Muscle Building Melatonin and Sleep

Dec 20, 2018

Why LIGHTS OUT SLEEP is Much More Than a Sleep-Enhancer

The most naturally effective and affordable way to place the body in an anabolic state – one in which muscle tissue is primed for continuous growth – is to get enough uninterrupted high-quality sleep on a regular basis.

IT’S DURING SLEEP THAT GROWTH HORMONE AND TESTOSTERONE ARE RELEASED IN ABUNDANCE; WHERE MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IS GREATEST; AND WHERE THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL RECOVERY AND RESTORATION NEEDED TO HIT THE GYM WITH MAXIMUM INTENSITY IS GRANTED.

Simply put, without a minimum of eight hours’ continuous sleep, muscular recovery and growth are compromised. One way to achieve a state of restful slumber, and to keep the zzzs coming for eight or more growth-inducing hours, is to take between 3-5mg of melatonin (preferably as part of an advanced sleep supplement) prior to turning in for the night.

More Than a Sleep Inducer

A hormone secreted by the pineal gland of the brain, melatonin’s main role is to regulate the sleep/wake cycle so necessary to ensuring a good night’s sleep and an extended period of wakefulness throughout the day (thus modifying the body’s natural circadian rhythms to ensure our physiological, behavioral and mental processes follow a beneficial trajectory).^{4, 14, 21, 22} Commonly used in supplemental form to promote the early onset of sleep followed by a prolonged period of restful slumber, melatonin is known for being one of the most effective of the various sleep remedies. If encouraging mental tranquility was melatonin’s only role it would be a worthwhile supplement for the hard-training bodybuilder. But melatonin is much more than a natural sleep-inducer.³ Aside from being secreted from the pineal gland, melatonin is produced in tissues as diverse as the gastrointestinal tract and skin. By itself, the gut holds up to 400 times more melatonin than the pineal gland.

THIS MEANS THAT MELATONIN HAS THE POTENTIAL TO POSITIVELY AFFECT THE BODY ON MULTIPLE LEVELS TO ENHANCE WORKOUT PRODUCTIVITY AND LEAN MUSCLE GAINS.

Among its many additional benefits, melatonin has been shown to increase growth hormone output independent of sleep-induced GH-release; provide antioxidant protection; regulate body temperature; and improve vasodilation of the blood vessels. Melatonin has also been shown to positively influence almost every system of the body – from immune to digestive, circulatory, endocrine, nervous, reproductive and muscular – by acting as a hormone, cytokine (a molecule secreted from immune cells in order to influence the functioning of other cells) and biological/nervous system modulator.^{3, 4, 10, 17, 20} In the quest for straight-A’s in the weights room and in life, many bodybuilders continue to sacrifice Z’s in the bedroom. Indeed, winding down from an action-packed day can be difficult to achieve and even burdensome for many high-paced people. By topping up with melatonin prior to turning in, more in the way of quality sleep may be achieved.^{8, 12} But the body may also stand to benefit in ways other than through growth-enhancing sleep. Let’s now take a look at some additional bodybuilding benefits to be derived from the strategic use of melatonin.

Fat Loss

Shedding unsightly adipose remains a defining objective shared by all self-respecting bodybuilders. In melatonin, such serious iron-slingers may have yet another dependable ally in the quest for physical perfection. Indeed, melatonin has been shown to help lower body weight, burn fat and improve chemical signals linked with weight control.

RESEARCH INDICATES THAT MELATONIN ENCOURAGES THE PRODUCTION OF A SPECIFIC KIND OF FAT (SO-CALLED BEIGE AND BROWN FATS) WHICH INDUCES FAT BURNING.⁵WHEREAS REGULAR FATS ARE STORED AS ENERGY, BROWN AND BEIGE FATS BURN ENERGY AND ARE PREFERENTIAL TO STRIPPING EXCESS BODY FAT.

In addition, sleep, by itself, remains an underrated and underutilized tool in the war on fat storage. Regular bouts of quality sleep have a beneficial impact on the hunger/fat storage hormones leptin and ghrelin. During sleep, leptin levels are increased, which informs the brain that enough energy is present and that the body’s hunger response need not be activated. Poor sleep quality reverses this process; with less leptin, appetite is increased and hunger hits hard.

WITHOUT AN IMMEDIATE SUPPLY OF FOOD TO PROVIDE THE ENERGY THE BODY BELIEVES IT NEEDS, THE BODY GETS TO WORK CONVERTING CALORIES TO FAT.¹⁹ COMBINED WITH AN INCREASE IN GHRELIN (A HORMONE THAT INCREASES HUNGER AND PROMOTES FAT STORAGE), THE METABOLIC RATE PLUMMETS AND FAT LOSS BECOMES EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE.

Poor sleep patterns also contribute to an increased output of the stress hormone cortisol, a known fat storage facilitator. Finally, inadequate sleep may lead to insulin resistance (and in extreme cases, diabetes). Conversely, optimal sleep encourages insulin sensitivity which, in turn, drives down blood sugar and lessens the likelihood of fat storage. Melatonin and body fat - melatonin has also been shown to reduce the production and release of insulin to further discourage insulin resistance (and bodyfat accumulation).¹³

A Growth-Booster (Melatonin muscle growth)

Of the cascade of hormones required to advance muscular growth, growth hormone (GH) is one of the most prized and coveted in the quest for anabolic-enhancement. Without sufficient GH release, stamina, strength and muscularity become difficult to achieve.

LIKE MELATONIN, GH IS RELEASED AND PERFECTLY ORCHESTRATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE BODY’S CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS,

with the majority being released from the brain’s pituitary gland at the onset of deep sleep. However, while an ideal amount of GH is normally secreted for normal individuals to support normal biological functioning and tissue growth, bodybuilders have chosen to work against the body’s biological rhythms to produce larger than average muscles. This requires more GH than the body can supply on its own. Rather than taking GH synthetically (via potentially-deleterious lab produced drugs), a 5mg dosage of melatonin before bed may, according to research, increase blood levels of GH to boost muscle growth and optimize endurance.^{6, 15}

Decreased Body Temperature

The lowering of core body temperature can assist bodybuilding progress by reducing fatigue mid-workout (especially when training in humid environments) and enabling a faster transition from wakefulness to deep sleep.

BY STIMULATING VASODILATION OF THE BLOOD VESSELS, THUS ENHANCING HEAT REMOVAL FROM THE BODY, MELATONIN HAS BEEN SHOWN TO REDUCE CORE TEMPERATURE TO DRIVE DOWN FATIGUE AND PROMOTE SOUND SLEEP.^{1, 2}IN THIS WAY, MELATONIN ALSO ACTS AS AN ANALGESIC (PAIN RELIEVER).⁷

A Powerful Antioxidant

Though largely a healthy pursuit, bodybuilding produces its fair share of cell-damaging free radicals – often the result of low-calorie eating and intensive high-volume training. Environmental stress and normal aging also contribute to free radical accumulation, an unavoidable reality for us all and one that must be countered if good health and tissue healing are to be encouraged. For bodybuilder specifically, to ensure an anabolic state conducive to muscular growth, the body must effectively neutralize free radical damage.

AS A POWERFUL FORM OF ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION IN ITS OWN RIGHT, MELATONIN SUPPLEMENTATION CAN ASSIST WITH THE HEALING OF DAMAGED MUSCLES, THE REDUCTION OF EXERCISE-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS AND DNA DAMAGE AND CAN ALSO INCREASE POST-TRAINING ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY.^{9, 11, 18}

Specifically, melatonin works within the mitochondria (energy-producing organelles) of the cells to render these powerhouses of productivity free from toxic free radicals.¹⁶ What’s more, melatonin is roughly twice as active an antioxidant as the famed free radical fighter vitamin E, and synergizes with other antioxidants to improve overall antioxidant effectiveness and protection.

Rest Easy With LIGHTS OUT SLEEP

As discussed, melatonin is one of the more effective ways to ensure a full night of restful sleep. Melatonin’s additional muscle-building benefits make it an important addition to any good lean mass-gaining regimen. However, while it’s been proven to work on all bodybuilding fronts when taken alone, smart bodybuilders have chosen to multiply its many benefits by taking it as part of the powerful all-in-one sleep enhancement supplement, LIGHTS OUT SLEEP. Containing 3 mg per serving of the most bioactive form of melatonin available today (Peak X Free),…

LIGHTS OUT SLEEP IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR BODYBUILDERS TO ENHANCE THE ONSET OF RESTFUL SLEEP WHILE SUPPORTING THE MUSCLE-REBUILDING PROCESS.

Along with key ingredient melatonin, LIGHTS OUT SLEEP features a further nine of today’s most powerful natural sleep inducers: Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal-5-Phosphate) Valerian root extract (Valeriana officinalis, Std. to 0.8% Valerinic acids) GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) Chamomile flower extract (Matricaria recutita) Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) 5-HTP (as Griffonia simplicifolia, seed extract) L-TheanineLavender extract (Lavandula angustifolia), and L-Tyrosine. Take all the protein and aminos you like, but if your quality of sleep is suffering, then protein synthesis, testosterone output, and growth hormone release cannot occur to the fullest possible extent. Fortunately, with LIGHTS OUT SLEEP, the critical growth determinant of sleep will no longer be a limiting factor in your quest for unmitigated size gains.

Mighty Melatonin

Bodybuilders are largely ignorant of the bounteous benefits of melatonin. Indeed, due to its common association with sleep-inducement, and less regarded role as a growth precursor, melatonin has become one of a suite of remedies used by clinical populations to, primarily, hasten the onset of sleep. As part of the reputable, restorative sleep supplement LIGHTS OUT SLEEP, melatonin has gained a whole new audience of serious bodybuilders who may benefit from its inclusion.

INDEED, THOSE SEEKING TO MAXIMIZE FAT LOSS, PERFORMANCE AND MUSCULAR GROWTH ARE GREATLY SERVED BY THE SLEEP-INDUCING AND ANABOLIC BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FROM LIGHTS OUT SLEEP FAST-ACTING, DEEP SLEEP ENHANCING INGREDIENTS.

Via its ability to improve the onset and quality of sleep, melatonin is a valuable supplemental strategy for all bodybuilders wanting to maximize muscle. However, with its ability to improve antioxidant status, reduce stored body fat, decrease body temperature and boost growth hormone, it has proven to be much more than a natural sleep enhancer, great news for all bodybuilders seeking a definitive muscle-building edge.

References

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