Sleep--need more?

[katluvr]

Ok, I am always "needed" a fair amount of sleep. I am definitely more of the 7 - 8 hours sleep kind of person. I am not a night owl. D/t work I have always had early morning requirments. Then add running or biking--in Florida--and you have to get up very early to beat the heat.

My question is what about of sleep do most of you need. And do you adjust your sleep needs when training more? And how do you stop feeling so tired all the time?!

I work full time. Stressful and busy/hectic schedule at times. Not physically demanding. No kids. But a S.O., many "furry children" and the usual family/friends/house/yard obligations. I am now about 2 months out from 1/2 marathon and full training ramp up. I run 3 times during week, 1 long weekend run, a bike day (weekend), 1 day w/ personal trainer. So up at 5 or 5:30 most days. And MWF PUPs! Monday and Friday are my "rest days" (except for PUPs). To bed between 9 & 10 w/ lights off at 10. (most of time). I skipped my run last night and had a bit more free time so I tried to go to bed at 8 and read the lights off at 9 to see if I felt better today.

So am I needing more than most. OR is this common. I don't "nap" during day/afternoon or even of weekends. I did try one day, but then was just a groggy mess!

What are other's routines/needs for sleep. And suggestions on rest with a full "training" schedule. To be honest...this darn job is getting in the way!

[Irulan]

I like a good 8-9 hours. lights out at 10, up anywhere from 6-7:30. In the summer when the sun is up at 4, I do get up earlier. BUT - I like my sleep. How much sleep I get seriously affects the quality of my day. I would love to go to the 5:30 spin class but I don't want to sacrifice that extra hour of sleep.

[Aggie_Ama]

I usually go to bed between 10-11 and up at 5:20! It isn't enough but I work 7-4 and then get home a little before 5:00. If I went to bed at a normal hour I would feel like I cheated myself of me time. This usually means every few weeks I collapse and sleep most of the weekend. I do try to get at least 8 hours of sleep Friday and Saturday night.

I find when I am running or working out harder I can't sleep as much. I have more energy and can't sleep as long.

My normal week: Run 3 weekdays and push ups. Sometimes commute by bike two days, the past couple fo weeks I have been too run down with work commitments. Weekend is mountain one day, road another. We have really scaled back the weekend riding, just both been a little burnt out and this summer has been extremely hot, adding to the misery.

[andtckrtoo]

I'm like you - I need 7-8 hours of sleep a night and I'm not a night person. I drive DH nuts because if I'm up until 11PM, I'm about ready to drop! We have a lot of night owl friends. I'm also up at 4:30 to workout before work as it's the only time I'll get a chance. I'm in bed my 9PM most nights, and asleep on the sofa by 8:30. Party animal - eh? :P

I've also trained for a half and know how physically demanding it is. Really listen to your body. If you need a break (on those days where you're so physically and mentally tired that you think you'll shatter if you move), take one. It won't hurt you to miss a short run or to miss a bike ride once in a while. And tossing in a "recovery week" every three weeks or so where you don't do a run over 6 miles and you generally take it easier is a great way to keep up the enthusiasm and momentum. I have a friend training for a marathon who does her long run every other week and it seems to really help her.

Good luck to you! I hope everything goes well!!!!

[Veronica]

I'm a 5th grade teacher with 29 students. My work days are very hectic and can be exhausting. I'm also a triathlete and ultra distance cyclist. I usually get up at 4:20 AM and I go to bed between 7:30 and 8. I do some sort of workout most days - stretching, cycling, running, swimming, weights. I had been trying to get in two workouts a day and beating myself up mentally when I didn't. Work kept getting in the way - papers to grade, lessons to plan, letters to write, projects to create...

I do most of the day to day stuff at home as my honey has a 90 minute commute into the city. Some days some things just don't get done.

I need more sleep after I've weight trained legs. I slept an extra 40 minutes today and got up at 5.

Veronica

[pardes]

"They" say as you get older you need less sleep.

When younger I HAD to have 8-9 hours on the average with a few catchups of 10-12 hours once or twice a week.

Now that I'm 62, I do notice that I am sleeping much less on the average of 5-7 hours despite actually being MORE physically active. Maybe "they" are right.

[tulip]

I love my sleep. Lucky me, I work from home and so have abolished the whole alarm clock thing. I wake up when I wake up, which is usually between 6:30 and 7. I go to bed between 10 and 11. I guess that means I get about 8-9 hours of sleep a night. It must be right because it's what my body wants to do. Used to be that I would get up at 6 and go to bed at 11. I was grumpy. Now I'm not.

[bounceswoosh]

Ok, I am always "needed" a fair amount of sleep. I am definitely more of the 7 - 8 hours sleep kind of person. I am not a night owl. D/t work I have always had early morning requirments. Then add running or biking--in Florida--and you have to get up very early to beat the heat.

Since when is 7-8 hours a lot of sleep? That's the minimum you're supposed to get!

[sundial]

My sleep patterns can change depending on the season. Early spring I was averaging 12 hours of sleep and I think it had to do with my body being tired from fighting allergy season. Late spring through fall I am averaging 6-7. In the winter I'll sleep a little more. I usually head to bed about 9 or so and read until 9:30 and then it's lights out.

[Crankin]

I've been surviving on 6-7 hours of sleep my whole adult life. I always had to be at work, teaching, by 7:30 and usually got up at 5-5:30 AM, sometimes at 4:30. For five years I taught an aerobics class at 5 AM.
Now that I am not working, I find I naturally sleep until 6, sometimes to 7. In the summer, when it is light out, I do still get up at 5. But, I feel so much better! I never realized how sleep deprived I was, even though I go to bed early (9-10). I was fueling myself with caffeine, which was actually raising my blood pressure. I still drink coffee, but not at the same level.
Hard exercise makes me much more tired, the older I get. And like Veronica said, weight training, affects me more than riding.

[GLC1968]

I'm the opposite of the 'trend'. When I was younger, I was fine on 5 or 6 hours of sleep. Now I'm finding that's not the case anymore. I'm lucky if I get 7 hours a night during the week and by Friday, I'm exhausted. I also sleep poorly (always have), so that might be part of it. BUT, give me uninterupted quiet, dark and a good temperature and the longest I can sleep is about 8 hours anyway (unless I'm sick). It's frustrating. I feel like my body needs more sleep, but when given the oportunity, it doesn't take it! I do sleep more soundly when I'm weight lifting regularly.

I have no solutions for you. One word of advice though, don't get farm animals. Now I find I get even less sleep. Ugh!

[lph]

I try to get 8 hours a night, usually don't and end up trying to catch up in the weekends. If I sleep too little over a longer period I get depressed, weepy and irritable, but not necessarily more sleepy. I can even have more trouble getting to sleep then because I feel stressed. When I'm training a lot I need the same amount of sleep, I just need it MORE! During long vacations I fall into a rhythm of falling asleep at midnight and waking at 9, which seems to indicate I should be getting 9 hrs and not 8.

If I'm really sleepy at work I lock the door and take a 20 min nap. I have a large office with a sofa and I figure I might as well nap properly and be productive afterwards than sit there drooling over my documents for hours...

The most important thing for me in getting enough sleep is really getting to bed at the same time every evening. The more of a habit it is to me and my family and friends, the easier it is.

[teawoman]

The more the better. I do well on 8-9 hours, but I don't always get that, so I steal afternoon naps after work or crash on the weekends as some have said.

[Kvixen23]

I'm not sure why, but I am a sleeper. I go to bed by 10 most nights and have to get up at 730'ish....however, I can hit the snooze 5 - 6 times (that's an extra 9 min's each time ). I know that's not healthy, not to mention the cats and dogs hate it!!

I used to be a nanny and could nap with my kiddo's but was going to bed later due to school and late classes. Now that I'm out of school and "only" working I still need A LOT of sleep. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that I work in a classroom with 8 children ages 0-3 years () and I like to workout, bike, walk the dogs, mow the lawn, work in my yard.....(yes, I enjoy mowing!!).

Anyways, I don't think there is much else you can do if your body needs more sleep. You just have to make sacrifices here and there so you get your bodies necessary amount of sleep.

[chicago]

I don't give sleep much thought. I go to bed when I feel tired... pass out quite quickly (if not immediately) and end up waking up tired regardless of the amount of time I slept... but that's to be expected... because if I'm not moving, I'd soon be moving... hence always wearing myself out