Exercise of any kind, whether strength training or cardio, causes physical stress to the body. And while you may expect to see bowling bowl-size biceps after an arm workout, it’s the post-workout recovery phase where the changes in your body actually happen. That’s why scientists, doctors, and personal trainers alike try to emphasize the importance of recovery.

While getting adequate protein (don’t overlook canned chicken and creatine-rich foods) and hopping into a sauna can help your recovery, nothing is as vital as sleep. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the average adult should sleep between seven and nine hours each night, with athletes needing more. 

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“Getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night is one of the best things you can do for overall health,” says Shelby Harris, licensed clinical psychologist specializing in behavioral sleep medicine and director of sleep health at Sleepopolis. “It helps with focus, mood, immune function, and even long-term heart and metabolic health. When you’re well-rested, your body and brain just work better. You think more clearly, handle stress more easily, and recover faster from workouts.”

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As you sleep, your body works to do a ton of things essential for muscle recovery. For starters, when you enter deep sleep, also known as stage 3 sleep, your body releases most of its human growth hormone (HGH) to aid in muscle repair and growth. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produce less growth hormone, inhibiting muscle growth, research shows.

Proper sleep also replenishes glycogen, a form of glucose muscles primarily use as fuel. If you’re exercising and your body needs a quick pick-me-up, glycogen is broken down to release glucose (aka sugar) into the bloodstream to use as fuel for cells. 

Although the third stage of sleep is mostly responsible for muscle repair, all stages of sleep are important for overall health. 

“A lot of people lump REM and deep sleep together, but they’re actually very different,” she says. “Deep sleep (or slow-wave sleep) is when your body does most of its physical repair crucial for muscle recovery, immune strength, and overall restoration. REM sleep, on the other hand, is when your brain is highly active, helping with memory, learning, and emotional processing.”

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While all stages of sleep are undoubtedly important if you want to enter the coveted deep sleep, Harris suggests focusing on the consistency of your sleep timing. 

Research backs up her conclusion, with studies showing that having regularity in sleep patterns, including consistent sleep and wake times, are favorably associated with better health. 

“Making sure you’re going to bed and waking up at around the same time every day will help your body align into staging better.” 

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