Protein is beneficial for your body in a lot of ways as it helps lose weight, build muscle, and is good for your overall health. You can have it as a snack or for breakfast, and it is known to be important for your muscles if you take it after a workout. But did you know drinking a protein shake before bed has at least 4 benefits for your health?
Why Should I Have A Protein Shake Before Bed?
There are many benefits of drinking protein before you go to sleep for combating anxiety. Not only does it help with muscle mass and recovery, but it also helps you shed a few kgs. In addition, it boosts your athletic performance as well. We will explain the benefits in detail below:
1. Good for Muscle Mass
Your body goes through continuous Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Muscle Protein Breakdown (MPB) cycles. MPS is a biochemical process that helps build muscles, whereas MPB breaks muscle mass. MPB increases after exercise, and having a protein shake afterward increases MPS. MPS must exceed MPB for muscle growth.
While you sleep, your body undergoes the MPB cycle. Therefore, a protein shake intake before bed helps build muscles as you sleep reducing stress too. Although, both exercise and rest are essential for muscle growth and maintenance to happen.
2. Improves Athletic Performance
If you drink a protein shake before you go to bed, it will help improve your workout performance. It allows you to work out and builds lean muscles effectively. Moreover, it boosts your performance while you exercise and during resistance training.
3. Increases Muscle Recovery
Your body will repair torn muscles from your athletic performance and relieve sore muscles. Protein shake improves MPS during the night, and your overnight recovery improves.
4. Helps with Weight Loss
A protein shake before bed will help shed weight in several ways:
- Fewer Food Cravings: it is fulfilling, which means your nighttime snack cravings will reduce. This helps in losing weight.
- Helps Burn Fat: if you maintain a healthy diet while you drink protein, it will help stimulate muscle growth, which helps burn fat. Make sure to burn more calories than you eat, or be in a caloric deficit for this to happen.
Maintainable calories are different for every individual. To lose weight, you have to be mindful of the calories drinking a protein shake will add to your diet, and adjust them accordingly.
How Much Protein Does Our Body Need?
Your required protein intake depends on your weight. On average, our body needs to have protein of 0.5 grams per pound of bodyweight daily. This will help your muscles grow healthily.
However, if you are an athlete or participate in intense weight lifting or resistance exercises, your body needs more protein. Since your body has more muscle tissue breakdown, you need to have more protein to compensate. In regards to muscle gain, you need to have a protein intake of 0.7 grams of your body weight.
Conclusion
Drinking a protein shake before bed has a number of benefits. Just make sure to have low-sugar protein. Are you experiencing any anxiety, sleep, or headache-related problems? Dial 281 252 8600 to give Internal Medicine and Diagnostic Center a call.