in fact, get so discouraged that you, like most, lose your drive and discipline and fall away from your fitness routines.

Understand this fact: the most punishing workout in the world does absolutely nothing to increase muscle mass, tone and shape your body or increase your aerobic fitness. In fact, those workouts actually injure your muscles and do short term harm to your body before the miracle third side of the triangle reverses that damage and uses it to help you achieve your goals.

The third side of the triangle is so important
that it is the base of all health and fitness!

An abundance of research over the past 15 years, done with some of the premiere athletes in the world, as well as with average people in all walks of life and at all levels of health and fitness have ALL arrived at the same conclusions: The third leg of the fitness triangle is critically important to nearly every aspect of health, wellness, fitness and even mortality rates.

  • Studies were done on the Stanford women’s tennis team as well as their men’s basketball team. They were conclusive. The third leg of the triangle is critically important to athletic success.
  • What factor did researchers discover made it nearly impossible to take weight off and keep it off?
  • What previously unrecognized behavior caused many people to become frustrated and discouraged with their fitness program, often to the point of abandoning it altogether?
  • What did researchers discover that can often be substituted for an extra workout and actually lead to better results?
  • One study showed that failure to observe this one behavior (the third side of the triangle) actually resulted in a double digit increase in the likelihood of premature death.
  • Study after study has shown that changing this one behavior may be your best defense against heart disease, obesity, diabetes, mental illness, depression, inflammation and some types of cancer.
  • According to one Navy Seal, ignoring this one thing will assure failure in ANY training program. In fact, all military fitness programs are now emphasizing this change for maximum effectiveness.

From Adam Bornstein at

  • They eat meals that focus on lean protein and vegetables
  • They exercise at least three times per week, focusing on both weights and cardio.

The problem might seem obvious at first. After all, one woman strays from her diet more than the other. And if exercise “isn’t working”, it probably means she just doesn’t really know how to train.


Maybe she is breaking a fundamental law of nature. Maybe she is ignoring the base of the triangle. And as long as she is, she has no chance of achieving the results she is after.

The Third Side of The Triangle is The Most Critically Important
Component of Fitness and Health. Here it is:

It’s a FACT: Rest and Sleep are the foundation upon which all health and fitness are built.

Simply put: It is IMPOSSIBLE to achieve your highest levels of health and fitness without adequate sleep. IMPOSSIBLE.

Here is what you may be missing: Your workouts and training sessions are designed to do damage to your body and your muscles. No one EVER got bigger or stronger during a workout. The results, the payoff you have worked for, come during REST. And the most effective rest, the rest that will deliver the greatest results is SLEEP!

Yes, SLEEP is the magic elixir that builds muscle, burns fat, heals injury, increases mental acuity, balances emotions and basically brings your body and mind into harmony.


A good night’s sleep sets the optimal stage for
not only physical, but also mental performance.

From Rob Sulavar of Bandana Training writing for Men’s

Alpha males notoriously underestimate the importance of sleep. “I only need four hours” is a phrase thrown around so often in gyms and locker rooms that some dudes actually think it’s true. Living life aggressively is what we do and this l-can sleep-when-l’ m-dead mentality is part of our determination, right? Wrong. When you understand how significant sleep is to your body composition, strength, health and overall well-being, it becomes pretty obvious—the better we’re able to sleep, the better we’re able to live.

A quick reminder on the science of sleep:

Sleep is divided into two major categories: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep (yes, in REM sleep your eyes rapidly move around like you’re watching a sprightly leprechaun do a shuttle run.) You spend most of the night in NREM sleep and gradually work towards REM sleep every 90 minutes or so. The later stages of sleep is where the money is at in terms of restorative function, and you can only get there if you cycle through the initial stages, which is why sleep quality is as important as sleep quantity.

So why is sleep so important?

You produce most of your growth hormone when you sleep. Growth hormone (GH) is aptly named because it is essential for you to grow. But its benefits aren’t limited to bigger and stronger biceps—GH increases your calcium retention (to help maintain your bone mass), it promotes fat loss, it reduces fat storage, it supports your immune system and it keeps your organs operating smoothly. GH isn’t the only hormone affected by sleep. Ever go to bed hungry? If you have a full night’s sleep, you’ll wake up not hungry. During sleep, the body balances two hunger-controlling hormones—ghrelin and leptin. A study in the journal PLoS Medicine showed a strong correlation between limited sleep, high levels of hunger-inducing Ghrelin, low levels of satisfaction-inducing Leptin and obesity. Lack of sleep will make you fat. Still, this only touches on the benefits of sleep. We’re still learning how sleep mitigates aging, helps reinforce lessons in the brain and informs our natural circadian rhythms (our 24-hour physiological process). It’s pretty well understood that optimal sleep levels do wonders for all of this, but we’re still working out the details.

So what are optimal sleep levels?

Like nutrition, sleep needs are unique to the individual. For males between the ages of 17-35, the national sleep foundation recommends 7-9 hours. Lifestyle and activity levels play a huge factor—the harder you live, the more sleep you need—so you’ll have to figure out your own personal sweet spot


Quality of Sleep is Just as Important as Quantity of Sleep

Remember – there are several stages of sleep and we pass through all of them multiple times during the night. The more time we can spend in the deep REM stage of sleep, the greater the benefits we will derive from the work we put in at the gym and in training. Therefore, it is critically important not only that we sleep, but that we sleep as uninterrupted as possible.

The most important sleep tool of all…

There are a variety of factors that can disturb our sleep, so creating good sleep habits and creating a supportive sleep environment are vital. Here are a few tips for uninterrupted sleep:

Set the Stage

For production of sleep hormones, you want your bedroom to be as dark as possible. Excess light confuses your system and can cause your brain to not recognize that it’s time to sleep. Kill all that ambient light.

Quiet on the set

It seems obvious, but it amazes us to discover how much distracting noise is often present in the sleep environment. Turn off the TV. Power down AIL electronic devices. Add some white noise like a fan to conceal minor noises.

What is Inside…as Important as what is outside

Limit your caffeine consumption Try for zero caffeine after 4:00 pm. Try to allow several hours between your last meal and your bedtime. If you are hungry before bed have a little lean protein like turkey or chicken and maybe some hot (decaffeinated) tea. Minimize your overall liquid consumption for several hours to cut down on those bathroom trips.

Have a routine to prepare for rest

Keep your bedtime and wake up times as consistent as possible Turn off all your blue screens (TV, computer, smart phone) 30 to 4S minutes before bed. Instead, read a book, meditate, or do some breathing exercises.
New research suggests that wearing “blue blocker” lenses 30 – 60 minutes prior to bedtime can help jump start melatonin production and help you to fall asleep more readily.

Try to avoid strenuous physical activity (except sex – sex is great for sleep ) close to bedtime.
In general, having a couple of hours between strenuous activity and sleep is ideal.

Positioning can make a big difference

We are all creatures of habit, but certain habits must be broken. The most productive and healthy sleep position is on your back. An adjustable bed allowing for a “zero-gravity” back sleeping position can be
better. Side sleeping is next, but most side sleepers should also add a pillow between their knees for reduced pressure on the back and better alignment. If you are a stomach sleeper – we know it’s hard, but you simply must break the habit. In the meantime, adding pillows under the pelvis can reduce lumbar strain for stomach sleepers.

The most important sleep tool of all is your bed

Your bed needs to have all of these characteristics:

  • Comfort – all other consideration aside, comfort is #1
  • Reduced pressure points – if your bed is too firm or bouncy it will create pressure points and close off blood flow causing you to shift your position or even wake up.
  • Temperature balance – if you get overheated your sleep win be interrupted. Many times the mattress can be a cause, but just as often the culprit is your mattress pad or protector or your sheets. Artificially inflated thread counts in sheets leave fabrics that can’t breathe and trap you in a puddle of your own sweat.
  • Clean – many beds, particularly innerspring beds, are teeming with dust mites and other allergens. Waking up with scratchy throat, runny nose and watery eyes is hardly the way to start the day
  • Proper support – your bed needs to be responsive to your unique body shape, size and weight. It needs to gently and comfortably conform while firmly supporting your body.

While a good night’s sleep may not lead to record-breaking performance, lost sleep will impair physical performance, reduce work productivity, and affect mood and disposition. Poor sleep is associated with anxiety, depression, and mood disorders, while adequate sleep improves attitudes/moods, and promotes feelings of self esteem and competence — all of which are tied to physical performance.

What is the Best Bed for Quality Sleep?
The truth is, there is no one right answer to this question, as every person and everyone’s body is unique. However, for most people certain types of beds seem to be best. Consider:

Non-innerspring beds have the highest satisfaction ratings of all bed types. These include foam beds such as Essential Bed, the Reverie Dream Bed, REM-Fit beds, Tempurpedic, and air supported beds (like Sleep Number). Memory foam beds are actually preferred 3 to 1 over innerspring beds that do not contain memory foam.

Quality memory foam beds are self-adjusting, and Instantly respond and conform to your unique body.
Air supported beds can be adjusted for firmness preference, but cannot provide the perfectly balanced Chiropractic support that a high-quality foam bed like an Essential Bed delivers.

Quality foam beds like Essential Bed REM-fit and Mlily beds are Certified Pure and hypoallergenic. They are much cleaner to sleep on than innerspring beds, as they are not a host to dust mites.

The best memory foam beds (such as Essential Bed REM-Fit and Mlily beds and Tempurpedic) offer perfectly balanced support with every cell of the bed responding exactly to the shape and weight of the sleeper and offering deep comfort together with excellent underlying support (superior support to air supported beds).

Chiropractors and other health professionals consistently recommend memory foam and hybrid support and comfort beds to their patients for best sleep health.

Quality foam beds like Essential Bed carry very clear and transparent warranties against bed failure.
(Any warranty on any bed that is for more than 10 years should be looked on with suspicion. Even the highest quality products do wear out. And sleep health is too important to entrust to a bed older than 10 years).

Adjustable bases can play a very significant role in comfort, recovery from injury, as well as pain and stress relief, and can be helpful with sleep compatibility between partners. They can reduce the symptoms of acid reflux and help control snoring. Most quality foam beds and hybrid beds are compatible with adjustable bases.

Sleep problems can be caused by a host of factors ranging from physical discomfort, stress, and environmental factors to pathology. For some, better sleep quality can be as simple as a new mattress. Amazingly, some people have the notion that their mattress never needs updating. A new mattress is an important factor in attaining improved sleep quality. After 10 years, a typical mattress has yielded over 25,000 hours of support.
It is overly optimistic to believe that your bed can be providing it’s original support after that much use. A new mattress can significantly improve sleep quality.

Here’s What Muscle and Fitness Magazine Has to Say About Sleep:

We’ve said it enough times in Muscle & Fitness but it bears repeating: You don’t grow in the gym. You grow while you recover.

You also get faster, leaner and stronger while you recover; so it stands to reason that you should be making this a priority. But recovery isn’t simply a matter of post-workout protein and waxy maize – it’s a matter of rest. Or, more specifically, sleep

While a great many of us build our schedules around workouts, fewer of us offer the same deference to our sleep, choosing instead to stay up late like zombies, or wake up at sunrise to catch some empty stomach cardio. But this lack of devotion to sleep might just be the missing element in your quest for a better body. Muscle-building, fat-burning and athletic performance are all diminished by sleep deprivation. You may not feel deprived but the pounds you’re lifting – or carrying around your waistline – may tell a different story.


Newborns sleep somewhere in the neighborhood of 18 hours per day but they’re not being lazy. They’re taking advantage of the wonders of growth hormone (GH). Babies are in a constant rebuilding phase as they grow and a cascade of hormones is governing this process. Without the proper amount of rest, they would not be able to secrete the right amount of GH, a critical hormone in building up tissues that peaks as you sleep.

So it makes sense that if you want to recover and grow, you also need to sleep to secrete enough GH.
Sleep is – wait for it – the most anabolic thing you can do for your muscles and if you’re not getting enough, you’re just not growing as fast as you can.


Folks who are under-slept may think that they are more likely to burn fat than those who get more sleep. “If I’m up and about, I’ll be burning more calories,” they think. They’d be right…and wrong.

Better, more efficient fat-burning can be had by catching more z’s. Studies show that people that get less than six hours of sleep have poor insulin resistance. If you cannot control insulin, you will have a tough time losing fat, not to mention a much higher risk of developing Type II diabetes.

But there’s more. Lack of sleep also enhances your body’s production of the catabolic stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol increases as you become more sleep deprived, which in turn can alter thyroid stimulating hormone, your key metabolic regulator. To reduce cortisol, you need to relax and sleep. Too much cortisol has been shown to increase belly fat in males.

GH is also influential on your body’s ability to fight fat and, as we discussed above, adequate sleep is imperative for gaining the full benefits of this wonder hormone.

Lack of sleep can also affect your hunger hormone, ghrelin, which can cause you to overeat. Insulin secretion and the ability to respond to insulin can decrease up to 30 percent. The better sleep you get, the better your growth hormone secretion, the less likely you ore to store fat as you slumber.



You might not need to slap yourself in the face and grunt like a silverback before a big lift if you would just get enough sleep. Simply getting enough time on your pillow may be enough of a boost to your performance in the gym. Remember, heavy lifting is just as much cerebral as it is muscular. That is to say that your central nervous system plays a much larger part than you’d think when it comes to pushing through that new personal best on the bench.

With lousy sleep comes lousy focus, compromising your central nervous system’s clout. Your nervous system is responsible for power output, mental clarity, reaction and proprioception. If you find a decrease in any of these attributes, you lose the ability to perform at your optimal level and this applies whether you’re playing your favorite sport or you’re gearing up for a set of heavy deadlifts.

From a physiological standpoint, fatigue diminishes energy output, stifles concentration skills and enhances distractibility, which makes it far easier to shirk on your workout responsibilities, especially towards the end of a workout as physical fatigue compounds mental fatigue. It is also not surprising that this lack of concentration can lead to a much greater risk of injury. The slightest fatigue-induced deviation in form or improper muscle recruitment can leave you more exposed to potential problems than you want to be.


If you’re not sleeping enough, not only will you be bummed out over how little progress you are making from your workouts and diet but you also run the risk of developing acute emotional abnormalities. A lack of sleep contributes to a regular flow of stress hormones like cortisol, and this intensifies our emotional response. That is a likely reason why we get more testy, irritable, teary, or giggly when you are missing your winks.

Deep REM sleep is needed as it assists the brain in learning what it had acquired the day before and this includes movement patterns. Proper REM sleep aid in enhanced memory and more efficient learning and helps to resupply one’s system with neurotransmitters that were used up during the previous day.

Forgetful today? Without REM, memories may dissipate. If you learn a new athletic skill and fail to get a good night’s sleep then it’s as if you had never learned it. You may remember elements of the skill, but it won’t be converted into long-term memory. And this has huge implications for elite or hard-training athletes.


So now you see: not getting enough sleep can (and will) impair your body’s ability to gain muscle; burn fat, lift heavy weight or to do pretty much anything without being a zombie-eyed, emotional wreck.

There is no magic one-size-fits-all prescription for the amount of sleep needed to keep your body and brain performing at optimal levels. Some people can indeed get by with less sleep and some really need more in order to get by. But studies show that people who get between 7-9 hours of sleep a night have better moods, cognition and focus and more readily enjoy the many body-boosting benefits of GH, as compared to those who get less than seven hours of sleep.

So take your sleep seriously. Be as territorial about it as you are with your time spent at the gym and you’ll likely see your results accelerate drastically

Let’s Hear From Some Of The Most Respected Trainers in the Country (as quoted by Huffington Post)

Emily Schromm

“Turn off the TV and stop checking emails at least 30-45 minutes before you start falling asleep for less stress and better recovery.”

On syncing exercise routine and sleep schedules:

Routine is known to keep you consistent, so if that means waking up early and making it happen, or going straight after a long day of work to the gym, STICK TO THAT! No matter your workout style, intensity, or preference, if you are consistent, change WILL happen.
Sometimes it’s just a success to get to the gym at ANY time during the day, but if you can avoid sweating hard right before bedtime, do so. Winding down before bed is a real thing! Don’t hype yourself up too much so that you can get as close to 8 hours of sleep as possible.

On overlooked or incorrect things regarding sleep and fitness:

We tend to “wind down” by catching up on the last episode of Game of Thrones (guilty) or by checking emails in bed. Technology and the artificial lights can greatly affect our sleep cycle and quality.

When we don’t sleep well, we don’t recover as well, and over time that will really stress our bodies.
Stress can come in many forms, but usually fitness or weight loss plateaus are the most common!


The modern elite athlete knows that physical conditioning and good nutrition are critical in reaching peak athletic performance; however, sleep, while often overlooked, plays an equally important role. In recent years, it’s become clear that the quality and quantity of sleep obtained by elite athletes can be the edge between winning and losing on game-day.

Jessie Pavelka

“People tend to look at the day differently, in a more positive way, when they give themselves the gift of exercise first thing before the daily hustle starts.”

On syncing exercise routines and sleep schedules:

It depends on the individual and their schedules, but I’m a huge fan of wake-up workouts. Doing 15 minutes of intervals in the morning is an amazing way to kick start the day. I also find that people tend to look at the day differently, in a more positive way, when they give themselves the gift of exercise first thing before the daily hustle starts.

The good thing about sleep patterns in relation to exercise is, the more you exercise the better/more rest you get. There must be a balance between working out hard and resting hard. Be sure to shut off the smartphones (blue lights), the TV, the late night eating, and most of all, the mind in order to get quality rest.

On overlooked or incorrect things regarding sleep and fitness:

I find many people don’t allow balance to exist between sleep and exercise/fitness. True health isn’t about constantly abusing your body through extreme gym sessions or hours of pounding the pavement, but rather by giving yourself a bit of love in the form of rest. The repair happens when your eyes shut and you shut it all off. Be mindful and create the balances.


— Casey Smith, Head Athletic Trainer, Dallas Mavericks

Dr. Layne Norton

“Many people avoid eating before bed for fear of it making them fat. However, research does not support these fears.”

On how nutrition factors into sleep and fitness:

Nutrition before sleep is more important than most people think. Eating sufficient amounts of protein before bed ensures that your body can recover and keep rates of muscle protein synthesis elevated. Many people avoid eating before bed for fear of it making them fat. However, research does not support these fears. In fact a recent study demonstrated slightly greater fat loss in people who ate the majority of their carbohydrate intake at night compared to people who ate them throughout the day.

Kelli Segars

“Listening to your own body, and being aware of your energy levels and your sleep quality is the best way to gauge the best schedule for exercise and sleep.”

On syncing exercise routines and sleep schedules:

The most important thing to consider when trying to sync exercise and sleep routines is your own internal clock. While there are definitely some things that work best for the majority of people (for example, not doing a strenuous workout close to bedtime), something different works for each of us. There’s really no such thing as one ideal, set plan to follow in terms of a schedule of sleep and workout timing.

Listening to your own body, and being aware of your energy levels and your sleep quality is the best way to gauge the best schedule for exercise and sleep. While this does require some trial and error, it’s definitely worth it when it comes to feeling and looking your best.

One of the most overlooked factors we see when it comes to sleep and fitness is probably not getting enough sleep and not allowing for proper rest in between tough workouts that require recovery periods allowing the muscles in the body to properly heal from strenuous training.

People get really excited about starting into a fitness routine and want to see results quickly, and often end up setting up patterns of exercise and rest that are not sustainable long term, making it highly likely that they don’t stick to the new and healthy habits that they started out optimistic about.

Much of the repairing that the body does after an intense workout happens while you’re sleeping, specifically during deep sleep. This makes it crucial to get enough rest each night. Developing a long-term health approach that includes regular exercise, good nutrition, and adequate rest and sleep, is the best way to go.

Heather Frey
“Your body produces the most growth hormone while you’re asleep, so shoot for 7-8 hours under the covers.”

On syncing exercise routines and sleep schedules:

Truly, the best time of day to work out is the time you know you will consistently go, but this said, I always encourage people to get their workout done as early in the day as possible.

First, it leaves less time to talk yourself out of going, especially as the day wears on and you get tired; second, it gives you energy for the rest of your day; and third it won’t impede your sleep which is when all of the great changes in your body are taking place. For some people, working out too late in the day causes trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.


On overlooked or incorrect things regarding sleep and fitness:

People greatly underestimate how crucial sleep is to their fitness gains. They eat well, hit all their workouts, but don’t get nearly enough sleep and then can’t understand why their progress is stalled.

The truth is, your body does its greatest transforming while it’s sleeping. It takes all the good nutrition and physical activity you’ve done, and processes that with growth hormone which is crucial to repair, recovery, and body composition. Your body produces the most growth hormone while you’re asleep, so shoot for 7-8 hours under the covers.

Lucas James
“The number one reason I hear from my clients that have a poor workout is, I didn’t get much sleep last night’.”

On syncing exercise routines and sleep schedules:

When it comes to sleep, I have my clients create a sleep schedule by setting a reminder on their phone one hour before their bedtime. I also recommend going to bed the same time every night (Sun-Thur) to create a consistent sleep cycle.

As for exercise, all of my clients are required to book their personal training sessions a week in advance and schedule their personal workout days prior to the week starting. Having my clients schedule and prioritize their sleep habits and workouts keeps them on track with their goals and improves their overall health.

On overlooked or incorrect things regarding sleep and fitness:

I find that sleep is drastically overlooked, especially when working with executives, entrepreneurs, and new mothers who sometimes get less than five hours. I believe that sleep dictates our productivity, energy, and focus. Without at least six hours of sleep some feel low energy, and struggle with their motion and exercise. The number one reason I hear from my clients that have a poor workout is, “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Getting enough sleep takes commitment, just like training.

Jen Jewell

“Be realistic about it and if you’re not o morning person, then carve out time on your lunch break each day to hit the gym, or throw you gym bag in the car in the morning so you’ll be sure to hit the weights on the way home from work. “

On syncing exercise routines and sleep schedules:

When it comes to sleep and earning top results with fitness, people often underestimate how crucial of a component sleep truly is to a health & fitness regimen. More often than not, people are overworked from a stressful day on the job, then trying to hit the gym each day after work, only to come home and watch TV in bed before passing out for a measly four to five hours of rest. This vicious cycle doesn’t allow your body to recover from the day, the workouts and watching TV or using electronics right up until bedtime also isn’t helpful for a good night’s rest.

With sleep routines and fitness, it’s all about consistency. Your body will thank you when you award it with a similar bedtime each night and wake-up call each morning. I always advise my clients (and follow this rule of thumb for myself as well) to make sure they schedule their workout for the time of day that feels most natural to them, or when they have the most energy.

For example, if you’re not a morning person, don’t set a goal to wake up each day at the crack of dawn to hit the gym before a day at the office. Going from one extreme to another- especially with sleep- is going to wreck havoc on your system and is essentially setting yourself up for failure from the outset.

On overlooked or incorrect things regarding sleep and fitness:

The most overlooked thing regarding sleep and fitness is pretty simple: most people that workout each day are not getting enough rest each night. A recent Gallup poll showed that in the U.S., about 40 percent of Americans aren’t getting enough sleep.

Factor in a lack of sleep/rest with a busy work day and strenuous workout regimen as you’re trying to shed those pounds before your Hawaiian vacation, and you have a recipe for an overworked disaster, leaving your body more stressed out than rejuvenated from your newfound healthy lifestyle.

It’s actually the time that we spend at rest (not during the actual workout…the workout itself is when we are breaking the muscles down as we lift weights) that our muscles are able to rebuild and recover, which earns us those results that we work so hard for.


-Justin Grinnell, State of Fitness, East Lansing, Michigan

Bottom Line: The Key To Maximizing Your Workouts and Training, Improving and Maintaining Your Healthy Body and Mind, And Living Your Best Possible Life, is


For the best, most healthy sleep possible, follow the sleep guidelines listed and get an Essential Bed. No other beds can match their unbeatable combination of healthy sleep features, pure construction, fabulous comfort and modest price. And our specialists will fit you to the best Essential Bed for YOUR unique body type.

A great bed isn’t cheap, but it doesn’t have to cost as much as a car, either. With Essential Bed, you will get the pleasure of The World’s Most Comfortable Bed, together with our Doctor Recommended support and pressure relief. And with what you save compared to Sleep Number or Tempurpedic, you’ll more than pay for your gym membership!

And Do Not Neglect The Critical Base of the Fitness Triangle

Just as athletes need more calories than most people when they’re in training, they need more sleep, too. You’re pushing your body in practice, so you need more time to recover.

The evidence is overwhelming and the conclusions crystal clear: You CAN sleep your way to the top and to the peak of your fitness and health! Make sure you are getting enough sleep to support your life goals.

5 areas sleep has the greatest impact on athletic performance


Elite athletes can’t spare even fractions of a second to react to a play unfolding in front of them. Sleep deprivation is known to reduce reaction times significantly. Even a single all-nighter can reduce reaction times by more | than 300%, not to mention recovering takes several days. Studies have shown even a surprisingly low level of fatigue can impair reaction times as much, if not more, than being legally drunk.

It’s surprising to hear that “being awake for 22 hours straight can slow your reaction time more than four drinks can”. Clearly, there are physiological differences between being intoxicated and being fatigued; however, if an athlete wouldn’t reasonably expect to have peak reaction times after putting back four beers, they can’t expect to perform their best on less than a full night’s sleep either.


A University of California study concluded that injury rates in youth athletes increased during games that followed a night of sleep fewer than 6 hours. Another study looking at injury rates in high school athletes found that sleep hours was the strongest predictor of injuries, even more so than the hours of practice.

Why is this the case? As we explored in the first point, fatigue affects reaction time. A tired athlete is slower to react to a potential hit on the ice, the field, or the court. Secondly, fatigue affects the body’s immune system, making players more susceptible to illness. Thirdly, shorter sleep periods don’t provide the body with sufficient time to regenerate cells and repair from the abuse of workouts, games, and daily activities. Over time, game- earned injuries, health issues, and the inability to fully recover can wear on an athlete and contribute to more time spent on the sidelines.


Beyond acute injuries, one recent study on MLB players has shown fatigue can shorten the playing careers (and therefore income) of professional athletes. “We were shocked by how linear the relationship was,” said the principal investigator W.Christopher Winter, MO, medical director of the Martha Jefferson Hospital Sleep Medicine Center in Charlottesville, Va. “It is a great reminder that sleepiness impairs performance. From a sports perspective, this is incredibly important. What this study shows is that we can use the science of sleep to predict sports performance”.


— Casey Smith, Head Athletic Trainer, Dallas Mavericks



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