How much sleep?

lifterchick · #1 01-15-2003, 10:41 AM

Just curious, how much sleep do you guys get per night. I know optimal is like 8-9 hrs. for serious recovery but it seems that you all, like me, work other jobs, have husbands & kids, etc.... So, for those of you who are in the gym at 4AM, what the heck time do you get to bed at night??

It's not really a random question. I work shift work and am trying to regulate my sleeping habits so I'm not so tired all the time and have more energy in the gym.

As always, thanks for your help!

Lifterchick

Cece · #2 01-15-2003, 11:08 AM

Currently I am on evening shift (1pm to 9 pm); I get up around 5:30 am, go to the gym, come home, eat, do housework, go to work, then into bed by 11 pm at the latest, depending how hyped up I am. I do wake up tired some days. I try not to deviate too much from this even when I work in the day time or on weekends.

So, what's that - almost 7 hours? Not too bad. Unless I have insomnia, which is a TOTALLY different story.

#3 01-15-2003, 12:02 PM

I just started the early morning thing (4:15am-5:00am) and I could go to bed at 8 pm but my teenage son doesn't get in bed til I make him so normally it's around 9-9:30. Sometimes I want to give him ZMA at supper so he'll just GO TO SLEEP!

lifterchick · #4 01-15-2003, 02:03 PM

Yeah, I hear ya!! With me it's my 9 yr. old daughter. She takes a timed release form of Ritalin for ADHD and there are many nights I'm asleep before she is because it takes her awhile to wind down! Thank God my husband is a night owl!

soccerchick · #5 01-15-2003, 02:13 PM

i get up at 6:00am and i "try" to get to bed in between 9:00-9:30pm if i can. but i am closer to actually getting to bed at 9:45-10:00.

schless · #6 01-15-2003, 02:52 PM

This is something I constantly struggle with, as I know I'm not getting enough.

I get up at 3:30a and, on a good day, am in bed by 8:30p. If I can get that, I'm thrilled. Most of the time it's closer to 9:30p though. If I don't even get into the bed 'til 9:30p, I'm hosed for my morning workout. It takes me a long time to fall asleep, and I've learned that the minimum I can effectively function on (in the gym or otherwise) is 6 hrs. I probably average 6 to 6-1/2 hrs a night. Not near enough.

I do try to catch up on one weekend day, though "they" (whoever they are) say you can't technically catch up on lost sleep.

Great thread! I'll be anxious to hear what everyone else is doing. All the talk about getting enough zzzzz's in always makes me feel like I'm hindering my own progress by not getting enough. Thanks for the topic!

Bearlysk8ing · #7 01-15-2003, 04:49 PM

It's never enough! Because of work, I NEVER get home before 9pm, and if I go to the gym AFTER work... I may be in bed by midnight if I am lucky! And the alarm goes off at 6am, so on average I guess I get about 5 or 6 hours per night. It isn't good sleep though, I wake up a lot during the night.

And I can definitely feel the effects - I drag through the day when I don't get sleep. And right now I am trying desperately to cut soda (mt. dew!) out of my life, so my usual caffiene boost is missing too! [img]/forum/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

I've heard that "catching up" and sleeping late can actually make you feel more tired...? I find that even with no alarm my body "wakes up" by 6:30 everyday - does anybody else have this happen?

Adam Knowlden · #8 01-15-2003, 04:56 PM

Hey lifter chick!

I wrote a few articles for the mag about sleep! This one may help you out!

The Z factor part II

Real fast though, it is possible to reduce sleep debt through napping. In a future Z factor I'm going to get into how to record sleep cycles and power napping to eliminate sleep debt.

But to answer your question modern research by the sleep guru himself, James Maas, have shown that regular sleeping patterns are optimal.

To learn more about sleep cycles read this one:

Z factor part I.

Hope that helps!

OS.

HarleyChick · #9 01-15-2003, 05:11 PM

Glad to hear that I am not alone on this one. Due to long work hours, commute time, and then my time in the gym, I generally average about 6 hours per night. Yes, I know that it is not enough. And the effects are definitely taking their toll. But there is no other way around my schedule. The only way out that I can see is winning the lottery!

schless · #10 01-15-2003, 05:53 PM

<blockquote><font class="small">Posted by: Bearlysk8ing:</font><hr> I find that even with no alarm my body "wakes up" by 6:30 everyday - does anybody else have this happen? <hr /></blockquote>

I've heard from more than one source that when your body wakes up without an alarm it means it's rested. In fact, there was something on the news about it recently saying that if you needed an alarm to wake up, you were not getting enough sleep. And that left to its own devices, the body awakens when it has had enough.

Not trying to imply that you're getting enough - 5-6 hrs doesn't sound like near enough to me - but it's interesting that you would wake up on your own w/o an alarm. My hubby's the same way and, like you and me, is not getting enough sleep either.

No point to this ramble....just one of those things that makes you go "hmmmmmm....."