Everything You Need To Know About "Sleeping Low"

By Kevin DiDonato MS, CES


I have just one question for you…

Do you “sleep low?”

Confused by this term?  I was too, until I discovered just what “sleeping low” means and how it could dramatically change by body and performance!

Now, before you think it’s just for serious bodybuilders or even elite athletes, let me set you straight:

It’s not!  It’s for everyone and could be changing the landscape for those who struggle to lose those last 10 pounds.

“Sleeping Low” and Your Body

So here’s the down-low on what “sleeping low” means.

It is a term used for athletes—or everyday people—where they avoid complex carbohydrates at dinner time.

So the majority of their carb intake (rice, potatoes, quinoa, etc.) happens at breakfast and lunch time.

Why does this plan work?

Let’s take a step back for a moment and explain a couple of important aspects.

First, when you eat carbs, your body does a very good job of breaking them down and turning them into a single molecule of glucose—or sugar.  The more carbs you eat, the more glucose you have flowing in your blood.

Now, after your cells use some of the glucose, it is bound together to form a glycogen molecule and is then stored in the liver and muscles for use at a later time—like during your workout.

This is very a important point that I will explain in a minute.

Now, in order for “sleeping low” to work its magic, you should also include a high-intensity workout during the middle of the day—especially after lunch.

This workout could help mobilize the stored glycogen, break it down, and use it to fuel your workout.

Now, here’s the important part:

Since your body will be craving sugar and carbs (to help replenish the lost glycogen), most people tend to have some type of complex carb after a workout or even with dinner.

However, if you’re "sleeping low,” you’re avoiding those carbs at dinner time.

This leaves your glycogen stores somewhat depleted and become more depleted as the night goes on.

So, in the morning, when you finally do a moderate intensity workout, your body will burn through the remaining glycogen stores and immediately start using your fat stores for energy to fuel the workout.

Or that’s what the theory hints at!

Now, there have been plenty of studies to confirm this, but the results have varied, leaving researchers scratching their heads, trying to figure out the best way to tap into your fat stores without a huge need for sugar.

So, what are some benefits to “sleeping low”?  Obviously one would be a change in body composition and another could be improved performance.

But does the research support these results?

Let’s take a look…

The Research

Researchers took 21 triathletes and subjected them to one of two diets. The control group was able to eat carbs with every meal while the experimental group skipped carbs at dinner (sleep low diet).

They were then put through a rigorous workout routine in the afternoon (post lunch) followed by a light workout in the morning.

They found that those on the sleep low diet improved efficiency in submaximal performance, running performance, and peak cycling to exhaustion performance.

But here’s the best part:

The sleeping low group also showed lower body fat percentages without a drop in lean muscle mass!

They concluded that a short-term sleeping low diet plan may improve performance and have a greater impact on body fat loss.

Conclusion

There is a new type of diet—one that could improve performance and lower body fat—that will soon be sweeping the nation.

The “sleeping low” diet has been used for many years with differing results.

However, researchers now believe they have solved the puzzle and may be able to maximize the results using a combination of exercising and avoiding carbs at dinner.

This interesting approach could not only improve your aerobic and athletic performance, but may also be good for stripping away body fat while maintaining lean muscle mass.

So, if you’re an athlete looking to boost your performance—or a regular everyday person looking to strip away some body fat—the “sleeping low” diet may be just what you’re looking for.