Can Sleep Be the Missing Link?

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
I average 4-6 hours a night, usually closer to 4 and have for a couple decades with no ill consequences. Not because that’s all I can get, but because that’s just all the sleeping I do.
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I’ve seen this a few times in some pretty advanced lifters. And all I can think is “lucky bastards…” I need to avarage out around 7.5 over the week or I’m toast. The only time I skip a workout is when I get less than 5 hours. I don’t skip workouts for ANYTHING else. So I make sure I get my 5. I still feel like I’m recovering with less sleep, I just feel like crap otherwise.

Following your routine to a “T” regularly seems like a sin to me. You need periodic change, and (general) constant increase in intensity, etc…

Wow—thanks to all for the advice.

Most days I feel pretty good, but I guess like everyone else, by the end of the work week I’m dragging a little. I really LOVE coffee, so maybe I just use 6 hours of sleep as an excuse.

I only got 4-1/2 last night and feel ok so far… I guess I have always assumed that the docs were right when they said I need 8 hours, but like anything else, I guess everyone is different.

I read somewhere that people who get less than 7 hours of sleep on a regular basis die younger. Where do you suppose they came up with that stat? Interviewing dead people about their sleep habits??

Like all good fitness nuts, I guess I just need to listen to my body. It will tell me when I need to cut back on the workouts/get more sleep/eat more carbs. Well, maybe not the carbs part—my body has lied to me about that before.

All that coffee and tea probably made your teeth yellow.

[quote]melvis66 wrote:

I only got 4-1/2 last night and feel ok so far…

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Try 4.5 hours of sleep for a week, try it for a month. How “ok” do you think you will feel then?

If you feel tired/ fatigued on a regular basis on top of the 6 cups of coffee you drink. That might be a sign! I used to find myself constantly struggling to stay awake on my commute home in the afternoon.

I changed a few things in regards to my habits and I don’t get that anymore. Do i still have days where I’ll only get 4.5 hours of sleep, yep but I try not to make thigns like that a habit.

I am currently reading this book “Lights Out” by T.S. Wiley and Bent Formby. It is pretty crazy with some of the ideas laid down in the book but other ideas might be feasible.

If you ever get the chance to check it out I’d recommend it even if in the end you think “some of this stuff is crazy” I’m 2/3rd through the book and constantly find myself saying that but I still think it’s worth the time to read it, it’s most likely at your local public library.

[quote]Roy wrote:
All that coffee and tea probably made your teeth yellow.[/quote]

I use Crest White strips. Work like a charm.

I’m no expert, but by the looks of your first post… you’re getting too many stimulants during the day.
In addition to that, I am going to take a longshot and guess that you’re stressing out over your goals or something else in your life (maybe both) too much.

stimulants + stress = unrest

My personal recommendation would be to take a warm shower before bed, make sure your bed is EXTREMELY comfortable for you, that the room is dark enough (block out those streetlights), and set your alarm for at least an hour later 5:30 or 6:30 would be best. If you feel like you need some tea, try some decaffeinated camomile before bed. It will also help you get to sleep.

Good luck!

How the fuck do you get up at 4am EVERY DAY? Or a more appropriate question is why? I can see that if you got into habit, or really needed to do it for a reason (e.g. hunting, making a long journey) it would be possible, but are you sure it’s necessary to get up that early; bear in mind that muscle in most weight programs starts to be broken down after 45 minutes.

Some people can survive on 3-4 hours sleep a night(How? I cannot understand). It does not sound like you can manage with this much.

most adults need at least 8-7 hours sleep a night (this is probably you)

I need at least 9 preferably 10 hours a night(as I say this it is past 2:30 in the mourning and I am suffering from severe insomnia). One study conducted showed that endurance, power, pace(speed) and physical energy increased greatly after 10 hours sleep.

Before the invention of the incandescent light bulb we would have on average 12 hours sleep (this statistic came from a article in T-Nation)

Many athletes like to get 12+ hours sleep a night (I say many it’s more common than the general population). I know one professional footballer (that’s soccer to you yanks) who like’s to get 14 hours sleep when he can (sometimes I envy him and wish there was enough time in the day to do it, but it does seem a bit excessive even for someone who really likes sleep)

It really all depends on your physiology. experiment with different sleep patterns (going to bed earlier getting up later, you may have to move your workout round). Get better sleep hygiene (research it I cant be bothered to explain the complex details), so you can nod off quicker, and have more effective sleep, without waking up in the middle of the night (unless of course your doing some weird anabolic dieting). If it does’nt affect your sleep pattern later see if you can have a nap/power-nap (the latter is less likely to affect your sleep, but will probably only improve cognitive functioning/ mental energy, rather than sporting performance)

One thing I would certainly do is cut down on the caffeine BIG TIME. It is not healthy and combined with lack of sleep will lower your serum test’, perhaps quite noticeably (not actually the caffeine but chemicals in the products). It will also mean you need to drink less water

Re-reading a goals is great. drinking enough water to drown a horse isn’t (adults need no more than 6-8 litres a day, I cant remember how many fluid ounces that is)

Try to limit going out late to Fridays and weekends. I’d have thought most of the above would be obvious, but apart from that I cannot see any ‘magic’ solution to your problem, just commitment, sacrifice and hard work are the only things that are likely to pay off. Sadly such is life.

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
This topic is like so many others.

Some people including our new friend here may actually need 8 hours of sleep or maybe even more. It’s these syllogistic generalizations that drive me crazy.

Major premise: All humans need 8 hours of sleep

Minor premise: melvis66 is a human

Conclusion: melvis66 needs 8 hours of sleep.

It just ain’t that frickin simple. Here’s an astonishing cutting edge fact. People are different. You would think the scientific saviors of mankind would know better by now. What if she only gets 7 hours and 59 minutes?

Doctors can fix you when you’re broke and thank God for em, but I’m wondering if they have any idea what the hell to recommend or what causes damn near anything anymore.

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Good post Trib.

And in regards to your last statement. In my experience, doctors don’t know much of anything about health and/or fitness. All they seem to know about is disease. Think about it, how often do doctors (especially these days) come into contact with healthy patients? People don’t go to the doctor when they’re healthy, they go to them when they’re sick. So, they end up knowing a whole lot about sick people, disease and the lack of health, and very little about makes a person into a healthy, strong, and vibrant human being.

Just my two cents.

To the OP,

I think that Trib’s advice above is spot on. Though, in your case, why not try cutting out the caffeine. If your body really can tolerate that little amount of sleep, then doing away with the caffeine will let you know. Otherwise you may just be masking your bodies chronic fatigue with all the coffee you’re drinking.

Good training,

Sentoguy

i can easily sleep over 10 hours, easily… sometimes 12, even 14. and train full body heavy compounds, eating 4000 - 6000 cals a day, roller, stretching. i am growing. fast.

sleep is super super important man.