Sleep vs workout

ptrose13 · March 2013

Here's a debate I often have, and I'd like some input. I always hear/read that you need to make sure to sleep 8 hrs, especially when working out and trying to lose (and trying to plan a wedding!), so that your body can recover, you can work your best, and look your best, etc. I get it, no questions as to why. My debate is though, I only ever get 4-5 hours of sleep on week nights, then I crash and burn on weekends and catch up. If part of what is making me lack so much sleep is my workouts, is it actually worse for me to miss that sleep time, or miss that workout? It's a constant question in my mind...especially when I am dragging through workouts.

unchatenfrance · March 2013

How are your workouts making your sleep worse?

I get your logic. But I'm not sure how your workouts are cutting into your sleep. Are you one of those people who gets up at 4am to go work out before work? Yeah....... I've never understood that. I don't know how (or why) people do it.

ptrose13 · March 2013

No, I am definitely not one of those people. Me choosing to get up to workout doesn't really happen. It's hard to make that choice after only a few hours of sleep. It's not necessarily that one cuts into the other, but at times at the end of the day, there does at times come a choice between extending my night to get a workout and other things in, or leaving out the workout to get more sleep. I work 10 hour days (which usually go longer) and I work about 45 mins from home, so travel is added to both ends of the day, plus any chores, and dinner, etc. I usually workout after work, since I refuse to get up that early to do so. There are times that I wonder if maybe cutting out that evening workout to be able to get 1 maybe 2 more hours of sleep would be more worth it.

firsttimersluck · March 2013

It sounds more like you have a time management issue than you have a work out Vs. sleep issue.

Sleep helps regulate cortisol levels in your body. Not getting enough sleep can put stress on your bod that causes it to release more costisol in your bod. This can cause your metabolism to slow and your body to want to store fat in fear of the stress.

Working out, get this, also helps regulate cortisol levels.

This is the reason people have this debate, whether they realize it or not. How many days a week are you "losing sleep" for your work out? Is there a chance you could add a day to take away 15 minutes of that work out a night (ie, if you work out 45min a day, 4 days a week, make it 30 minutes a day 5 days a week)? Are you making your weekend two of your work out days so you can have a day or two off during the week? And Are you really being the most efficient with your time throughout your day/week or are you blaming your work out for your poor time management skills?

Because if you work 10 hours a day..

Say you work from 8a-6p then.

THen say you get up at 6a to get ready and get to work. Assuming you have the typical hour-ish commute,

Home by, say, 7p,

Chores/dinner by 8-9p,

Work out over at 10p,

Bed time?

10p-6a is 8 hours, give or take depending on how fast you fall asleep, etc.

Is that not what your day looks like? What am I missing that makes you get 2-4 hours LESS than what's there. Where are those missing 4 hours going?

Ultimately, you need both. But it's a misconception that you need 8 hours of sleep a night. Your body may take it when you give it, but not everyone needs that much (and some need more) My bod is good to go at 6 hours while my H needs 9 to be super energetic throughout the day.

jennylee813 · March 2013

Ditto FTL.

I feel like there's something missing here. Time management is key. I need at least 7 hours to function properly, and on weeks when I don't get it, I feel run down and unproductive.

I'd start by regulating my sleep schedule: start pushing back bedtime by a half an hour at a time, until I got to 10 or 1030. As a former night owl, I know how tough it is to give up those late nights, but it does make you feel better. I do sleep in a little on weekends, but am still up before 9am most times.

Your workout should be helping you sleep better, not worse. I work out in the evening too, and have built that time into my schedule from Monday-Wednesday (or Thursday). On Saturday and Sunday I tackle my workout early in the day.

Try working on your scheduling, and see if that helps. Good luck!

unchatenfrance · March 2013

What is your workout routine like? Maybe we can rationalize it to save you time. For example, do HIIT instead of an hour of steady-state cardio, focus on big compound lifts instead of 10 isolation exercises for your weights, maybe do bodyrock or yoga at home instead of having to go to the gym...

ptrose13 · March 2013

It's probably a combo of all of the above. I actually forgot to add the biggest part, I'm also studying for a 7 hour board certification specialist exam that I take in about a week and a half. I've been studying for months now. That's been playing a huge part in the lack of time management that I have, but it's almost over. I just end up having this debate in my head a lot since there is added pressure in both areas right now.

But no, lunch is not an option for me, we have working lunches, so it's all meetings and paperwork. And I have been trying to add HIIT as much as I can to make sure I am maxing out the time spent. And weekends are definitely used for workouts as well so that I can have 2 weekdays off.

J&K10910 · March 2013

You cannot actually "catch up" on your sleep. getting more sleep on the weekends does not make up for crappy sleep habits during the week. The very first thing I'd do in your case is fix your sleep. If that means you have cut down on your weekday workouts, then that's what you need to do. There are studies that show that not sleeping enough effects weight loss (not to mention stress levels, overall health, and longevity!). Once you have a good sleep routine down, I'd look at where you can put your workouts back in. You might need to split them up, and do a short workout in the morning and a short workout right after work, or something similar. The bonus of doing it that way is since they're shorter, they can be more intense and more efficient.

This may not be popular here, but I think if you need to ditch your weekday workouts for awhile until your exam is over, that might be the best. Just make sure you're eating properly. You will not be able to do your best on the exam if you're sleep deprived.

unchatenfrance · March 2013

Ditto to all of the above, and timely article below: A week's worth of bad sleep switches off hundreds of genes vital to protecting us from cancer, obesity, heart disease and other degenerative diseases.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9892792/Lack-of-sleep-switches-off-genes.html

ptrose13 · March 2013

Thanks for the article unchat- that's more the answers I was looking for. I was thinking of taking the next week and a half off with the exception of weekend workouts when I have the full day to do both. And I do think hitting the 'reset' button afterwards is what may be needed J&K. Thanks for the thoughts and weighing in.

Sleep vs workout

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