The Foundation of Every Fitness Goal: Quality Sleep

This one thing is arguably the most important when it comes to results.

If you’ve been in the game long enough, you’ve probably heard it all:

“It’s just about calories in vs calories out.”
“You need more discipline.”
“Work harder in the gym.”

But here’s the thing nobody tells you loud enough: Sleep can make or break how efficient and effective you are

I know. Sleep is boring. It’s not sexy like supplements or PRs or biohacking gadgets. But it is the one thing that makes almost everything else work better.

• You might have all the discipline in the world...
  But sleep deprivation wrecks your hunger cues, ramps up cravings, and makes decision-making harder. You’re not weak — you’re tired.
  
  

• You might be training hard and pushing yourself...
  But no amount of hard work will build muscle or performance if your body can’t recover.
  
  

• You might be checking every box...
  But without enough sleep, you’re running on fumes — and it catches up.
  
  

Let’s talk about stress for a second, too. We tend to think of stress as a mindset problem — and yes, how you respond to stress matters. But sleep is your body’s most effective built-in stress regulator. Even partial sleep deprivation increases cortisol the next day, reduces resilience to stress, and impacts your ability to bounce back.

Getting enough sleep doesn’t make the stress go away — it makes you more capable of handling it.

So if you’re feeling stuck despite doing “all the right things,” start here:

• 7–9 hours a night (yep, even if you “function fine” on 5)
  
  

• Consistent wake/sleep times
  
  

• No phone in bed (you knew that one was coming)
  
  

• Prioritize winding down like you prioritize warming up

• Instead of upping the caffeine, pre-workout, fat burners, and adaptogens, try utilizing supplements that will help promote deeper, better quality sleep
  
  

The truth is: you don’t need more willpower. You probably need more sleep.

If you’d like a list of sleep supplements that may be helpful, and don’t know where to start, send an email to olivia@masterathletics with SLEEP SUPPLEMENTS in the subject line for a comprehensive list or if you’re ready to improve your recovery, energy, and results and would like support from a coach, schedule a call with me or one of our coaches at www.masterathletic.com. We're here to guide you.

Olivia Oneid

Coach, Master Athletic Performance