Do you get enough sleep?

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Replies

  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Lack of sleep usually has a big impact on fat loss. Why? Because sleeping and rest is when we use 100% fat for energy. Also HGH, a hormone responsible for fat regulation in the body, production is disrupted, it interferes with the efficiency of the fat burning process.


    Hmmm...Maybe that explains why I've never had a weight problem. I've always just slept it off! ;)
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I used to think I could get by on about 6 hours sleep on weeknights; however, after a while I realised it was not usual to be an insane grump from Wednesday onwards only to emerge a peaceful, good tempered, kind human being after a 12 hour sleep Friday night. I need about 8-9 hours to be at my best really. I find I sleep better if I have been physically active during the day, and if I turn off my phone and computer an hour before I want to go to bed.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 11,703 Member
    My days off and the days I work day shifts, I typically get enough sleep, 7-8. But the nights I work graveyard shifts I'm lucky to get 6, especially the days my kids are home from school.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    edited April 2015
    When I first started to do research on fat loss I kept coming across information about sleep and all of the benefits on the body like its role on hormones like HGH, ghrelin, leptin and cortisol etc., tissue repair among others.

    Then I started making changes by putting myself first and getting to bed earlier.

    It took some time, but I adapted. After getting good sleep consistently I first noticed I became more alert and focused overall and I no longer had that mid-afternoon work day slump.

    This setup me up for better progress during my workouts and making better food choices (I used to be a mindless eating night-time snacker).

    Now I'm that annoying morning person that jumps out of bed early without an alarm clock everyday to workout even without coffee (I don't drink it) or food and feel great for the rest of the day.

    Sleep is very important. Not just quantity, but the quality.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    I average about 6 to 7 hours a night with an occasional 12 hour sleep thrown in...that's every few months usually.

    I know since ramping up my exercise, my quality of sleep is much, much, much better. MUCH better. I rarely wake up during the night now, and, usually only do if I drank some water or tea close to bedtime...used to I would stay awake for hours if something got me up, but now I'm right back to sleep.
  • Cynnamon
    Cynnamon Posts: 6 Member
    Major insomnia here, tried everything... Any thoughts??
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,622 Member
    I only get enough sleep maybe once a week on a weekend.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,622 Member
    Cynnamon wrote: »
    Major insomnia here, tried everything... Any thoughts??

    I can't drink coffee or caffeinated tea after about 4 pm.

    When I exercise quite close to bed time, I tend to sleep better. I know there are some who can't do this, but the exercise tires me out and when I finish, I relax.

    In the evenings, about an hour before bed, I turn out most of the lights in the place, turn the TV down or off, sometimes I'll turn on relaxing music and read.

    And then there's valerian. You can find it in the vitamin section of your local chemist. I talked to the pharmacist about it. I didn't want a sleeping pill, I just wanted something to help relax me, and keep me asleep. My problem was that I'd fall asleep all right, but then about 2 hours later I'd wake up and be wide awake. She suggested I try valerian, and it has seemed to help.

    I've heard good things about melatonin too, but have never used it.

  • ArkMom35
    ArkMom35 Posts: 225 Member
    Absolutely not. But I have four children that are seven and under. I'm lucky if I get to sleep two hours without interruption.
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Cynnamon wrote: »
    Major insomnia here, tried everything... Any thoughts??

    I can't drink coffee or caffeinated tea after about 4 pm.

    When I exercise quite close to bed time, I tend to sleep better. I know there are some who can't do this, but the exercise tires me out and when I finish, I relax.

    In the evenings, about an hour before bed, I turn out most of the lights in the place, turn the TV down or off, sometimes I'll turn on relaxing music and read.

    And then there's valerian. You can find it in the vitamin section of your local chemist. I talked to the pharmacist about it. I didn't want a sleeping pill, I just wanted something to help relax me, and keep me asleep. My problem was that I'd fall asleep all right, but then about 2 hours later I'd wake up and be wide awake. She suggested I try valerian, and it has seemed to help.

    I've heard good things about melatonin too, but have never used it.

    If you want to keep things natural, you should look into lavender. I've got a few insomniac's in my life (my mother especially) and they've all found relative success with it. My mom uses the essential oils and dabs a bit on either temple, my friend uses a linen spray with it before bed, and another friend of mine drinks lavender tea. It's only a mild sleep aid, but very therapeutic.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,622 Member
    365andstillalive wrote: »
    Machka9 wrote: »
    Cynnamon wrote: »
    Major insomnia here, tried everything... Any thoughts??

    I can't drink coffee or caffeinated tea after about 4 pm.

    When I exercise quite close to bed time, I tend to sleep better. I know there are some who can't do this, but the exercise tires me out and when I finish, I relax.

    In the evenings, about an hour before bed, I turn out most of the lights in the place, turn the TV down or off, sometimes I'll turn on relaxing music and read.

    And then there's valerian. You can find it in the vitamin section of your local chemist. I talked to the pharmacist about it. I didn't want a sleeping pill, I just wanted something to help relax me, and keep me asleep. My problem was that I'd fall asleep all right, but then about 2 hours later I'd wake up and be wide awake. She suggested I try valerian, and it has seemed to help.

    I've heard good things about melatonin too, but have never used it.

    If you want to keep things natural, you should look into lavender. I've got a few insomniac's in my life (my mother especially) and they've all found relative success with it. My mom uses the essential oils and dabs a bit on either temple, my friend uses a linen spray with it before bed, and another friend of mine drinks lavender tea. It's only a mild sleep aid, but very therapeutic.

    Funny, I was just looking at lavender the other day. :) I might try it.

    Here in Tasmania, lavender is all the thing. You can get it everywhere in all sorts of configurations.
  • ForecasterJason
    ForecasterJason Posts: 2,577 Member
    For me, the answer is no. I usually get about 7 hours, but I think I need 8-9 to be 100% well rested. It's not so much that my lifestyle doesn't allow it, but I struggle with being able to relax/de-stress myself enough to sleep very deeply. So whether I go to bed at 11PM or 1AM, my sleep is almost never deep enough to keep me going past 8 hours.
  • Tracey_B_72
    Tracey_B_72 Posts: 1,021 Member
    My sleep is awful, worknights I get 5 hours but on days off I had 9 this week, I'm up at 5am and I'm really trying to get to bed earlier I just find it so hard, being a bit of a nightowl, I'm slowly getting better.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It depends...I have a 5 y.o. and an almost 3 y.o. so sleep is often interrupted sometimes 2-3 times per night with nightmares, someone isn't feeling good, etc. I also have sleep issues when things get crazy at work and I can't shut my brain down...that's usually when I reach for my melatonin pills which actually work pretty well, but sometimes a little too well as I often have difficulty waking in the morning when I take them.
  • ljohnson216
    ljohnson216 Posts: 89 Member
    I am right there with the other insomniacs and people who struggle to sleep. I tend to average 5 hours a night but 3-4 is not unusual for me. It definitely effects my weight loss and too often I feel the need for extra fuel to get through a day.
  • robinmarkz
    robinmarkz Posts: 93 Member
    It's a problem. 6 and half hours. I was getting more, even though I keep late hours, but there was illness in the family and my sleep rhythm is completely off. That's not enough for me. Tired a lot. And that effects quality of exercise, of course. Doing okay, considering, I guess. But far from optimal.
  • santd
    santd Posts: 234 Member
    I was a night shift worker for 27 years, and couldn't get my sleep during the day times becasue of my two children ( I couldn't afford day care). That was 15 years ago! I work days now but still I can only sleep for 5-6 but its very broken. I sleep better on a Friday night 8 hours -no stress of work. Perhaps when I retire it will get better?
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