You have been working out consistently and have improved your nutrition but your fitness gains have stalled. Should you workout longer, harder or more often? Do you need to go on a “Diet?” Is more cardio the answer? Should you add another weight training session into your already too-busy schedule?

The answer may be easier than you think.  Are you getting enough sleep workouts in? Sleep is one of the most underrated components of a good fitness plan. Quality sleep helps the body recover from exercise.

A lack of sleep can affect our exercise in many ways. If you are tired from not enough sleep you are not able to workout at a sufficient intensity to improve your fitness level. Sleep and rest are critical to muscle recovery and growth. Without enough sleep, your muscles do not recover fully. This affects strength levels, body composition, weight loss and performance. Sleep loss also affects the hormones that regulate hunger in the body. You may experience cravings and even increased appetite if you are short on sleep.

A good sleep can decrease our stress levels, regulate blood pressure, increase energy and stimulate mental clarity and improve our memory.

Here are a few ways to get a good sleep workout:

Create a sleep routine. Turn off all electronic devices at least an hour before your bedtime. Do not perform intense exercise within an hour of going to bed. Use this time to relax with music, read a good book, plan your day or just take a relaxing bath.

Go to bed the same time every night and wake up the same time every morning.

Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night.

Add a few good sleep workouts to your weekly exercise plan to feel better and see improvements in your fitness, weight loss and performance.