5 Ways to Get Better Sleep to Maximize Muscle Gains

Does your alarm go off, and you swear you got maybe 10 minutes of sleep? You’re not alone. There are many reasons why you can’t sleep. This article will look at how you can get better sleep, which can also help you maximize muscle gains — it’s a win-win!

For starters, why is sleep so important? It’s when the body can boost the recovery process to help rebuild and repair torn-down muscle fibers. Additionally, quality sleep keeps cortisol levels balanced, which can help reduce the likelihood of being hungry all day and having your body store fat.

Let’s dive into how you can get better sleep tonight!

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1. Stay Away from Alcohol and Caffeine at Night

If you’re looking to maximize muscle gains, you’ll want to stay away from alcohol as is. It's empty calories you don’t need and it can actually lower testosterone levels. That said, alcohol and caffeine consumed late at night can disrupt your sleep cycle and cause you to lie awake, staring at the ceiling when you should be fast asleep.

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2. Turn Off All Your Devices

Are you looking to get better sleep? Then turn off your devices. Here’s a little secret, nothing good is going on at 2am that you need to keep your devices on for. All those dings, rings, and buzzes can keep you awake. You’re not going to miss anything important that needs your immediate attention. Also, the blue light emitted by your devices can alter your sleep and keep you awake. So, if you want to maximize muscle gains and get better sleep, turn them off and avoid scrolling through your social feed all night.

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3. Ensure Your Room is Dark

Darkness is your friend when trying to get better sleep. Turn off the lights and if your drapes do a horrible job of keeping the outside light from peeking through, invest in some “blackout shades.” They do a fantastic job of eliminating nearly 100% of the light that would generally shine through your window.

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4. Lower the Room Temperature Slightly

Have you ever thought about temperature when you sleep? Cooler temperatures can help your body relax and allow you to get better sleep. Better sleep can maximize muscle gains. So, how can this be accomplished? Lowering the temperature can mean turning the thermostat down, turning on a fan, opening a window, or even wearing lighter/less clothing to bed.

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5. Reduce Noise and Distractions

Do you have noisy neighbors or live in an area with a lot of traffic or trains? To get better sleep at night, you need to reduce or (even better) eliminate noise and distractions. While easier said than done, if you cannot personally control the noises you’re hearing, consider purchasing a white noise machine or even an inexpensive pair of earplugs that will block much of it out but still wake you up in an emergency, such as if the fire alarm goes off. 

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Give these a try, and you may just find you’re able to get better sleep and maximize muscle gains!

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