Hi friends,
You can eat the most nutritious diet, follow the perfect training program, and take all the right supplements—but it's all for nothing if you're not prioritizing sleep.
To train hard consistently for life, you need a solid recovery program, and that starts with quality sleep.
Poor sleep isn't just about feeling tired. It significantly increases your risk for injury, chronic pain, heart disease, cancer, and many other serious health issues.
In fact, one study found that athletes who slept less than 8 hours per night had a 1.7x higher risk of injury than those who slept more than 8 hours.
January 25, 2026: Train hard, sleep harder
When you lift weights, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers—this is called microscopic muscle damage.
You also accumulate waste products in the muscles that cause fatigue. This is why you feel weaker and more tired immediately after a workout than before you started.
The good news is that muscle damage sends a powerful signal to your body saying, "We need to build bigger, stronger muscles to handle this next time."
Your body will adapt and get stronger—but only if you give it two critical things:
Adequate rest (especially sleep)
Proper nutrition to repair the damaged tissue
Without quality sleep, your body can't complete this repair process effectively.
Sleep Hygiene Basics:
Get 7-9 hours most nights
Stick to consistent bed and wake times (yes, even on weekends)
Cut caffeine 8-10 hours before bed
As we age, falling asleep and staying asleep get harder. Here are evidence-based strategies that have helped me and my patients get better sleep:
Dim all lights a few hours before bed (bright light suppresses melatonin, your sleep hormone)
Use an eye mask to block out all light while sleeping
Limit afternoon caffeine (it stays in your system longer than you think)
Practice meditation or NSDR (non-sleep deep rest) before bed to calm your nervous system
Take a hot shower before bed (the cool-down afterward signals your body it's time to sleep)
If you're dealing with a nagging injury or noticing slower recovery in the gym, take a hard look at your sleep habits. Better sleep might be the missing piece you need to get out of pain and start making real progress again.
Until next week,
Kevin
✍️ Quote I’m reflecting upon
“Price comes second when it comes to the most meaningful things in life.”