CrossFit Republic – CrossFit
Want to Train Harder? Sleep Smarter.
The weekend is here! So let’s talk about sleep!
We discuss training, nutrition, and recovery — but sleep might be the most underrated performance booster in the game.
Here’s why better sleep = better fitness :
Growth Hormone Is Released During Sleep: 50–60% of your body’s growth hormone is released at night — mostly in the first half of your sleep. It helps repair muscles and burn fat. Miss sleep? You miss recovery and fat loss.
Sleep Controls Hunger Cravings: The hormone leptin suppresses hunger at night and regulates insulin. Without enough sleep, leptin drops — and cravings go up. Ever notice you snack more after a bad night of sleep? That’s not willpower — that’s biology.
Poor Sleep Raises Cortisol (Your Stress Hormone): Chronic cortisol breaks down muscle and stores fat. Sleep resets your system. Skipping sleep is like skipping recovery.
Real Athletes Sleep More — And Perform Better: In a Stanford study, basketball players who slept 10 hours a night ran faster and shot better. LeBron James and Usain Bolt reportedly sleep 10+ hours a night, too.
What Can You Do?
Aim for 8+ hours if you can.
Be consistent: go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.
Get off screens earlier.
Try to sleep in a cool, dark room.
Bottom Line:
No amount of training can outwork bad sleep.
If you want to hit PRs, recover better, feel leaner, and be more consistent — get horizontal.
Bring a Friend Free Saturday W.O.D. – 25 Minutes (Time)
6 Rounds For Time of…
20/16 Calorie Row or Ski or 15/12 Calorie Bike
16 Alternating Dumbbell Hang Clean and Jerk (R/L=2) (50/35)
12 Ab Mat Sit Ups
RX+: Toes to Bar
Intermediate: 35/20
Scaled: 25/15
Beginner: 15/10
Intended Stimulus
– 3:00 – 4:00 Rounds
– Goal: 18:00 – 24:00
– Machine in 1:00 – 1:15
– Hang Clean and Jerks in :40 – :60
– Abmat Sit Ups or Toes to Bar in :30 – :45