By Jana Taylor
If you have a big workout scheduled today you will want Muscle Ice on hand post work out, but after you have eased your sore muscles, have you given thought to post workout sleep? Athletes definitely need more sleep the night after a particularly strenuous workout. Sleep experts suggest that everyone needs at least seven hours of sleep at night on average. If you are very active physically (or even mentally active), your body creates additional adenosine, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and acts as a depressant that promotes sleep. The longer you are awake and the more physically active you are cause your adenosine levels to increase, which by the end of the day results in causing sleepiness.
But does feeling sleepy actually mean you need more sleep? The answer is yes – in many cases your body knows best what it needs. Sleeping gives your body a chance to eliminate the adenosine that accumulated during the prior day. If you are waking up groggy, one explanation could be that you are not giving your body enough time to metabolize (eliminate) the built up adenosine, and therefore you still feel sleepy even after what seems like a full night’s sleep.
You should approach post workout sleep as just another part of your workout process. Make sure you are easing your sore muscles with Muscle Ice, make sure your nutritional intake is adequate, and stop binge-watching Netflix. Instead, try turning in an extra hour early… your body will thank you in the morning.
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Jana Taylor is a staff writer for Peaceful Mountain.
