As anyone who understands fitness can tell you, one of the most important parts of your exercise routine is your recovery time. The more strenuous the workout the more recovery time the body needs to replenish cells and build resistance. Sleep is a vital part of any exercise program. A good, restful, regenerative sleep should be part of every athletes plan.

According to nutrition specialist Andrew Wood, 70% of your recovery happens during sleep.

A 2003 study performed by the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine demonstrated that cognitive performance declines for most people with fewer than eight hours of sleep. Sleep is divided into two broad types: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) or “Non-REM” sleep, which has different levels. Each type has a distinct set of associated physiological, neurological and psychological features.

Sleep cycles through the night with deep sleep early on and more REM, toward morning or later in the cycle. In humans, each sleep cycle lasts on average 90 to 110 minutes. Each phase of sleep may have a distinct physiological function. Drugs such as sleeping pills and alcoholic beverages can suppress certain stages of sleep, leading to sleep deprivation. This can result in sleep that exhibits loss of consciousness but does not fulfill its physiological functions.

Timing is a big part of sleep. You body’s inner clock (also known as the circadian clock) is critical to determining the proper amount of time an individual needs for each sleep cycle. It is this circadian “rhythm” which determines the ideal timing of correctly structured and restorative sleep. You become sleepy when the circadian internal clock causes the release of the hormone melatonin, and a gradual decrease in core body temperature. Furthermore, too much or too little sleep can lead to severe health issues including cardiovascular disease, obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

It has been shown in studies that loss of sleep can cause detrimental effects to the immune system and to your metabolism as well. Sleep abnormalities can also lead to psychological disorders such as depression, addiction and bi-polar disorder. So in every way, sleep is important to the mind and body and REM sleep seems to be extremely important, especially to children and young adults. REM sleep in adult humans typically occupies 20-25% of total sleep time, or about 90 to 120 minutes of sleep each night. Vividly recalled dreams mostly occur during the REM period.

A good night’s sleep is required for good health, fitness and alertness. Yet sleep often gets short shrift when the discussion is on fitness and workouts. “Sleep is one of the two most important factors in recovery” says nutritional expert Andrew Wood. “Proper nutrition and sleep are the only real issues when it comes to proper fitness. That goes for whatever type of training you do – whether you are a tri-athlete, long distance runner or power lifter.”

Professional Fitness Trainer and former Mr. Florida, Corey Simpson also acknowledges the need for a restful, restorative sleep. Corey maintains a rigid workout routine and trains hard. The results are obvious. He recommends to all his clients that they pay close attention to their diet and to their sleep. “Nothing is more important” says Simpson. In looking for a supplement that would help him not only build muscle and gain energy, he discovered an amazing product called Stemulite Fitness Formula. One of the things that attracted Simpson to Stemulite was that it had a sleep component. “Stemulite also gives you a great sleep which is so important for recuperation.”

Stemulite is all natural and contains nothing that is harmful or will cause grogginess during the day. It contains Melatonin, which as we know, is the body’s natural sleep inducing agent. Athletes who have tried Stemulite report that they sleep better, wake up rested and energetic and recover better from strenuous exercise faster.

As another Stemulite user has said, “It has helped me with my sleep; it has helped me with my strength, my workout recovery, muscle endurance and my overall energy and sense of well being.” Those last words “sense of well being” are key because when you get better sleep you have better peace of mind, think clearer and are generally more responsive. According to one study, reported on NBC News, almost all the participants in the study said they slept better and one even reported that he had stopped taking Ambien, a commonly prescribed sleep formula for the first time in six years.

Stemulite is available in a men’s and women’s formula and, even with the other benefits of its exclusive formula, the fact is that the enhanced sleep benefit may be its most important aspect of all.