Growing up, I have always had issues with sleep. It wasn’t just that I didn’t get enough, it was the vicious cycle of sleeping for 2-3 hours during the week, and then binge sleeping for 12+ hours on the weekends. 

I had awful sleep hygiene, no set schedule, tons of blue light exposure immediately before bed, tons of bad food, messy room and a fairly bright room to sleep. 

Now that I’ve gotten older I’ve realized the importance of sleep, not only for my general health and well being, but also when it comes to training and recovery abilities in the gym. 

So, seeing how my recovery wasn’t what it used to be as a kid, I devoted myself to getting the best sleep possible. I prioritized my sleep over everything. Over going out, missing out on fun parties or just not binging entire Netflix seasons (probably the hardest one). 

I kept my bedroom perfectly clean, spotless and organized. Every thing had a place, and everything was in it’s place. 

I got blackout curtains for my windows and removed all electronics from my room. I stopped using my computer at least 4 hours before bedtime and most importantly, I did that at the same time every night. Having a schedule is the most important thing you can do for your body. No more 2 hour of sleep nights starting at 4am into a 12 hour session that starts at 10. 

Every night- exactly the same.

Just kidding.

I wish that that’s what I did, but unfortunately, it’s not that simple. So I’ve struggled and struggled for years, my diet and training can be 100% on point, but I’ve never gotten a solid, consistent night’s sleep that leaves me feeling rested and rejuvenated. 

Does any of this ring a bell? If you feel like you can relate, that getting a good night’s sleep is something you crave but can never attain, read on.

Enter The ZMA

So what is ZMA?

“ZMA is a synergistic blend of two minerals, zinc and magnesium, and a vitamin, Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine. All three of these compounds are extremely important in biological processes, and USDA studies have shown that less than 70% of Americans get enough zinc, and less than 40% get enough magnesium. It has also been shown that increased exercise can lead to losses of vitamins and minerals. Zinc is particularly important from a bodybuilding standpoint due to its role in testosterone production. The old story about oysters being an aphrodisiac is probably related to the fact that they are high in zinc. Low levels of zinc and magnesium have a strong adverse effect on muscle growth. So, it’s obvious that people need these minerals and vitamins. What makes ZMA different is the form of the zinc, and the ratio in which it is combined with magnesium and pyridoxine.

A

recent study showed that zinc in the form of zinc monomethionine aspartate combined with magnesium aspartate and Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) when given to training athletes resulted in 43.7% higher testosterone levels and 25% greater IGF-1 levels, as well as a 2.5 times greater strength increase than a placebo group .

 

What this means is that taking this supplement over a period of eight weeks gave the subjects higher testosterone levels and greater strength increases than the people not taking ZMA.”


TLDR is this:


Basically, it’s a blend of zinc and magnesium with a bit of vitamin B-6. You pop some before bed and get a deep, restful sleep that makes you wake up feeling fantastic. 

Side bonus, if you’re zinc and or magnesium deficient (and most Americans are), it’s been shown to increase your testosterone levels (more T = more muscle, better performance and better recovery).

I’ve been taking it religiously, ever since I read a Dan John article on it and I’ve never slept better. I don’t really care where you buy it, but definitely do it!

At this point you’re probably thinking, “Well, if it’s just a vitamin blend, can’t I just buy them myself?”

Yes, you can, and you should. That’s how I do it. 

Grab a bottle of Zinc. Grab a bottle of Magnesium. Get some B-6 vitamins. Take them all 20-30 minutes before bed. 

To wrap things up:

If you don’t get a good sleep (or can’t due to lifestyle issues), and aren’t willing or able to do that intense list of sleep hygiene chores I described earlier, just take (or make) some ZMA and thank me later.

Growing up, I have always had issues with sleep. It wasn’t just that I didn’t get enough, it was the vicious cycle of sleeping for 2-3 hours during the week, and then binge sleeping for 12+ hours on the weekends. 

I had awful sleep hygiene, no set schedule, tons of blue light exposure immediately before bed, tons of bad food, messy room and a fairly bright room to sleep. 

Now that I’ve gotten older I’ve realized the importance of sleep, not only for my general health and well being, but also when it comes to training and recovery abilities in the gym. 

So, seeing how my recovery wasn’t what it used to be as a kid, I devoted myself to getting the best sleep possible. I prioritized my sleep over everything. Over going out, missing out on fun parties or just not binging entire Netflix seasons (probably the hardest one). 

I kept my bedroom perfectly clean, spotless and organized. Every thing had a place, and everything was in it’s place. 

I got blackout curtains for my windows and removed all electronics from my room. I stopped using my computer at least 4 hours before bedtime and most importantly, I did that at the same time every night. Having a schedule is the most important thing you can do for your body. No more 2 hour of sleep nights starting at 4am into a 12 hour session that starts at 10. 

Every night- exactly the same.

Just kidding.

I wish that that’s what I did, but unfortunately, it’s not that simple. So I’ve struggled and struggled for years, my diet and training can be 100% on point, but I’ve never gotten a solid, consistent night’s sleep that leaves me feeling rested and rejuvenated. 

Does any of this ring a bell? If you feel like you can relate, that getting a good night’s sleep is something you crave but can never attain, read on.

Enter The ZMA

So what is ZMA?

“ZMA is a synergistic blend of two minerals, zinc and magnesium, and a vitamin, Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine. All three of these compounds are extremely important in biological processes, and USDA studies have shown that less than 70% of Americans get enough zinc, and less than 40% get enough magnesium. It has also been shown that increased exercise can lead to losses of vitamins and minerals. Zinc is particularly important from a bodybuilding standpoint due to its role in testosterone production. The old story about oysters being an aphrodisiac is probably related to the fact that they are high in zinc. Low levels of zinc and magnesium have a strong adverse effect on muscle growth. So, it’s obvious that people need these minerals and vitamins. What makes ZMA different is the form of the zinc, and the ratio in which it is combined with magnesium and pyridoxine.

A

recent study showed that zinc in the form of zinc monomethionine aspartate combined with magnesium aspartate and Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) when given to training athletes resulted in 43.7% higher testosterone levels and 25% greater IGF-1 levels, as well as a 2.5 times greater strength increase than a placebo group .

 

What this means is that taking this supplement over a period of eight weeks gave the subjects higher testosterone levels and greater strength increases than the people not taking ZMA.”


TLDR is this:


Basically, it’s a blend of zinc and magnesium with a bit of vitamin B-6. You pop some before bed and get a deep, restful sleep that makes you wake up feeling fantastic. 

Side bonus, if you’re zinc and or magnesium deficient (and most Americans are), it’s been shown to increase your testosterone levels (more T = more muscle, better performance and better recovery).

I’ve been taking it religiously, ever since I read a Dan John article on it and I’ve never slept better. I don’t really care where you buy it, but definitely do it!

At this point you’re probably thinking, “Well, if it’s just a vitamin blend, can’t I just buy them myself?”

Yes, you can, and you should. That’s how I do it. 

Grab a bottle of Zinc. Grab a bottle of Magnesium. Get some B-6 vitamins. Take them all 20-30 minutes before bed. 

To wrap things up:

If you don’t get a good sleep (or can’t due to lifestyle issues), and aren’t willing or able to do that intense list of sleep hygiene chores I described earlier, just take (or make) some ZMA and thank me later.

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