Insomnia and Muscle Building

Bigger Stronger Leaner
1

Hi guys, sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I couldn’t find a “fitness troubleshooting” section or something and thought this was the closest thing to what I need.

I experience insomnia once every couple of months, and my doctor is trying to prescribe a sleeping pill. I’m debating whether or not I want to take it. So far I’m leaning toward “no,” I don’t want to get hooked on a sleeping pill if I don’t have to, but I figure I better check in on how occasional insomnia might affect my gains.

I assume a lost night of sleep every 2-3 months isn’t going to wreck my gains, right? I feel silly even asking but lately it seems like every fitness person I listen to is hammering home how important sleep is, and now I’m a bit paranoid.

When it occurs, I take that as a rest day, and then just hit it even harder the next day.

Thanks in advance for any input.

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It’s really common for your training to mess up your sleep. Your shit is so worked up you can’t sleep.

You should start marking your sleepless nights on the calendar, and lock down how often this happens. Is it every 8 weeks, every 10 weeks or every 12 weeks? That’s how long your training “cycles” 9or the length of time you push in the gym )should take.

Then once you’ve figured out the pattern, take your rest days BEFORE the insomnia hits. make that the end of your “cycle.” Rest then start ramping things up again fresh. That way you get to avoid over stressing yourself, you skip the insomnia and stay in the Gain Zone.

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If it’s only one or two nights every few months I wouldn’t worry about it.

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You could also try getting up and pounding some fast digesting carbs to counter act the stress hormones keeping you awake.

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Thanks, what would you recommend as a “fast digesting” carb…?

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Thanks for the input everyone.

I figured this wasn’t the end of the world but was hoping for some reassurance lol.

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I average 5.5 hours of broken sleep a night, and shift work sometimes has me go 36+ hours without sleep.

The body is surprisingly adaptable

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Breakfast cereal with milk is definitely my Go-To.

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A night of sleep every couple of months? Any detriment is going to be absolutely minimal as you’re consistant 99% of the time. Don’t worry about that 1% so much. And as FlatsFarmer implied, usually it’s a good sign that a bit of a deload is needed.

For what its worth, when I first started the gym I would miss nights of sleep sniffing cocaine and binge drinking in someones kitchen on a Saturday night and still make progress. Progress got better when I got away from that crowd and dumb behaviour but you’re talking 1 night in 60. Any difference is probably not even measurable. Maybe one bad workout which we all get anyway.

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Hahaha word, I used to be an awwwwwwful drunk. I remember my gains being painfully slow back then compared to how they are now.

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Super appreciate all the input and kind words, expected dismissiveness lol.

Thanks guys.