my question is do you have any similar experiences of sleep and changing it's patterns and what effect did that have on your workouts? I am trying to decide whether I should change job (difficult) not just for the gainz but also chronic health....
Paul I am not a sleep physician but my understanding is that the science behind the health benefits of regular 8 hours per day (more for the young) is pretty settled. It is very bad for us to try to rely on much less in the long term. There was also a study which looked at elite basketball players performance and found that they performed better on I think 8.5 hours/day then less. Therefore if you can get 8 hours then that is best both for general health and athletic performance. There is the real world though where not always possible. Napping may be a way of helping.
There's all the usual stuff such as make the room as dark as possible, use ear plugs, cool body temperature, turn off electronics before/during, reduce blue light, don't have a massive meal prior to going to bed, make sure you are hydrated but not to the point you'd have to get up in the night etc. As for napping in the day, this is something I've been able to do pretty much at will in the last 10 years albeit only for 5-10mins of actual sleep. It's very useful - I do feel very refreshed but in my case like I say there is more going on as I dream too and I shouldn't be, apparently.
Might start trying the 10-15 minute nap on my hour lunch breaks, with an alarm set of course. I haven't really tried any meditative states in a long time, but the way you describe it reminds me of how I used to try to relax - visualize body parts releasing their tension and relaxing starting at feet and moving up the entire body until everything has relaxed.Gammmmo wrote: ↑April 30th, 2019, 2:46 amThere's all the usual stuff such as make the room as dark as possible, use ear plugs, cool body temperature, turn off electronics before/during, reduce blue light, don't have a massive meal prior to going to bed, make sure you are hydrated but not to the point you'd have to get up in the night etc. As for napping in the day, this is something I've been able to do pretty much at will in the last 10 years albeit only for 5-10mins of actual sleep. It's very useful - I do feel very refreshed but in my case like I say there is more going on as I dream too and I shouldn't be, apparently.
In order to quiet the mind, meditation is supposed to be good (friend of mine has an even more irregular sleep schedule due to job than I and has reported good results). I just deflect any thoughts that come into my mind and tell myself "think about that later", or I concentrate on how my body is lying and in particular how various body parts are resting (I know that's weird but don't mind sharing) - it's a case of being present and not indulging abstract thought. Works for me.
As regards, getting enough sleep for gains. I am sure I saw a new study highlighted by Youtuber "Jeff Nippard" that said it wasn't actually as important as you might think - can't find it now though. Most studies I've seen have suggested muscle breakdown from consistent lack of sleep i.e. progress stalls and goes backwards. I've not had that, so am keeping fingers crossed I can keep the hypertrophy/gains going, not least by optimising everything else as much as possible e.g. diet, programming etc.
This is actually close to a technique that you find in relaxation/getting to sleep advice. The "body scan", checking that each little bit of you is relaxed. Also imagining that each part is getting heavier and gently sinking into the mattress.I concentrate on how my body is lying and in particular how various body parts are resting (I know that's weird but don't mind sharing) - it's a case of being present and not indulging abstract thought. Works for me.
Years ago I started a book called "Peak Performance". It was a training plan, which if followed rigorously would eventually allow you to consciously control your heart rate (or so they claimed). I got a couple chapters into it and was able to relax and concentrate to the point I could make my arms tingle on demand. It was this total relaxation of every body part exercise and it was working, until kids and life started taking up the time I was spending lying perfectly still in a quiet room concentrating.Allan Olesen wrote: ↑April 30th, 2019, 3:58 pmHeh, I remember that from yoga. You think you have relaxed every little muscle in your body, and then the instructor mentions "the spot between the eyebrows". Oops.
6.5hrs per night in one go would generally be the max for me and like I say more like 5-6hrs more typically due to not falling asleep instantly, body clock waking me before my alarm goes off and allowing for any periods during the night I might be awake (annoying). Like I say I can nap during the day and I usually do this once or twice but am asleep for only 5-10mins. The thing is, in general, I don't feel that bad.hjs wrote: ↑May 4th, 2019, 3:29 am5 hours sleep, it will kill me
Naps, if I need those I am super tired. For me training certainly interferes with sleep, also often eat late, 20.00 orso, not good.
Paul, if possible sleep more, there are people who sleep short, but thats often very busy people in the bussiness world, who are not very healthy and do not do phycical labour. In the long run not a good thing.
