What Is the Best Sleep Duration for Muscle Growth?
To build stronger and bigger muscles, you not only need to work out at the right intensity and frequency, you also need to sleep for the right duration of time.
Published April 10, 2023.
Sleep is very important for the healing and recovery of body tissues, especially if you follow a muscle-building exercise regimen. Hormones that promote muscle growth, such as human growth hormone (HGH) and testosterone, are also released during sleep. Lack of sleep releases cortisol, a stress hormone that inhibits testosterone production and increases muscle breakdown, further stressing the importance of sleep for muscle building.
» Suffering from migraines? You may be dealing with sleep deprivation headaches
Is 7 Hours of Sleep Enough to Build Muscle?
Yes, 7 hours of sleep may be enough to build muscle, but this generally varies from person to person and their sleep quality. Sleep quality is important as 6 hours of quality deep sleep is more effective than 8 hours of poor sleep.
The recommended amount of sleep for adults is about 7 to 9 hours per night. To optimize your muscle growth and recovery, you may need a little more sleep than this.
Your age and genetics also impact how much sleep you need to build muscle effectively. The older you are, the more sleep you need to support muscle recovery due to age-related changes in hormone production and slower recovery processes.
» See our meditation techniques for sleep and how to get more deep sleep
Don't Neglect Sleep for Muscle Growth
Everyone knows that to build stronger and bigger muscles, you need to work out at the right intensity and frequency, but many people neglect sleep as a factor in muscle building. 7 hours of sleep may be enough for some people, but you need to ensure that you're optimizing your schedule to get as much sleep as you personally need.
» Need help figuring out your personalised wellness routine? Let our quiz help
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