When I first heard this theory, I said, oh really!” With a big smile on my face and with pure excitement.

I was a gamer. My friends and I would play League Of Legends in the wee hours of the morning. 

Wow, if I can sleep only 5 hours and get my training out of the way, I can do much more (play games).

But I learned. And hearing it today, I say, hell no.

Supplement sleep with exercise, my ass!

Can you supplement sleep with exercise?

That is the question that had me interested when I was younger. 

But, I didn’t know the importance of sleep back then. 

So, what did my young and dumb self do?

I exercised for 1.5 hours and slept for 5 hours.

I usually get 6 to 7 hours of sleep each night. 

My exercise involves me playing basketball for 1 hour. And 30 minutes of resistance training.

I was ok for a few months. But after a couple more months, I was feeling tired, burned out, no energy, and it was a struggle to get through the day. 

How come it’s not working anymore?

What the heck is going on here?

Being stubborn as I am, I continued to supplement sleep with exercise. 

I felt tired the whole day. 

After a couple more months of being stupid, I finally realized that supplementing sleep with exercise is utter BS.

What the heck was I doing to myself?

Supplement sleep with exercise is a load of crap!

After realizing that supplementing sleep with exercise is a big fat lie, I tried to sleep more than 5 hours. 

I went back to sleep for 6 to 7 hours, and what do you know, I felt better. 

My sluggishness, tiredness, and struggles went away. I could get through the day without a problem. 

According to the CDC, the recommended ideal sleep is 7 hours (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

And studies support that 7 hours of sleep is more than sufficient for adults.

Adults should sleep 7 or more hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. Sleeping less than 7 hours per night on a regular basis is associated with adverse health outcomes, including weight gain and obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and stroke, depression, and increased risk of death. 

[source: Recommended amount of sleep for adults]

Why is sleep important?

Sleep is crucial for our health.

Many studies are supporting the importance of sleep.

One such study reports that lack of sleep can reduce leptin and increase the hormone ghrelin, which increases appetite.

[source: Short sleep duration is associated with reduced leptin, elevated ghrelin, and increased body mass index]

Sleep is also crucial to the development of our brain and its functions. They include mental performance, cognitive ability, concentration, and productivity.

[source: Cognitive benefits of sleep and their loss due to sleep deprivation]

Getting enough rest and sleep can also impact athletic performance. In a study of basketball players, enough sleep correlated with accuracy, speed, reaction times, and mental well-being. 

[source: The effects of sleep extension on the athletic performance of collegiate basketball players]

Lack of sleep is associated with the following serious health problems:

• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Depression
• Impaired immune system
• Low sex drive

[source: Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep – Cleveland Clinic]

Hustle and sleep

There have been many people who are advocating hustle. One of them was Gary Vaynerchuck. 

Gary Vee is a multi-millionaire businessman who always mentioned hustle in his shows and talks.

Many people took the word hustle the wrong way. They were avoiding sleep so they can work on their business and other aspects of their lives.

Gary noticed his community is struggling with not having enough sleep. And the word hustle received a backlash from sleep advocates. 

Gary is now more explicit about his interpretation of the word “hustle.” And that is, the hustle is working every waking moment. But sleep is essential. 

He tells his community that he gets 7 to 8 hours of sleep. And when he doesn’t, he makes up for it on the weekends or holidays.

Conclusion

Don’t supplement sleep with exercise. It is not healthy.

You can hustle, do more things, but you have to get enough sleep.

Studies show how crucial sleep is to our health. 

So, if you’re still saying “you’ll sleep when you’re dead” or “stay in bed unless you make money,” stop that BS. 

There’s no way you can function with only 4 or 5 hours of sleep each night. 

You probably can but, you’ll be more of a zombie. 

Sleep.

Your mind and body will thank you.

If you can’t seem to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep, you might need a boost of melatonin, or you’re too stressed.

There was a stage in my life where I was getting only 4 to 5 hours of sleep. And I tried many things to catch some zZzz.

Long story short, I found a supplement that helped me sleep. It was expensive. 

I can’t keep paying $69 a bottle!

I took all my knowledge of nutrition and started our sleep supplement aptly called Dream.

I can honestly say that it works as good or even better. 

I admit that I may get some 6 hours now and then. But on average, I get 7 hours of sleep. 

Wake up and greet each morning with a smile. Start your Dream tonight.