When it comes to transforming your body through physical fitness and proper nutrition, most people leave stress and sleep management out of the equation. In order to get the results you really want, you will need to become obsessed with your goal and put forth 110% effort. Not only will you need to focus on the food you eat and the workouts you do, but you will need to make sure to get enough rest and manage your stress levels. This is one reason why some people get results seemingly faster than others.
Stress causes cortisol to be released. When cortisol is elevated for long periods of time, it can have the following negative consequences:
- Reduced growth hormone, and testosterone output
- Osteoporosis
- Reduced muscle and increased abdominal fat
- Impaired memory and learning
- Reduced glucose utilization
- Impaired immunity
Everyday, we deal with combating stress from all different angles. Learning to form a positive mindset, surrounding yourself with positive influences, and establishing new positive habits will all contribute towards minimizing stress.
Sleep is also very important because that’s when the magic happens. Sleep allows your body to recover and build the muscles that we worked during exercise. Muscle helps burn more fat at rest. You will hinder your progress if you do not get enough sleep.
Ways to Improve Sleep:
- You can improve your sleep by not looking at any phone or TV screens a couple of hours before going to bed.
- You can begin to establish a sleeping schedule
- Take melatonin supplements
- Spend more time outside during daylight
