At SHEEX®, we've been inspired by the athletic world from the get-go — founders Michelle Marciniak and Susan Walvius developed SHEEX bedding to mirror the moisture-wicking and cooling properties of performance gear. It turns out that athletes can also benefit from cooling bed sheets as well — besides diet and exercise, sleep is another must-have for muscle growth. Ahead, we break down the link between muscle growth and sleeping, answering questions such as, "Why do your muscles tighten when you sleep?" and "Does sleeping help you grow?"
Sleep Helps You Recover and Grow Muscles
Does your body heal when you sleep? Absolutely! Sleep and muscle recovery go hand in hand. According to Shape, your body breaks down your muscles when you work out, and it regenerates them when you sleep. There's also a link between sleep and muscle growth, as getting at least seven hours of sleep is critical to muscle growth. Less than that, and you may have elevated levels of cortisol, aka the stress hormone. Cortisol slows down muscle growth and may tell the body to store more fat.
During Sleep, Your Body Releases Muscle-Building Hormones
How important is sleep for muscle growth? As it turns out, it's critical. During the non-REM stage three of sleep (deep sleep), the muscle-building growth hormone (GH) is secreted. The muscle synthesis that occurs during this stage of sleep pushes your body to release an insulin-like growth factor, which brings carbs into your muscle cells to give them the energy to create new cells and repair broken-down tissue. So, technically speaking, do you grow when you sleep? Yup!
During deep sleep, your muscles gradually relax and will be relieved of tension and pain. The lack of deep sleep may impair the secretion of growth hormone, so you may find yourself waking up feeling tense without sufficient sleep. Tight muscles may also be due to many other reasons, so consult your doctor for the best diagnosis.
Better Sleep Leads to Improved Muscle Performance
Now that we know all about sleep recovery and muscle growth, what about sleep's impact when we're awake? In addition to improving cognitive function and reaction times, sleep also enhances training because it improves muscle coordination. According to Shape, it helps you run faster and longer, lift heavier, and jump higher.
Recover after an intense gym session by getting your slumber on some athlete-inspired SHEEX sleeping gear for cooling, restorative sleep. You don't have to take our word for it — take this review from Melanie D., for example:
"My brother is a retired NFL player and told us about these sheets and said they were awesome. He has the original performance sheet set on every bed in his house and said a lot of guys on his team have them and love them! We bought the same ones he has for Christmas and we love them!! They are so comfy and keep you cool.”
With moisture-wicking, cool-to-the-touch, and Ridiculously Soft® sheets from SHEEX, you'll experience deeper, more restful slumber to help you get those gains!
Original Performance Sheet Set
$174.30
$249.00
Description Details Care Put an end to over-heating and other sleep-disrupting temperature fluctuations and start getting the great night’s sleep your body needs to perform at its peak.Our luxurious, ridiculously soft sheet sets breathe 10x better than traditional cotton sheets,… read more
