Most of us believe that weight loss, or staying fit, is all about exercising and eating right. However, while that is true, weight management is much more complicated than that, and also takes into account other factors like stress, hydration, and sleep. Now, there is more than enough evidence to prove how deep of an impact can sleep have on your workout and its results. Let's dive deeper...

Lack of sleep is detrimental in all aspects
According to various research, sleep deprivation drops muscle protein synthesis by 18%, raises cortisol by 21%, and lowers testosterone by 24%, pushing your body into a full-blown catabolic state. What is even more shocking is that all this can happen with just one night of sleep deprivation.

What does it mean?
In essence, this means that you can be lifting, doing cardio, strength training and eating more protein, but if you’re not sleeping, you’re breaking down more muscle than you’re building.

How much sleep is enough for an active adult?
Research on this is still hazy, but most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep each night to function on an optimum level. While individual needs might vary, one must focus on the quantity of sleep they are getting as well, along with the quantity. A full night of poor sleep is as bad as no sleep, if not more.

How to ensure quality sleep?

No matter how caught up you are, ensuring good quality, undisturbed sleep is imperative for your metabolism. Here's how you can achieve that..

Stay away from coffee/alcohol prior to bedtime: Even though alcohol is not good for you in any quantity and anytime of the day, one should not consume it at night, since it can lead to insomnia and sleep disturbances. On the other hand, even hardcore coffee lovers admit that caffeine disrupts your sleep, so stay away from that cup at least 6-7 hours before bedtime. Ideally, your last cup of coffee should be consumed no later than 4 pm.