Priorities...Sleep or exercise???

cmbx2mom

I have another question too. I always read about how important sleep is yet there are some days I cannot fit exercise into my schedule unless I force myself to get up super early and lack some sleep.
Just curious what people think here. Is it better to sleep 7.5 to 8 hours and forego exercise, or sleep less (6.5 to 7 hours) wake up tired and get exercise in?

heybales

Lack of sleep is a stress to your body.

A good workout is a stress to your body.

Do it day after day and you'll effect ability to get a good recovery from a good workout, and it'll stop being good.
Body's response to non-recovery, make you not hurt it so much.

So if you did that every other day, getting a full night sleep to aid recovery, missing some on one day wouldn't be so bad.

But day after day wouldn't be good if you have already determined that 7.5-8 is needed for good daily operation.

The other way the body will slow you down from doing that eventually - get sick, then you'll stop.

SusanMFindlay

Sleep.

When you don't get enough sleep, your body fights back hormonally - which can make you extra hungry and prone to making poor decisions about food. Plus you're exhausted so your NEAT will tend to drop - often by at least as much as the burn from the workout.