DAMN, not getting enough sleep!!

[yiyangzhi]

I'm into my 2nd week of cycle, and did not have enough sleep on a couple of days. I felt shitty and strength dipped a little. Then my gym instructor(an ex-pro) told me that I should not get so worked up about lack of sleep. He told me that if I load enough carbos, this will compensate the sleep hours I lack. Anyway, I managed to nap the sleep the hours I need, and right now, I feel much better.

The only thing I could rationalise from this is, glucose stimulate the release of insulin. Insulin, being anti-catabolic, can offset cortisol peaks induce by lack of sleep. Am I right? Or is this guy spouting nonsense?

[PaPaPumP]

Well, he's both right and wrong IMO. First, having glucose or liver glycogen in your body at ALL times is crucial in building muscle. This helps in not using amino acids for energy, and use it to build muscle (as what it's intended to do). On the other hand, sleep is sleep. Without sleep, you don't grow....Let me rephrase that...Without sleep, you don't grow as well as you would if you sleep. Try some Melatonin at 3g two hours before bed and that should do the trick. If not, maybe it's time to look into a script...because without sleep, your cycle won't provide the results it could.

Good luck man, and try to get some sleep!

[yiyangzhi]

I will try to get some melatonin, thanks PP!

[The Iron Game]

increase in carbs = decrease in gh production before sleep, you need sleep you need your gh bursts just after being asleep

Insulin is not anti catabolic

[yiyangzhi]

Great to hear from you IG! I try not to take too much carbs before sleep. I heard about the fact that either carbs or fats can inhibit GH release, so usually I try to stay up a little longer if I had eaten a meal. I would take some acetylcholine, with Vit B5, Vit C and potassium, plus loads of glutamine to increase GH release even further before bedtime.