# MPS peaking and sleep **URL:** \ **Category:** Nutrition Q&A \[Moderated\]\ **Created:** [July 20, 2019, 10:49am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520 "2019-07-20T10:49:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PowerBelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@PowerBelly](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/PowerBelly)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 10:49am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/1 "2019-07-20T10:49:18Z")
If we sleep for 8-9 hours without having 20 gram protein meal, aren’t we missing out on at least one opportunity for a MPS peak? Should I be having a midnight protein shake? ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/2 "2019-07-20T14:38:16Z")
Yes, but no- as it wouldn’t make a difference to outcomes like muscle size, strength, etc. if you did (or didn’t) do this. Sleeping is more important. ---
**Author:** ![PowerBelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@PowerBelly](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/PowerBelly)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/3 "2019-07-20T15:46:02Z")
> [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](#): > > Yes, but no- as it wouldn’t make a difference to outcomes like muscle size, strength, etc. if you did (or didn’t) do this. Sleeping is more important. I am just curious as to Why an additional MPS peak every night would not affect muscle size and strength. Considering that I wake up every midnight to take a piss, and drink water and considering that having an extra shake doesn’t hamper my sleep schedule. Just or Science. ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/4 "2019-07-21T15:58:45Z")
> [@PowerBelly](#): > > I am just curious as to Why an additional MPS peak every night would not affect muscle size and strength. Considering that I wake up every midnight to take a piss, and drink water and considering that having an extra shake doesn’t hamper my sleep schedule. Just or Science. Just as there’s no real difference in eating 3 or 5 times per day (with extra MPS events), there’s no difference if you eat overnight other than compromising your sleep. ---
**Author:** ![OldguyinFL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@OldguyinFL](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/OldguyinFL)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2019, 6:13pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/5 "2019-07-21T18:13:45Z")
So if u consistently hit 5 mps events daily with the correct amount of protein and leucine for a year as opposed to tobthe same year with only 3 mps events there would be no difference in muscle size and strength? ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 4:33pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/6 "2019-07-22T16:33:11Z")
> [@OldguyinFL](#): > > So if u consistently hit 5 mps events daily with the correct > amount of protein and leucine for a year as opposed to > tobthe same year with only 3 mps events there > would be no difference in muscle size and strength? As far as we can tell, this is correct. ---
**Author:** ![OldguyinFL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@OldguyinFL](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/OldguyinFL)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2019, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/7 "2019-07-22T18:05:50Z")
Ok thank you Dr! ---
**Author:** ![philibusters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f1d935/32.png) [@philibusters](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/philibusters)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/8 "2019-07-23T22:02:48Z")
Sorry I will start out by saying this is not evidence based, but more common sense. I have read that science shows muscles are more sensitive to protein in the period 24 to 48 hours after lifting. I am assuming that there is a continuum during that period where immediately after lifting a person’s muscle are more sensitive to protein than after 20 hours and two MPS events. Thus if you finished lift at 8 am in the morning and have had two meals and one protein shake since lifting (3 MPS events), then it seems taking a protein shake at 2 am in the morning (18 hours after finishing lifting) when you wake up to pee probably isn’t worth the risk of disturbing your sleep, especially if you have to wake up at a set time to go to work. My contrast if you are a college student and finished lifting at 10:30 pm and you wake up at 3 am to pee (4:30 hours and 1 MPS event after lifting) and you are free to sleep to noon the next day, then go for it. The potential benefit even if small outweighs the risk (because the risk is fairly minimal). ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2019, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/9 "2019-07-24T14:34:46Z")
> [@philibusters](#): > > Sorry I will start out by saying this is not evidence based, but more common sense. > > I have read that science shows muscles are more sensitive to protein in the period 24 to 48 hours after lifting. I am assuming that there is a continuum during that period where immediately after lifting a person’s muscle are more sensitive to protein than after 20 hours and two MPS events. Thus if you finished lift at 8 am in the morning and have had two meals and one protein shake since lifting (3 MPS events), then it seems taking a protein shake at 2 am in the morning (18 hours after finishing lifting) when you wake up to pee probably isn’t worth the risk of disturbing your sleep, especially if you have to wake up at a set time to go to work. My contrast if you are a college student and finished lifting at 10:30 pm and you wake up at 3 am to pee (4:30 hours and 1 MPS event after lifting) and you are free to sleep to noon the next day, then go for it. The potential benefit even if small outweighs the risk (because the risk is fairly minimal). Eh, it doesn’t really matter enough to manage meal frequency or timing at that level. ---
**Author:** ![PowerBelly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@PowerBelly](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/PowerBelly)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/mps-peaking-and-sleep/6520/10 "2019-08-05T02:20:41Z")
Thanks Jordan, I am no more obsessed with MPS peaking and meal frequency 🙂