Over the last decade, there have been some very impressive advancements in the natural sleep aid category. This makes sense. After all, a good night’s sleep does wonders for recovery and productivity. Of course, 5% Nutrition is at the forefront of innovation with not one, but two sleep-related formulas. First, there’s our exceptional natural sleep aid Knocked The F*ck Out. Second, there’s our revolutionary amino-based sleep and recovery formula Drink Sleep Grow. In this 2-Part Series, we will look at recovery, the restorative properties of proper sleep, and how these advanced 5% supplements can help. 

A Look At Recovery

Recovery is a sometimes overlooked yet critical piece of the workout puzzle. When you hit the gym and knock out your intense workouts, you put your body in a catabolic state. That’s because training depletes glycogen and increases your body’s need for protein. Of course, 5% has you covered with our amino acid formula ADYM. Taken during your workout, this legendary formula helps control the catabolic effects of training. In fact, this sets you up for recovery. 

From there, your post-workout shake, which should consist of Real Carbs and Shake Time, starts the official after-workout recovery period. A key point to remember is that muscle growth happens when you recover, not when you’re busting the weights in the gym. So, at this point it’s important to take it easy, eat, and get plenty of sleep. (1, 2)

The Stages Of Sleep And Recovery

You recover more during a good night’s sleep than at any other time. Not to mention, when you’ve slept well, you have a much more productive day. Whether at work or school, you will perform at your best mentally and physically. 

There are two main stages of sleep: (3)

• REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep - This makes up about 25% of your total night’s sleep. It helps provide the energy your brain needs when you’re awake.

• Non-REM sleep - This makes up about 40% of your total night’s sleep. This is deep sleep and is the phase in which GH (growth hormone) is released. GH, a natural hormone produced by the body, is crucial for recovery and growth.  

For decades, it’s been thought that sleep puts the body in a catabolic state. Even if you ate near bedtime, by the time you woke up, your food had long since been digested. So, you woke up in a fasted state. Yet with supplement advancements, you have your choice of products that can keep you in a positive metabolic state all night. 

Products like that make sleep even more effective for recovery. 

These products include your choice of medium to slow-digesting protein. This helps you stay in a positive metabolic state all night. Shake Time works great here. Or, if you suffer from mild insomnia, Knocked The F*ck Out is the best natural sleep aid on the market. Finally, Drink Sleep Grow gives you sleep aids and amino acids, including the powerful Active TR™ Leucine in a 6g BCAA complex. It’s the best of both worlds: ingredients to help you sleep, and some to keep you in a metabolically positive state. 

What Is The Circadian Rhythm?

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles that are part of the body’s internal clock. This internal clock regulates many essential functions. Perhaps the most well-known circadian rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle.

Here’s how it works. During the day, light exposure causes the internal clock to send signals that promote alertness and tell us it’s time to wake up. As night falls, this internal clock activates melatonin production. Melatonin is a hormone that helps promote sleep. Also, it helps you stay asleep through the night.

Circadian rhythms work by helping to ensure these functions are optimized at specific points during a 24-hour period. 

If the circadian rhythm is thrown off, then your body’s systems do not function optimally. A disturbed sleep-wake circadian rhythm will lead to problems getting a good night’s sleep. This includes problems falling asleep, waking up during the night, and waking up too soon in the morning. Total sleep time ends up being reduced. Finally, circadian rhythm disruptions also mean poor sleep quality. (4, 5)

Recap

In Part 1, we looked at recovery, sleep, and the Circadian Rhythm. We have seen that the importance of proper recovery cannot be overstated. After all, it leads to growth. You can be sure 5% Nutrition is on the cutting edge of recovery with our two outstanding sleep and recovery products, Knocked The F*ck Out, and Drink Sleep Grow. We’ll continue our look at sleep, recovery, and these two amazing products in Part 2.

References:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18834505
2. Aragon, A. A., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2013, January 29). Nutrient timing revisited: Is there a post-exercise anabolic window? Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23360586
3. Stages of Sleep - The Sleep Doctor
4. Circadian Rhythms (nih.gov)
5. Under the Brain's Control | Healthy Sleep (harvard.edu)