Sleep vs. Exercise

Crystal0827
Crystal0827 Posts: 244 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I posted this on my wall for my friends to answer and received some feedback I would like to open the topic up further. Which is more important: exercise or sleep? Basically with my work schedule some nights( Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday) going to the gym would then mean I would get less then 6 hours of sleep. I understand to workout on my days off but I just broke a plateau and in doing this I was at the gym 2 of those nights. I am just finding my self super sleepy. Do I just need to suck it up?:yawn:
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Replies

  • pennstate34
    pennstate34 Posts: 1
    I used to have the same issue, but the reccommended hours you should get is 6-8, you need sleep as much as excersise
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I know there is this medically thrown around number (You must get atleast 8 hours of sleep a day...) but I personally think it is more individualized than that... I get 5-6 hours of sleep a night, if I sleep more than that I wake up exhausted, now this may be just me everyone will be different.. Before I served in the Army I was the lazy kid that slept til noon but since my military days I found I functioned best in the 5 to 6 hour sleep window and have done this ever since..... I workout 6 days a week with a rest day normally on the weekend (either Saturday or Sunday).....
  • katejenkins1
    katejenkins1 Posts: 210 Member
    I would say they are both important. Lack of sleep causes an increase in the stress hormone. 'They' have done several studies that show there is a direct relation to the amount of sleep and obesity.
    Maybe you could workout the 2 nights then the next week sleep? Not the best solution but when you have a tight schedule to work around....


    Good luck!
  • dawson555
    dawson555 Posts: 26
    I struggle to get 6hrs a night not due to time issues but anxiety feel tired most of the time but try to get on with it as best as possible and i not problem losing weight ive went from 22st to 13st before. hope this helps
  • wrecktechno
    wrecktechno Posts: 145 Member
    I don't get it, how many hours a day do you work?
  • Crystal0827
    Crystal0827 Posts: 244 Member
    I don't get it, how many hours a day do you work?

    I work 2 jobs Monday through Friday 7:00 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday I work 4:00p.m. til 8:00 p.m. Every other Saturday 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

    Starting next week( but only for 8 weeks) I will be working 6:00 a.m. til 4:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Tuesday & Wednesday 5 p.m. til 8:00 p.m and Friday 8am-8pm. Every other Saturday 8am-3pm.

    Does that help?
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    without sleep I'm useless and constantly irritable .. but i guess it depend on how many hours you work?
  • danifo0811
    danifo0811 Posts: 544 Member
    I would sleep because not enough sleep is my number one reason for going off plan and over eating. My work outs are also not as enjoyable when I'm lacking sleep.

    I agree that the amount of sleep is individual.
  • Crystal0827
    Crystal0827 Posts: 244 Member
    without sleep I'm useless and constantly irritable .. but i guess it depend on how many hours you work?

    On average between both jobs 52-56 hours....my quttin' time at the 2nd job isn't a precise number.
  • sho3girl
    sho3girl Posts: 10,799 Member
    without sleep I'm useless and constantly irritable .. but i guess it depend on how many hours you work?

    On average between both jobs 52-56 hours....my quttin' time at the 2nd job isn't a precise number.

    That's a LOT of hours including your travel time? not sure how I could fit exercise in ... how about during your lunch/break time would it be feasable?
  • ConnieSG
    ConnieSG Posts: 376
    I only get about 5 to 6 hours of sleep a night and I wake up about 2 or 3 times so technically I don't get that full 5 to 6 hours. By the time Wednesday or Thursday comes around, I am exhausted and tend to sleep in on my day off (workout day). If I were you, I would see what is best for you. Everyone is different for sleeping patterns.
  • Crystal0827
    Crystal0827 Posts: 244 Member
    without sleep I'm useless and constantly irritable .. but i guess it depend on how many hours you work?

    On average between both jobs 52-56 hours....my quttin' time at the 2nd job isn't a precise number.

    That's a LOT of hours including your travel time? not sure how I could fit exercise in ... how about during your lunch/break time would it be feasable?

    No it doesn't include travel time I would add about an hour total a day for travel time. so another 5-6 hours a week w/travel time.
  • jennkain97
    jennkain97 Posts: 290 Member
    I would suggest waking a little early and doing some cardio (maybe even just 15-20 minutes) every day. This will boost your metabolism and give you energy to get through the day. Then go to the gym for strength training on your off days. Sleep is definitely individual. I feel horrible if I get more than 6 hours, but my husband can't function on less than 8. So if your body is telling you that you need more, then you need more.

    On a side note, I peeked at your diary (that sounds so horrible! lol!). Increasing your protein & decreasing your carbs will help you to gain/maintain lean muscle mass, which will also boost your metabolism and break through plateaus, even without doing anything "extra". It will also help balance out and sugar highs/ crashes you might be experiencing throughout the day.

    Hope this helps!
  • Kara_xxx
    Kara_xxx Posts: 635 Member
    You need both - it shouldn't be an "either - or".

    The quality of my sleep is a lot better when I exercise.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    it really is hard to choose. The required amount of sleep really IS an individual thing, but I can tell you that being chronically exhausted can stall weight loss. I find it very interesting that I have lost 1.5lbs in the 8 days since school let out and my sleep increased from an average of 6 hours to about 8.5....

    maybe you could try getting your full sleep one or two of those days and workout the other days...then the next week switch it up, and see how your energy level is.
  • flechero
    flechero Posts: 260 Member
    Most people undervalue sleep! It's critical to so many things. You can still lose weight w/o working out... I'd skip the gym and get the sleep but I would incorporate an intense (and short) workout into your morning routine, a couple days per week to make up for it.
  • wrecktechno
    wrecktechno Posts: 145 Member
    Can you do cheeky things like take the stairs instead of the lift, walk an extra stop or two, walk an extra block to a different lunch cafe, go for a jog in your lunch break?
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I know there is this medically thrown around number (You must get atleast 8 hours of sleep a day...) but I personally think it is more individualized than that... I get 5-6 hours of sleep a night, if I sleep more than that I wake up exhausted, now this may be just me everyone will be different.. Before I served in the Army I was the lazy kid that slept til noon but since my military days I found I functioned best in the 5 to 6 hour sleep window and have done this ever since..... I workout 6 days a week with a rest day normally on the weekend (either Saturday or Sunday).....
    No one with any medical knowledge would say that every person needs 8 hours of sleep, or any other generic number.
  • salxtai
    salxtai Posts: 341 Member
    There's evidence (haven't got studies handy, sorry) that those that persistently sleep low hours put on weight a whole lot more.

    Plus combined with the fact I can't function and have no energy at the gym on low sleep means I totally vote for sleep > exercise.
  • kolkol
    kolkol Posts: 300 Member
    I found it, this is what I read one time:
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/356030-sleeping-vs-resting-for-recovery/
    I feel this should be a pretty good source coming from livestrong

    here is something else, not sure of the credibility on this though.
    http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/09/09/sleep-vs-exercise-whats-more-important/

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