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/
  • MonkeyBars
    MonkeyBars Posts: 266 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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: 402 Member
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.

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