General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough? Rss Feed  
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2005-04-15 10:04 PM

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Salem, MA
Subject: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
Hi everyone. I want to ask about sleeping and tri training. I am starting to feel really sleepy now that my training has picked up. Is this a coincidence? Or do I need to start planning to sleep longer than I normally do?

I have always been a night owl. Before I was training a normal time to go to sleep would be 11:30 or even 12:00. I get up for work around 7:30, so I was always able to get a good 7.5 a night, and I have no sleep troubles.

But now that doesn't feel like enough. The alarm rings and I just can't believe it's time to get out of bed ALREADY! I have moved by bedtime to 10:30 or maybe 11:00, and it still seems to be not enough. Is this normal? Should more sleep be part of my training plan?

I will add that I am not a morning worker-outer and never will be, so I don't want to adjust my wake-up time at all. I work out after work, either 5:30 PM on a run day or 7:30 PM on a swim day (that's when the pool is open for adult lap swim...not a lot of choice there). My only questions are: has your sleep cycle changed since you began training? How long on average do you like to sleep? Is it generally recommended to sleep more when you're in training? Thanks.


2005-04-15 10:09 PM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
depends on how hard/how much you train. when I am at full blast training, durring the summer, I will sleep 10-14 hours
2005-04-15 10:16 PM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
Miko....I've been dealing with the same issues....seems like I need more and more sleep the more I train.  I'm just going to try to get as much as possible and fight through it....hopefully it will pass as my body adjusts
2005-04-16 12:57 AM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
I can't easily see the day through if I don't have 7 hours sleep. But we all differ in regards to how much sleep we need.

I can tell you that when my training increased (from ~4 sessions a week to ~9 sessions), I was exhausted for the first 2 or so weeks. Absolutely exhausted. Thankfully my body was able to adapt and it became much easier as it will for you.

Good luck


2005-04-16 10:29 AM
in reply to: #143340

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Salem, MA
Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
Well, I've been training at about the same volume for quite some time, and it really isn't easier yet, so I am thinking that 7.5 hours is just not sufficient sleep. Everyone is different, I know, but I guess I'll need to start turning in earlier.
2005-04-16 10:35 AM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
always always always listen to your body


2005-04-16 10:54 AM
in reply to: #143340

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Highlands Ranch, CO
Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
I am glad you brought this up. I have the same problem. Infact, sometimes when I am training hard during my swim, I feel like I am going to fall asleep. I turn in around 9:00 and wake up around 5:00. I would like to know if anyone else has these same issues. Would better nutrition be the key to not feeling sleepy?
2005-04-16 11:01 AM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
I don't think there is any cookie cutter response to this topic. I personally do morning workouts 3X a week, getting up at 5 AM, going to bed around 11 PM. On my mornings off, I usually get an extra hour of sleep. I realize this is not an ideal amount of sleep, but my body has adjusted to this schedule and I no longer have trouble feeling tired all day long. But I will add that it took me several weeks to adapt to my increased training routine and decreased sleep.

The key is to find what your body can handle and stick to that schedule. Another thing that I've noticed with myself is that I need to stick to a similar sleep schedule on the weekends, too. If I sleep in or take naps on the weekend, it makes me feel that much worse during the week. So I try to make sure I'm up and active at a fairly early hour on weekends as well.

Just listen to your body and give it the rest it needs.
2005-04-16 12:11 PM
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2005-04-16 7:15 PM
in reply to: #143340

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Subject: RE: Zzzzzzz.....Sleep, How Much is Enough?
You really need to listen to your body...everyone is different.  I do just fine on 7-8 hours with a fairly full training schedule.  I might get 9 hours on the weekend and I can't remember the last time I actually slept in long.  After work and training I'm tired at night but haven't felt completely drained and certainly don't feel unusually tired during the day.  If anything I'd say I've been feeling fresher and more energized the last couple weeks even though my training has picked up some.  Check out my log to see what kind of miles I'm putting in.  Bottom line is if you feel tired and run down on 7-8-9 hours of sellp then it isn't enough for you and you likely aren't getting as much out of your training as you could be.  Recovery time is key.  Your body doesn't get stronger when you train...it get's stronger when between training sessions when you are resting.
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