​The Mindset-X Podcast​ ​Dave Catudal: From Cancer To Creator​

Hey Reader

I've just discovered some monumental evidence around the impacts of sleep, fat loss & muscle gain.

Imagine working super hard with your nutrition and exercise and putting all those hours of work in per week but not seeing a change!

This could be why...

I wanted to share this email with the people on this list who are trying to get in shape & are aware that they don't get enough good quality sleep.

Most people when working on a physical transformation will think:

1. Diet - calorie deficit
2. Exercise - daily workout or steps

Not many people factor in sleep...and that is about it change.

Although this email will be science-based information and perhaps a turn-off for most...

At the end of the email, I'll share my personal strategies on how I've added 45 minutes of good quality sleep per night in the past 2 months.

I've struggled with sleep since I was young and I've felt the difference in my performance at work, in the gym & social situations.

But because we can often 'get by' on minimal sleep, most 'busy' people don't pay close attention to it or consider how it's impacting their quality of life or longevity [and I was one of them].

So, how important is sleep? [For performance, mental health & quality of life].

Do we need a specific number of hours or to hit a certain quality?

Should we follow generalised recommendations or does it look different to everyone?

These questions have been researched for years and there's been some breakthroughs.

I've recently taken certain actions toward improving my sleep, like buying a Whoop, taking supplements & controlling my diet.

I've recognised sleep impacts my overall performance, which I can tangibly track.

The more dangerous side of this is what we can't visibly see.

We know that sleep impacts our hormones like cortisol, leptin & ghrelin - which are significant in controlling stress, satiety & cravings.

But there's another question to ask...what is the effect on body composition?

Menno Henselmans, a renowned researcher in bodybuilding & exercise science industry has recently discovered 4 new groundbreaking studies.

They found SIGNIFICANT evidence;

2 groups of individuals [calories and macronutrients controlled] had different quantities of sleep whilst following a diet & training programme.

The group that had 7.5 hours of sleep compared to those who had 5.5 hours lost HALF the amount of fat and doubled the amount of muscle loss during this phase.

This is the incredible effect of sleep on your body composition, even when nutrition is controlled.

Now, is this due to performance/output or a hormonal imbalance internally or something else entirely?

This is up for debate and is likely a bit of both [my own perspective].

Needless to say, SLEEP IS A VITAL PILLAR!

I've tried & tested many sleep protocols; meditation, sleep hypnosis, journaling, talking methods & lifestyle control.

Many have worked and many have failed.

Here are my best protocols recently that have literally added 45 minutes of high-quality sleep to my routine without extending the amount of time in bed:

1. Whoop​
   All of my clients have a Whoop strap because it allows me to track their data and..."What gets measured gets managed."
   When we know the data, we can change behaviour and therefore - control the outcome.
   I have no affiliation with this company [although hopefully soon] https://www.whoop.com​
   ​
2. Early dinner
   ​This is one of the biggest contributors to my improved sleep as my body [digestive system] isn't working to break down & process the food I've consumed just before bed.
   The great thing about this is that it also aligns with intermittent fasting that I use and allows me to stay in a calorie deficit throughout the week.
   I eat at around 5-6pm every night.
   ​
3. Create a ritual
   ​I'm typically an overthinker and since I've created more of a ritual around my sleeping patterns, I've managed to reduce overthinking and allow my mind to rest.
   ​My ritual [this may or may not work for you]: ​
   - finish dinner by 6pm
   - evening walk; 6:30/7pm
   - green/mint tea; 8pm
   - read or watch youtube before bed at 9pm
   ​
4. Workout in the morning
   ​If you've never heard of our Circadian Rhythm, you need to look it up.
   This is your biological clock and if your daily habits are consistent with your sleep routine, your body will naturally feel tired when it needs to.
   I used to train at 11am after my morning meetings, now I train at 6 or 7am before them which has had a direct positive impact on my body clock.