Are Your Sleep Patterns the Cause of Tight Muscles?
Part 3 of Why are My Muscles Always Tight?
Just as with drinking water, we know sleep is also something we must do to achieve better overall health. The CDC states that at least 35% of American adults are not getting the recommended seven (yes, 7) hours of sleep, which in turn may be directly linked to several health issues.
One of these health issues is muscle tightness. In this third blog of a four-part series, I am going to discuss how the lack of sleep can play an effect on the muscular system and cause your muscles to become tight.
Muscle Tightness and Exercise
Exercise often causes microscopic tears in the muscle and these tears are important building blocks for muscle growth.
Exercise can also cause lactic acid buildup as a result of oxygen breaking down the glucose in the blood. Lactic acid buildup can lead to painful and sore muscles. Both issues are worked on during your sleep cycle.
Your muscles repair themselves as you sleep which can decrease the chance of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) during future workouts. The key is to get to the 3rd stage of sleep— in this phase the body begins its work. Stage 4 sleep (REM) is where you really want to get too. During this phase is when the body is in full repair mode involving the central nervous system (CNS). The central nervous system helps to retain information from the day, it also controls the signals that are being sent to your muscles.
Muscle Tightness and No Exercise
You may be reading this blog and still thinking to yourself, I do not have a lot of time to work out, so why are my muscles still tight? This may be explained by inactivity.
Inactivity can lead to muscle atrophy—or muscle loss. The longer you are inactive the more muscle you lose. With muscle atrophy, even minor activities can overwork the muscle and cause tightness and pain.
Sleep is critical to muscle tightness. Your brain is always sending signals to your muscles and if you lack getting the proper amount of sleep it can disrupt these signals. Not getting enough signals or even too many signals can cause muscle tightness.
Personal Sleep Tips to Help with Tight Muscles
After serving a tour in Iraq, sleep became a very difficult process for me. I had to practice and learn new habits that would help me to sleep again like a normal person.
I found a lot of helpful tips and advice online, but the one that worked the best for me was getting the same amount of sleep each night. I go to bed at the same time each night and I wake up at the same time each morning. My body learned a new habit and I was eventually able to sleep the same time even on the weekends.
I also have found that by simply buying the right pillows and mattresses, it has helped me as well as some of my other clients with insomnia. Many of my muscle activation clients noticed less pain and better sleep with just the right pillow.
Better Sleep, More Effective Muscles
Whatever you decide to do to get better sleep, make your night routine a habit and stick with it, just like you have to stick with exercise to obtain your goal. Contact me today for a customized personal training service in Tampa, FL and let’s improve your muscle tightness which will, in turn, make your workouts more effective and efficient!
Want to know other reasons your muscles may be tight?