Sleep vs. Exercise

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  • MonkeyBars
    MonkeyBars Posts: 266 Member
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    sleep is important to our well being as is exercise!
    not sleeping may kill you! not exercising may slowly kill you :)
    http://www.end-your-sleep-deprivation.com/effects-of-sleep-deprivation.html

    perhaps you can mix things up a little?

    can you use some or all of your commute for exercise?
    I travel for work and sometimes find I'm in different countries...
    I always make sure I'm not on top of the office....

    if my abode is under 10 miles from my workplace, I've run to work and then showered there and got the bus home!
    if it's 5 miles, I'll run both ways (good mountain back pack with gear)
    sometimes I'll alternate, take enough clothes in on the monday (driving) and then run in!
    if there are no showers at work, then reverse it, get the bus in and run home!
    WE DO NOT SHRINK IN THE RAIN :)

    On my current project I'm 20 miles away in my car (25 mins on A roads), or on my road bike, it's 13.6 miles (38 to 45 mins on minor roads depending on traffic lights)... [ and no, the minor roads are not quicker in the car
    When I was too busy at work, I switched to the road bike both ways and moved other exercises around.
    I got fast on the bike :)

    Perhaps if it's a long journey you can use the train to go halfway and then the bike?

    remember....4 legs to the table

    cardio + anaerobic + diet [not a particular diet, but 1 to match your input/output] + recovery

    And don't forget NEAT ;)
    Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermogenesis

    Good luck :)
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    Why not try and squeeze in a 15-30min workout at home here and there. 30DS is quite short, or you can find workouts and videos online for 15min high intensity workouts that will be just as effective as a longer, easier workout and you still get to sleep.
  • embclark
    embclark Posts: 186 Member
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    Can you exercise at home those nights so that you cut out the travel time? Jillian michaels has some intense workouts that are only about a half hour. Most are designed to be done daily, but still burn calories if done every so often... 6 week to 6 pack abs doesn't have any jumping, so may be the easiest one to not disturb others in the house if they are sleeping. Half hour gives me about 300 or so calories...
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
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    This is one of the things I struggle with. Which one I choose depends on what's going on. I can get by on little sleep (less than 6 hours) for a few days, but eventually I'll need to recover and get consecutive nights of >7.

    There's a reason people with low sleep totals gain weight over time. When I'm tired I'm more likely to not care what I eat or drink, and I'm greatly aware of this. That's why, some mornings, like this morning I choose to sleep that extra hour and just do a quick workout over my lunch hour. (<20 minutes) I've had good results with this. If I have signed up for an event I'll puch my self a little more to get the proper training in. But right now that's not the case.
  • tigerlily8045
    tigerlily8045 Posts: 415 Member
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    I would say sleep just for your over all health. I mean if you are feeling sleepy then what are you possibly messing with? Driving while sleep, not good. Work performance? not good.

    I vote for some at home DVD's for a bit to try to see how you can do with more sleep. Jillian is 25 min for most and you are done.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Honestly... From someone who probably spends more time exercising than sleeping... I say sleep.

    I read a study on professional athletes a few years ago that concluded that the athletes who got the most sleep (not "at least 8 hours"... Literally, the most sleep) were almost always the ones who performed better.
  • shelbynicole32
    shelbynicole32 Posts: 179 Member
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    Maybe on the days that you don't have time to workout and want more sleep do the 30DS at home since its only 20 minutes or something like it to be getting some exercise. I think some is better then none.... Thats what I do when I'm too tried and dont feel like going to the gym that day, but I try to keep it to a minimum of 3 days per week.
  • mlewon
    mlewon Posts: 343 Member
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    Sleep is a vital part of healing muscles from workouts and resting your mind.

    You need to cycle through both REM and deep level sleep at least three times to feel rested (each sleep cycle takes approx. 2 hours to complete).

    If you're feeling run down you need to make time for sleep!
  • toffee322
    toffee322 Posts: 186 Member
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    sleep is more important if i have to pick between the two! you need to have enough sleep to exercise anyway.. you need energy for that!
  • Zaetalicious
    Zaetalicious Posts: 13 Member
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    Personally, I work 8-5 and have 2 hours of travel time, so I'm gone from the house from 7-6, sometimes 6:30 or 7pm depending on traffic. I get home, change, cook dinner, and usually my bf and I are at the gym by 9pm and home around 11 or 11:30pm. I average 6 hours of sleep a night, but there are nights when it's less. Any less than 6 hours of sleep and I don't waste my time at the gym. Simply because I know I won't get a great workout if I'm drudging through it like a zombie - I'd rather go to bed early and be able to crank out a great workout the next night.

    Basically my point is this -- use your own judgement on your body and it's sleep needs. Losing weight TRULY IS 75% diet and 25% working out. You can lose weight without being at the gym, just keep your diet in check. And like others here have said, if you can pop a 30-45 min workout dvd in your player when you get home that definitely cuts out a lot of extra time you waste driving back and forth to the gym.
  • cls_333
    cls_333 Posts: 206 Member
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    Don't know what you do for work, but any chance you have down time at either job? Throw in some calishentics, push-ups, wall sits, anything you can while you work (if possible). Just a thought...
  • lolabluola
    lolabluola Posts: 212 Member
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    For me ... my body adjusted. I go to bed around 10-11pm and I get up between 4-4:30am. At first it was absolutely a huge struggle and I was tired, but eventually my body got used to. I've been doing this since around February and went on vacation 2 weeks ago for 10 days where I was waking up more like 7am, so it took a few days to get back into the 4am routine but it's a habit now :)
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
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    If I don't sleep my workouts suffer and it is much harder to care about what I eat. I prioritize in the following way now: sleep, food, exercise. Hitting my goals have been directly related to sleeping enough and eating enough, even if that means exercise has to take a back seat. I don't ever not exercise, but I do exercise less in a week either by cutting my time short or reducing the number of days.
  • johicks
    johicks Posts: 1,991 Member
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    Okay I read through most the other responses and agree with- still trying to fit in a few minutes daily & changing your diet to more protein to build lean muscle mass.

    Okay I say do your best to get up 20 minutes extra. You DO NOT have to go to the gym to get in strength training or your cardio. I do everything at home w/ my DVD or on my own (computer). Work-out smart not long. Do circuit training a few times per week and cardio on the other days; give yourself 15minutes! OR even do Yoga or just simply stretch.

    When I do my circuit training, I'm working both upper and lower body at the same time. It's basically going from one type of exercise (or strength training muscle group) to another w/o rest; and completing several in one set. I'm at 2 sets right now taking me a total of 13minutes; not much, but I'm just beginning- again.

    Once you get into this habit your body will tell the difference, you will feel better all day and sleep better at night. Do like other say: park in the parking lot at a further spot to walk to work, take the stairs, take a stroll on your lunch break, stand for 15 minutes while on the phone or another task that you normally sit for. If you really want to lose it.. you will find a way.

    It's not some day-- IT'S TODAY!!

    If I didn't explain myself well enough... message me. I'd be glad to help.
  • Crystal0827
    Crystal0827 Posts: 244 Member
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    Okay I read through most the other responses and agree with- still trying to fit in a few minutes daily & changing your diet to more protein to build lean muscle mass.

    Okay I say do your best to get up 20 minutes extra. You DO NOT have to go to the gym to get in strength training or your cardio. I do everything at home w/ my DVD or on my own (computer). Work-out smart not long. Do circuit training a few times per week and cardio on the other days; give yourself 15minutes! OR even do Yoga or just simply stretch.

    When I do my circuit training, I'm working both upper and lower body at the same time. It's basically going from one type of exercise (or strength training muscle group) to another w/o rest; and completing several in one set. I'm at 2 sets right now taking me a total of 13minutes; not much, but I'm just beginning- again.

    Once you get into this habit your body will tell the difference, you will feel better all day and sleep better at night. Do like other say: park in the parking lot at a further spot to walk to work, take the stairs, take a stroll on your lunch break, stand for 15 minutes while on the phone or another task that you normally sit for. If you really want to lose it.. you will find a way.

    It's not some day-- IT'S TODAY!!

    If I didn't explain myself well enough... message me. I'd be glad to help.

    Thank you, this makes perfect sense. I appreciate the feedback and the advice. I am certainly not trying to make excuses for myself. I do push myself. I just don't know on those days when I feel so tired if I should "suck it up buttercup" and go to the gym/exercise or listen to my body and go home for bed. I reguarly exercise Mon, Thur, Sat, Sun. and If I can get Tues, Weds, Friday it is an added bonus...BUT having said that I upped my exercise for 2 weeks going 2 extra days then "normal" and broke a 7 week plateau BUT felt like incredibly exhausted. It is hard after exercising to come home and shower and then sleep. I am wide awake. It takes my body time to wind down and become at "rest" after a work out. Does this make more sense of my situation/question?

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