In this solo episode of "Office Hours Live" by MASS Research Review, Dr. Eric Trexler covers a wide range of topics in exercise science, nutrition, and recovery. He begins by discussing the importance of step counts for health, cautioning against sacrificing sleep for increased steps. The conversation then shifts to sleep duration, exploring its effects on recovery and mortality. Dr. Trexler addresses the role of protein in muscle growth, emphasizing that its importance is often overestimated compared to training stimulus. He delves into the current focus on sleep optimization in health and fitness circles, stressing its often-neglected importance. The episode also covers dietary nitrate supplements, with a particular emphasis on selection of products with rigorous quality control. Dr. Trexler explains glycogen usage in bodybuilding workouts and discusses replenishment strategies for different types of athletes. The final segment focuses on hydration strategies for lifting, offering advice based on exercise type and environmental conditions. The MASS crew goes live for Office Hours every Wednesday night at 7pm eastern time. Be sure to join us for a future episode! If you'd like to submit a question ahead of time, please use this link: https://massresearchreview.com/office-hours/ Time stamps: 0:00: Intro. 2:29: Discussion on optimal step counts and their impact on sleep and body composition. 13:57: Exploration of sleep duration's effects on recovery and all-cause mortality. 22:42: Analysis of protein intake importance for muscle growth, often overemphasized compared to training. 29:15: Emphasis on the often-neglected importance of sleep and current trends in sleep optimization. 38:54: Examination of standardized dietary nitrate supplements and recommendation of "Beat It Sport". 51:48: Explanation of glycogen usage in bodybuilding and replenishment strategies for various athletes. 57:40: Advice on hydration strategies for lifting based on exercise type and environmental conditions. 1:05:06: Closing remarks, reminder to like the video, and announcement of the next episode.