How crucial is 8-10 hours of sleep to muscle growth? I know 5-7 hours isn't optimal, but is progress, even slow, possible on 5-7 hours of sleep?

[mercychild]

Due to changes in circumstances out of my control I now have to wake up at 6am everyday and commute early and I only make it back home at 7pm. Trying to do everything and get my workout and dinner in makes it really hard to be in bed early and get 8 hours of sleep. Is it even possible for me to make any gains at this point?

 

[noah732]

@mercychild The answer is yes, you can still make gains. I wake up at 6 for work and get home just before 7. I work out after work (at home, granted) then shower, eat and sleep. Probably get 6-7 hours on average.

Is more sleep better? Yes

Is less sleep the end of the world? No.

 

[jess1]

@mercychild 8-10 is optimal? Where did you get that idea from? I’ve never met anyone who regularly gets 9-10 hours of sleep a night unless they’re young.

Of course you can gain with 5-7 hours sleep a night. Why wouldn’t you be able to? You’re overplaying the importance of sleep in building a good physique. I’ve had long periods where 5 hours was a good night and made great progress. Life as an adult won’t always make 8 hours sleep possible if you have a career and kids. Still got to train.

 

[dawn16]

@mercychild Don’t sweat it. I’ve always been a horrible sleeper and it got worse with kids. You can still make excellent progress. Just get as much sleep as you can and try to keep everything in balance.

Me, 36, natty, one kid.

Me, 40, 2 kids, 150mg TRT/week.

Edit: I’m 5’8.5”, and low 190’s in both pics.

 

[orchida]

@dawn16 What on earth

 

[dawn16]

@orchida Thanks, I think.

 

[kvn]

@dawn16 How long have you been lifting seriously? That natty physique is insane

 

[dawn16]

@kvn Thanks man. Started when I was 17.

 

[fphelps]

@kvn so insane that he hopped on TRT 4 years later due to a super crash in “natural” test lmao

 

[dawn16]

@fphelps Wtf are you on about?

 

[jess1]

@dawn16 He’s saying it’s amazing that you built that physique with low enough testosterone that you needed trt.

 

[avalonforhim]

@dawn16 Your on a fucking natty bodybuilding sub telling a guy sleep isnt no big deal, while using hormones that help aid in recovery

 

[dawn16]

@avalonforhim You guys are something else. In the first pic, as I said, I was a lifetime natty, with 19 years of training under my belt, most of that being a horrible sleeper between college, law school, practicing law, and having kids, and I still attained a very good physique. The fact that I got on TRT two years later and have been on it for two years is pretty much irrelevant to that point. As I said to the other guy, I could’ve just posted the first pic and the point would’ve been made adequately. Either your reading comprehension is poor or you just want to speak from a high horse.

 

[g%C3%A5%C2%A3g%C3%B6t%D0%82%C3%A3]

@dawn16 Holy shit. You look like a god.

 

[prestonz]

@dawn16 Natty biceps are crazy bro.

Did you get them with Bulgarian arm swivels?

 

[dawn16]

@prestonz you know it

 

[g%C3%A5%C2%A3g%C3%B6t%D0%82%C3%A3]

@prestonz @haley009, are Bulgarian arm swivels an actual thing?

 

[prestonz]

@g%C3%A5%C2%A3g%C3%B6t%D0%82%C3%A3 Yes

 

[g%C3%A5%C2%A3g%C3%B6t%D0%82%C3%A3]

@prestonz I just saw a vid on YouTube. Looks like you need some kind u-shaped equipment for this. Is it possible to replicate the exercise with standard gym equipment?

 

[prestonz]

@g%C3%A5%C2%A3g%C3%B6t%D0%82%C3%A3 You did? Bulgarian arm swivels are a meme in this subreddit. I’ll have to look it up