With our busy lifestyles and constant chase for personal and career goals, sleep can seem like an easy sacrifice to squeeze in more “productive” hours. But here’s the truth: rest is key to progress. In fact, Olympic athletes intentionally schedule sleep into their training, and U.S Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Thomas credits her success to quality rest: “I do prioritize my own sleep so that I can be one of the best runners in the world.”
So what is it that makes sleep important for our fitness goals?
What happens while we sleep
Sleep is more than just a way to end your day — it’s your body's natural recovery and repair mode. So, what exactly happens while you sleep that makes it so crucial for your fitness goals?
Muscle Repair & Growth
It may be surprising to hear that muscles are built during sleep. During deep sleep, growth hormone is released, working to repair and build muscle tissue—turning your gym effort into real gains. While quality sleep is irreplaceable, the right support can enhance recovery. Supplements such as Magnesium can also support muscle relaxation, energy balance, and reducing post-workout soreness. Women's Best Magnesium Glycinate offers a highly bioavailable form of magnesium, making it easier for your body to absorb and utilize for muscle repair and relaxation. For those looking for a more comprehensive boost, Women's Best Magnesium 7-Complete combines seven types of magnesium to support muscle function, nervous system health, and overall recovery. Prioritizing both rest and the right nutrients ensures your body gets the best chance to rebuild, repair, and perform at its peak.
Hormone Regulation
Hormones play a critical role in fitness and overall health, and sleep is essential to keep them in balance.
A balanced circadian rhythm helps regulate cortisol levels, ensuring they align with your sleep schedule. This allows you to stay energized during the day while supporting your body’s ability to wind down at night. Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, plays a key role in regulating energy, immunity, and metabolism. While managing stress can be tough, the integration of natural supplements can provide valuable support. Women's Best Cortisol Balance is formulated with over 20 carefully selected ingredients, including Shoden® ashwagandha, clinically shown to reduce cortisol levels, and Affron® saffron extract, which enhances sleep quality and mood. For an option that integrates the benefits of both KSM-66® ashwagandha and seven different forms of magnesium, therefore simplifying your supplement regime without sacrificing the benefits, we recommend our Women's Best Ashwagandha Pro — an all-rounder supplement that not only supports your stress management, quality of sleep, and muscle recovery but has anti-aging and immunity supporting benefits built into the blend.
Restoring Energy
Sleep isn't just about resting — it's about recharging.
During our sleeping hours, our body replenishes our energy reservoir — also known as our glycogen levels. A lack of sleep means less energy available for the day — leading to fatigue, grogginess, and overall poor performance in more than just the gym!
Training and nutrition can be hindered by poor sleep.
It’s easy to see how a good sleep cycle contributes to a healthy fitness regime and greater results. Without proper rest, your body can’t keep up with the demands of an average day, let alone focusing on training and proper nutrition. Poor sleep limits our entire system's chance to repair — increasing your chances of injury, poor physical and mental performance, and even burnout. Not to mention, you can hardly expect your best workout when you’re running on minimal sleep, can you?
Beyond that, poor sleep can even impact our nutrition. Poor sleep is linked to hindered decision-making, so when we’re sleep-deprived, the afternoon pick-me-up snacks favor flavor, quick shots of energy, and convenience over the macro and micronutrients our body actually needs in the moment. The convenience and immediate satisfaction of a fast-food run for dinner can outweigh the wholesome meal plan you curated with your fitness goals in mind. Pair this with the negative effect on our cortisol levels and metabolism, and certain goals are suddenly harder to achieve.
Getting the Most out of Sleep
Don’t worry — all is not lost because of a few nights out or the all-nighter for work or uni. It's about finding balance and healthy long-term habits. Here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of your rest:
- Reduce Screen Time: The blue light from our light-night scrolling disrupts melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep. Aim to cut back on screen time at least an hour before bed. If that's tough, try setting your phone to night mode to reduce blue light exposure, making it easier for your body to wind down.
- Create a Routine: Your body thrives on consistency. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day helps regulate your internal clock. A relaxing nighttime routine — whether that’s skincare, reading, or mindfulness practices — signals to your mind that it's time to unwind. Adding a calming scent to your evening routine can further help your mind switch over to winding down for the day, especially sleep-supporting ingredients are found in the product. Our sleep spray is a natural addition to a nighttime routine, blending melatonin and vitamin B6 with the calming extracts of lemon balm and lavender to support a healthy sleep cycle.
Conclusion
It’s easy to get caught up in workouts and nutrition, but sleep is the unsung hero of recovery and performance. The next time you're tempted to sacrifice sleep, remember that true success lies in balance. Sleep isn’t a luxury — It ensures you’re ready to take on each day with energy and strength. By prioritizing rest you’re also giving your body the best chance to recover and grow stronger. Prioritize sleep, and watch how it elevates your performance and overall well-being to the next level.
