Weightlifting and Strength Training: Sleep Tips and Tricks
Strength training and weightlifting has become more popular, reaching its pique now after 10 years of slowly growing. We are pretty pumped about this (no pun intended) because strength training has some serious health benefits. When people start doing new exercises or changing up their health routines, however, it’s rare that they take time to think about how it impacts their sleep. And you better believe that weightlifting does impact sleep and sleep does impact your strength training.
Before we get to the connection between sleep and weightlifting, let's look at this workout type a bit more.
What is weightlifting vs strength training?
Weightlifting is the act of using weights – either hand weights or bars – to work muscles and increase strength. Strength training, however, is a bit more of a structured and targeted type of training that works to build muscle mass and become stronger using both body weights and external weights. Strength training also works towards endurance and full body strength.
For many, strength training is kind of the umbrella term, with weightlifting being a specific type of workout used to strength train.
Example of exercises for strength training are:
Squats
Push ups
Bridges
Walking lunges
Tricep dips
Examples of weightlifting are:
Bicep curls
Squats with weights
Overhead press
Bench press
Weighted deadlift
Weightlifting and health
Strength training is becoming more popular now for the average person because studies have shown the overall health benefits that come with lifting weights. Muscle and strength training is better for:
Increased balance
Improved cardio and endurance
Reduces strain on your body with everyday activities
Strengthens joints and muscles around joints
Maintaining a healthy metabolism
Weight lifting and strength training also can improve your posture, help with weight loss, reduce recovery time with injury and help with mental health, too.
Why muscles matter
When we talk about muscles, we don’t mean Arnold Schwarzenegger. We are talking about the muscles that exist naturally in your body as a human being. This includes the biceps, quads, and all the other muscles that jump to mind. But muscles also mean your heart, your diaphragm, your digestive system, your tendons and everything else that makes up your musculoskeletal system.
Muscles, as a whole, are what let you move. They provide stability with the muscle tendons that stretch over joints. They keep our posture straight and reduce the risk of pain and injury. Our hearts pump our blood – literally keeping us alive. They protect our inner organs and regulate our temperatures.
More than all this though, your muscles are what let you do all the things you love. They are what let you go for walks with your dog, pick up your children or loved ones, hike a mountain, walk in the sunshine and move around in your day.
Without muscles, we don’t exist.
Why you should lift weights for your health
Muscle mass tends to decrease in the body by 3 - 8% every decade after you turn 30. The only way to help battle this is to include strength training into your routine.
Let’s be clear – you don’t need to lift weights for hours every day. Nor do you need to look like a professional weight lifter to be taking care of your muscles.
It’s recommended that you include strength training into your routine about 2 times a week to keep your body strong and healthy. You can use your body weight for workouts, or use hand weights.
How much sleep do you need if you lift weights
The rules for sleep for weightlifters mirror those for runners or other athletes. You need of course around 8 hours of sleep every night. If you’re doing physical activity and working your body, that number could be higher – closer to 9 or even 10 hours of sleep a night.
If you feel constantly tired even though you’re exercising and taking care of your body, the amount of sleep you’re getting (or rather, not getting) could be the culprit.
Sleep tips for those who strength train and lift weights
There’s nothing like quality sleep after a day of exercise.
If working those muscles is something you do, you may be struggling with your sleep. Why?
Achy muscles keep you awake
Endorphins make it hard to sleep
You are tired and nap after your workout and can’t sleep at night
Feel too awake or pumped up to sleep
Here are our tips to help you sleep better after working out.
Stretch stretch stretch
While that burn after a good workout feels great, it’s not so great if it’s keeping you up at night. Cooldown and stretching is not only necessary to reduce injury and keep up flexibility, but it can help reduce muscle pain post workout.
Don’t pump iron close to bedtime
You shouldn’t lift weight – or run or any other type of exercise, really – less than 3 hours before bed. You need to give your body to come down off the adrenaline and endorphin hit that happens after exercise. Early morning workouts are a great way to help you feel awake and in a good mood for your day.
Don’t nap!
The crash after the workout can be real. But, make sure you don’t let it pull you into snooze-ville. Staying awake and avoiding that afternoon nap will make it easier to sleep at night.
Get enough sleep!
Are you being realistic with yourself about how much sleep you’re getting? If you exercise regularly – especially if weightlifting and strength training is a part of your routine – you may need an extra hour or two a night for proper recovery. Go to bed early enough to get the sleep you need.
Getting started with this type of workout: 4 tips
If strength training and weightlifting is new to you but you want to get started, here’s some tips.
1. Start with body weight
It can be easy to run to the weights and want to see how much you can lift! But lifting too much weight when you’re starting off can hurt you rather than help you. If you’re getting stared, ust your body weight and ease into strength workouts.
2. Try a class
Whether it’s in person or virtual, a class is a great way to learn more about strength training, proper form and to add this type of workout to your routine. If you prefer to exercise at home, YouTube is a great resources for free workouts online that you can do on your own time.
3. Be patient
Building strength takes time and consistency. Be patient with your body. It can take up to 2 months to see and feel results from consistent exercise. That doesn’t mean it’s not working!! So don’t give up!
4. Add it into other workouts
If you normally love playing a sport or running or swimming, you can add strength training to your workouts instead of swapping them out completely. Some body weight exercises like squats, pushups, lunges and planks can do a lot to build up muscle strength before or after your normal workout.
Sleep, rest and recovery for strength training
Sleep is when our muscles repair and heal. Without proper rest and recovery time – that includes sleep! – you won’t have the same results from your workouts. And, on top of this, you’ll actually be at a bigger risk of injury. Be sure to get your sleep and take your rest days seriously. Your body and health will thank you.