In the past when speaking of recovery I discussed nutrition and the 2 hour window post workout. As a quick reminder this 2 hour window is extremely important for your body to receive its material for the rebuilding process. An example is I like to drink @30 grams of protein within 30minutes – 1 hour post workout then another meal or shake before the 2 hours is up.
Another key aspect to recovery is sleep. This would seem like a simple enough factor to accomplish, but in our self imposed hectic world it is not always easy or possible to get 8 hours a night. Yes I said self imposed, you made the choices in your life that put you where you are as I have. I know I work 12 hour rotating shifts so I am not on a normal schedule, so it is not easy to get 8 hours all the time, plus sleeping during the day can be hard at best.
One thing I have found that helps get the most out of my sleep and helps with the change in times [it also works for jet lag!], is supplementing with melatonin. What is melatonin? Here is the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services definition
Another key aspect to recovery is sleep. This would seem like a simple enough factor to accomplish, but in our self imposed hectic world it is not always easy or possible to get 8 hours a night. Yes I said self imposed, you made the choices in your life that put you where you are as I have. I know I work 12 hour rotating shifts so I am not on a normal schedule, so it is not easy to get 8 hours all the time, plus sleeping during the day can be hard at best.
One thing I have found that helps get the most out of my sleep and helps with the change in times [it also works for jet lag!], is supplementing with melatonin. What is melatonin? Here is the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services definition
[http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/epcsums/melatsum.htm]: Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a neurohormone that is primarily produced by the pineal gland, located behind the third ventricle in the brain.4 In the synthesis of melatonin, tryptophan is hydroxylated to 5-hydroxytryptophan, which in turn is decarboxylated to 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin). Serotonin is converted to the melatonin precursor and metabolite Nacetylserotonin by the enzyme N-acetyl transferase.5-7 N-acetylserotonin is methylated via the enzyme hydroxyindole-o-methyltransferase to produce melatonin.8 Approximately 90 percent of melatonin is cleared in a single passage through the liver. A small proportion of unmetabolized melatonin is also excreted in the urine.8 Commercially available melatonin may be isolated from the pineal glands of beef cattle9 or chemically synthesized.
Hmmmm …Got it? Good Ok well enough of the scientific mumbo jumbo, it works! You can buy it at GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreens, almost anywhere. It is fairly cheap, start with the smallest size. You might not even need to take it every night. I take it all the time with only good side effects I wake up more well rested when I take it then when I do not. When I work nights I get only @ 4-5 hours sleep and have no problems with energy during the day. If sleep is a problem give melatonin a try, but as always check with your DR. 1st!
14lbs to go!!!!!
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