Maximize HGH Production by Getting Good Sleep

Our bodies are on a biological clock that dictates our rate of aging and ultimately our time here on this earth. With some discipline and knowledge you can actually help to slow the inevitable process of aging by increasing your ability to produce Human Growth Hormone (otherwise known as HGH).

HGH is a hormone that increases your “youth characteristics” and helps you enjoy a more youthful and vital life while also maximizing your body’s longevity. It gives you the both of best worlds – a long life, and a high quality of life. This is what everyone is searching for, after all.

Studies show that Human Growth Hormone production begins to taper off as early as our mid twenties. This is why so many people notice the “it’s all downhill from here” effect when they hit thirty years old. I myself began to notice the wrinkles and fine lines appear on my face when I was twenty six years old.

Have you ever noticed how some people age so much better than others? It is usually not an accident. People who tend to look better, feel better and get sick less often as they age usually follow lifestyle principles that others do not. They may not even understand that these principles are the very reason they are experiencing “stalled aging”, but that doesn’t make it any less of a fact.

Studies show that one of the largest factors in boosting HGH levels after that natural decline starts is the quality and quantity of sleep you are getting. This means that one must get eight hours of high quality, solid N-REM (non-REM) sleep in order to maximize and enhance HGH producing potential.

Why would your sleep have anything to do with Human Growth Hormone? Those precious hours of the day when you are resting is actually when your body works hardest at replenishing its stores of this hormone. Studies show that most of our production of HGH occurs during this critical time period.

They also show that it occurs during out deepest, most restful sleep cycles, which means we must get deep, quality sleep in order for it to work properly. Those that experience frequent insomnia, incomplete sleep cycles, or are frequently interrupted during these critical hours will not get the same benefit.

The increase in HGH production starts to occur about one hour after we fall asleep. It is during the NREM cycles that the highest surges in HGH occur. The third and fourth cycles of NREM sleep are where roughly 50% of the day’s HGH is produced. This is the most critical part of the sleep cycle in terms of your production of this important hormone.

You can see why it is so important to get solid sleep. Here are some tips to ensure you don’t wake up and interrupt these crucial stages of sleep:

1.) Be sure to empty your bladder right before turning in. Also watch your water and fluid intake one hour before hitting the hay. This way, you can reduce the likelihood of being wakened by a full bladder.

2.) Keep your room as dark as possible. Also make sure you are not exposed to any bright lights right before bed time. Any light entering the eyes, even if it is only a faint night light can interrupt your sleeping patterns. It has been shown in studies that light can cut down on your body’s production of another important chemical necessary for sleep –melatonin.

Melatonin ensures a deep, restful and complete night of sleep. Without it, we don’t adequately rest and rejuvenate the body. The body’s own melatonin is a lot better than the supplement. Also be aware that the supplement has been linked to some mild depression in certain users.

3.) Make sure you are physically spent when you go to bed every night. This is where the importance of exercise comes in. If you go to bed with any significant energy stores left, you are increasing your odds of a fitful night of sleep. Expend your physical energy during the day by increasing physical activity.

4.) Avoid using your bedroom for anything else other than sleeping. This means no television watching in your bedroom, no eating, and no other activities besides sleeping. Reserving the bedroom for only sleeping makes it, in your mind, a place of rest, rejuvenation and peace.

Following these simple steps will help ensure you get the most R&R out of your nightly sleep cycles with minimum disturbance. This will maximize your HGH producing potential and help you live a higher quality life.