Sleep

[justinf]

It's constantly reiterated by trainers, coaches, moms, wives, etc that sleep is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle. Most recently, I've seen TT comment as such on the forum, and he's a smart guy when it comes to this stuff.

So, what does that mean to the salonistas? Do you get enough? Total hours? REM?

For me, it's usually 6.5-7 hours of moderately deep sleep 5 nights a week and 2 that I get less. I have become fairly adept at taking the 15-20 min power nap post-lunch where I'm actually completely gone and back, and that helps recover.

Sometimes it feels like I'm fighting from behind, no doubt, especially when I'm getting my ass whipped on the bike.

[false_aesthetic]

I go to sleep when I'm tired and wake up when I'm not.

I have the luxury of not being a night owl and not being a late sleeper. Bedtime is 10-12 and I wake up w/out an alarm between 6-7.30.

It does me well.

[znfdl]

I go to sleep around 9:00-9:30 PM and wake up at 5:00 AM, mostly without an alarm.

[Too Tall]

Kind words boss, thanks. Hey, I take "REM" caps from Hammer when I'm restless or could use a solid night sleep...that darn dog of mine snores like a lion.

[Fixed]

sleep what's that I might miss something ... I stay up till 2 and get up at 6 .. on the weekends I pass out sometime during the day for a couple of hours
cheers
butch

[rwsaunders]

There will be plenty of time sleep when you're dead.

[taylorj]

I am up with sun and down with the sun!! (actually in the summer it is still light when I go to sleep!) Riding at sunrise is fantastic---and when the sun comes up at 5, I can go for 4 hours if I want before heading into work. But if I time myself with the sun instead of a clock, I never have jet-lag, and this is an important part of my job! Sleep is when your body recovers---I ride a lot, sleep a lot and eat a lot. My life is thus very blessed! (-:

[davids]

I try to take advice from the experts. They don't get more knowledgeable than Richard Ferber. "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems" not only gave me the best tools in my parenting arsenal (and helped form my resilient, good-natured kid), but also taught me a lot about sleep.

After a recent conference, my wife cornered him for a personal consult on teenage sleeping. His advice - The best thing you can do is go to sleep at the same time every night. Wildly varying bedtimes are like your own personal jetlag, and they screw you up. Teenagers are particularly prone to this, but it's true for all of us.

For me, bedtime is generally between 10 and 10:30. I get up between 6 and 6:30, so I sleep between 7.5 - 8.5 hours a night, generally on the shorter side. If I stray to a too late bedtime, I feel it, more so the older I get.

[gt6267a]

A long time ago, I was told by a doctor to only do two things in bed … sleep and playtime. Never read, never watch tv, never sit up and talk, never do anything in bed but those two activities. You will train your brain like you train a dog.

It works. According to the GF, I am asleep in under 1 min. An important part of going to the bed at time X and waking up at time Y is actually sleeping during that time. Take the TV out of the bedroom. Read on the couch before going to bed, chat with your mate before getting into bed, etc, etc, It makes a difference.

[gt6267a]

talking about sleep, has any one tried this guy? http://www.polardiscount.com/scripts...?idProduct=228

an expensive alarm clock for sure, but maybe worth it to wake up at the right time?

[GONE4ARIDE]

I am up at 4:50 am to get my miles in the a.m., so I am constantly playing 'beat the clock' in the evening to get myself in bed so that I get a good nights sleep. Typically I am getting 7 hrs, but sometimes I flirt with 6-6.5 hrs per night which, for me, is not nearly enough when I am training hard. I have found that Hammer Nutrition REM caps help me get a much higher quality sleep.

[swoop]

you want to take growth hormone to get stronger... do it by napping. its nature's way to give you a bump.

[doofus]

i go to bed at 8:30 to 9

wake up at 4:30 to 5

always a nap of an hour in the afternoon

I save the crazy stuff like 1:00 intervals for the summer, when I'm off for 10 weeks. this time of year I train hard, nap harder -- sometimes two naps a day, or one long one of 2-3 hours.

sleep is cheap dope

[Dekonick]

Shift work screws me - 24 hour shifts. 1 day on, 2 off. Problem is, you never know if you will get any sleep during that 24 hour tour. I have argued for years we need to abandon the 24 hour shift and go to a set schedule - day, night.

Some just don't get it.

To try to offset the crummy schedule, I take naps when I can.

I never get enough sleep.

Never.

[agilismerlin]

i have two young children.

sleep is a luxury :D

[WadePatton]

Catching up on le Tour has messed up my nap time. I need 8 hours regular. I can run on 6 or 7 for a few days, but always need an extended session to catch up. You're doing it right if you don't need an alarm clock.

The regular use of caffeine effed up my sleep until recently quitting. But everybody is different. My most pathetic race performance ever was the result of a three-hour night. Not doing that again.

Do what it takes, get the z's.

cheap dope--great way to put it.

[whumpf]

I do well on 7 hours sleep. Last night I was really tired because I couldn't sleep the night before and went to bed at 9:30. Woke up bright eyed at 4:30am.

[DarrenCT]

i need at least 6 hours sleep. 7-8 is ideal.

less than 5 and a lot of woopiewoopiewoopiewoopietails and the next day is a disaster