Sleep Deprivation Might Play A Bigger Role In Fitness Than You’d Think
Your performance in the weight room can yield positive results. But your actions outside of the gym can make or break your fitness journey. Your diet and sleep cycle can have a large impact on gains made in the gym. Although it is recommended that college students sleep at least 8 hours every night (Harvard Health), that is not the reality for many college students. Many students are constantly sleep-deprived, which can negatively impact their exercise routines.
Individuals who sleep at least 8 hours a night and maintain a consistent exercise routine have been shown to experience substantial health benefits (National Center for Biotechnology Information). Aside from the obvious desire to lose weight and keep it off, these individuals can experience faster metabolism, improved mental health and focus into the classroom. According to the CDC, “ nearly one-third of adults sleep less than the recommended seven hours per night needed to maintain optimal health”. The number is even greater for college students. The demanding course load of college classes, combined with the occasional party, often results in students getting less than the recommended amount of sleep.
Sleep deprivation decreases work time until exhaustion. This means that your body can’t withstand long durations of exercise without becoming overly fatigued and needing rest. A study was conducted in which participants were asked to walk on a treadmill for an extended period of time. One group was sleep-deprived, while the other group slept for a full eight hours. The results of the study showed that the sleep-deprived group experienced a reduction of work time until exhaustion by 11%. Losing sleep prevents your body from providing enough energy to complete a workout.
In addition to preventing an efficient workout, sleep deprivation can cause an increase in ghrelin. Ghrelin is the hormone that stimulates hunger and appetite. An increase in this hormone can lead to an increase in food uptake and resulting in weight gain. An increase in ghrelin is accompanied by a decrease in leptin, the hormone that signals the feeling of being full. The combination of these hormone fluctuations can result in poor diet choices and counteract improvements that could be made by exercising.
If you are able to, control the amount of sleep you get. Homework assignments can be completed in the morning, so put down the books and get some sleep. Sleep improves your overall mental and physical health and has long term benefits in a healthy lifestyle.
About the Author
Samantha Higley is a freshman who began writing for WVUGO in August 2019 with
an emphasis on Club and Intramural Sports. She plans to earn a degree in Neuropsychology
with a minor in History. Samantha is also on the Club Volleyball team at WVU.