Lack of sleep affecting performance

[oasis]

It's obvious lack of sleep will affect one's running performance, but how do you determine how much is enough, trial and error? I am always tired, extremely irritable and feel run down.

Anyone have some info on breaking the cycle of lack of sleep.

[pq]

Apr 26, 2010 10:45:15 GMT -5 oasis said:

Anyone have some info on breaking the cycle of lack of sleep.

Quit caffeine? Helps some people.

[oasis]

Apr 26, 2010 10:54:43 GMT -5 pq said:

Quit caffeine? Helps some people.

thanks pq,

don't drink coffee just green tea usually in the morning

[tb400]

Have you tried taking melatonin to help reset your circadian rhythm? It works well for me.

[pq]

I think most green tea contains caffeine, no?

My wife and mother in law are both really poor sleepers. Got the lovely Mrs pq to quit coffee a few years back. It helped a little, not earth shattering though. She drinks tea, but only herbal stuff with no caffeine. Melatonin sometimes helps her, if she remembers to take it before bed.

Some people don't seem to need much sleep (I know a guy who sleeps ~ 3 hours per night) and others need lots (I prefer 10, really don't like less than 8-9).

Anyway, you might consider discussing your sleep with your doc.

Good luck.

[marathondude]

Most people really need 7-8 hours whereas athletes in high-level training usually require nine hours. I was talking with U.S. distance star steeplechaser Jenny Barringer last week and she said part of her training as a pro this year is that she get nine hours of sleep per night.

[redandblack]

Something I find that helps to break the cycle is throwing in a fairly easy AM run or swim on top of my normal training. I feel much more awake and alert throughout the day and fall asleep way easier come night time.

[limestonemiler]

I agree with you, redandblack, however I think the goal is to change his poor sleeping habits as opposed to masking them.

A good way to do this is to force yourself to go to bed early for about a week or so. Even if you're not sleeping, your body will recognize it doesn't need to run all-out and shut itself down. Gradually your body's central clock will adjust itself to suit your new routine.

Kind of amazing when you think about it...

[lucky13]

No, you are not sleeping enough if you are tired and irritable all day.

Do you know why you aren't sleeping? Are you up doing other things or are you having a hard time falling asleep/staying asleep when you try?

You can also try a ZMA supplement (patented by Victor Conte ) which is supposed to promote a deeper more efficient sleep. It won't help you fall asleep, but will get your muscles recovering faster when you are. I've been taking it for about 2 weeks.

[Cummings]

Over-training could also be a factor, what about iron levels? Have you gotten blood work done lately? Both lead to tiredness and irritability if iron is low.

I've been seriously over-training the past few months, too many miles without enough down weeks and rest days and I had the same problem. Backing off for a little bit has really helped.

Supplementing with Vitamin D also works to increase your energy levels, Canadians never get enough of it because we don't get enough exposure to sunlight throughout the year.

I got pretty sick a few days ago and it really turned a light bulb on in my head saying maybe I should take better care of myself and monitor how my body is responding to training, more isn't always better. Being forced to rest actually seems like a blessing in disguise because now I will be fresh for a big race on the weekend.

[oasis]

Apr 26, 2010 20:59:12 GMT -5 Cummings said:

Over-training could also be a factor, what about iron levels? Have you gotten blood work done lately? Both lead to tiredness and irritability if iron is low.

I've been seriously over-training the past few months, too many miles without enough down weeks and rest days and I had the same problem. Backing off for a little bit has really helped.

Supplementing with Vitamin D also works to increase your energy levels, Canadians never get enough of it because we don't get enough exposure to sunlight throughout the year.

I got pretty sick a few days ago and it really turned a light bulb on in my head saying maybe I should take better care of myself and monitor how my body is responding to training, more isn't always better. Being forced to rest actually seems like a blessing in disguise because now I will be fresh for a big race on the weekend.

I doubt it's overtraining as I have cut back but could be. Another possibility is seasonal allergies. No excessive sneezing but stuffed up feeling, headache, ears plugged and fatigue. Also wake up a number of times throughout night to urinate, no idea why this happens because don't drink too much at night.

[pq]

Apr 27, 2010 6:28:38 GMT -5 oasis said:

Also wake up a number of times throughout night to urinate, no idea why this happens because don't drink too much at night.

At your age, you should be getting your prostate checked.

[slamer]

Apr 26, 2010 14:48:13 GMT -5 marathondude said:

Most people really need 7-8 hours whereas athletes in high-level training usually require nine hours. I was talking with U.S. distance star steeplechaser Jenny Barringer last week and she said part of her training as a pro this year is that she get nine hours of sleep per night.

this is a misconception I want to correct.

First of all most people need 8 to 9 hours of sleep, not 7 to 8. But a large part to this is the age of the individual. Older individuals (i.e. senior citizens) are the ones that average 6 to 8 hours. But really it varies individual to individual.

Two point of notes:
1) You should be getting enough sleep that you feel well rested
2) If you sleep a lot and are still tired then there is something wrong with your sleep.

Ultimately it is practically useless to give you general "advice" based on no info. You need to talk with a doc to workout what could be wrong. Or at least you can pick up books that explain "sleep hygiene".

As a side point, the average length of sleep now is about 7.5 hours. About a century ago, it used to be about 9 hours of sleep (yes, per night). We can thank electric lights for this.