Why a restful sleep is not only important for athletes
Sleep is the most important regeneration measure of the human organism, during which many body functions can be reduced to a minimum. This gives the body a window of repair in which all the influences of the day can be processed and cell damage can be regenerated. In the sleep phase, the body's energy consumption is correspondingly low and, depending on the physical constitution, amounts to 50 to 150 calories per hour . According to this, sleep serves the body as an important regeneration and recovery cycle and, above all, as an opportunity to be able to release more hormones with a positive character. During sleep, the hormones testosterone in men and estrogen in women are released, and the body's metabolism is shut down.
› read more The length of sleep required varies from individual to individual - as a rule of thumb, however, we recommend 8 hours of restful night sleep per day to ensure complete regeneration. If, as a result of too little sleep, increased tiredness and a lack of regeneration, the human organism increasingly releases the stress hormone cortisol , which then initiates a multitude of harmful processes such as a disruption in lipid metabolism. Since great importance is attached to sleep , appropriate food supplements can also be used here in order to significantly improve its quality.
A potential target group for this are primarily users who, for example, work in shifts and are therefore subject to a constantly deviating sleep rhythm, or users who normally cannot sleep 8 hours a day. Furthermore, supplements for improving the quality of sleep are also suitable for users with increased sleep needs, such as competitive athletes .
Ways To Improve The Quality Of Sleep - Behaviors And Supplements
In terms of behavior , it is advisable to refrain from caffeinated drinks 6 hours before the planned night's sleep, as this gives the body enough opportunity to shut down the circulation. Furthermore, a sufficient amount of sleep should be emphasized - between 7 and 8 hours per day is recommended, for competitive athletes or physically very active people even 9 hours or more per day. Those who get used to fixed sleep times - in other words: going to bed and getting up at the same time every day - can also optimize their sleep quality in this way. Likewise, one should refrain from getting into potential overtraining , in which the body is subject to too high a stress level, which also has a negative effect on sleep. In addition to the options mentioned, a variety of dietary supplements can be used to specifically improve the general quality of sleep.
Possible combinations of active ingredients such as ZMA , which is a combination of zinc , magnesium and vitamin B. That has a positive effect on the hormone and cortisol levels and helps to lower the latter. Vitamin D , which can be made available naturally through sunlight , is also helpful for improving the quality of sleep. Especially in the winter months there are deficiencies in many places, which manifest themselves in daytime sleepiness and a deviating sleep rhythm - taking additional vitamin D in capsule form provides a remedy here. The amino acids glycine and glutamine help with falling asleep and staying asleep problems and thus improve the important deep sleep phase .
