starting strength gym
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Fixing sleep schedule?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    83

    Default Fixing sleep schedule?

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    It's been a while since i posted here. Lifts are at: 305/325/177/117. A pretty mediocre progress ,i have mostly been trying to get back to my previous weights. I think i still weigh 200 pounds, 5`11. 200/400/70 i think. Calories are mostly the same. The thing that has been holding me back is sleep. I'm on vacation, so i started sleeping more hours into the morning, then i try to compensate and do things i didn't do in the day by sleeping until 12 or 1 AM. And you know, staying late for other stuff. so somedays i might try to sleep at 12/1 AM but don't sleep until 3 or 4 am. Some days even until 6 AM, and from then until 12 PM. I might even be "oversleeping" on some days but a big part of the night im conscious that im not actually sleepin. And i wake up every a few hours just to go to the bath and stuff like that. The other day i tried to sleep at 11, didn't have dinner too late, stayed away from phone an hour before sleep, had some relaxing tea and still didn't get a decent night of sleep to. And you know, being in bed for half of the day is kind of shitty. I have some family s problems and even on the days that i'm calmed before going to bed i end up getting anxious or not falling asleep. Training does not seem to affect sleep, some days i do not train;i sleep better but other days this doesn't work. And sleep problems are really starting to affect my training. So what do you guys suggest?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Posts
    1,363

    Default

    Many of us struggle with the same problem. Athletes who get sufficient sleep would like to be getting more too. There are the basics of a cool, dark, quiet room with a mattress you can sleep on, but further than that, I don't know if any of us have found better than a highly idiosyncratic solution. You may also have a natural 36 hour circadian rhythm or one that is offset from a normal person's.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    83

    Default

    Probably just a bad circadian rhythm created by bad habits, staying up late and coupled with stress, i think i just need to create a regular sleep schedule, even if it is boring. Warm milk seemed to help, too. But after a decent night of sleep i still feel tired, which makes sense out of the first sentence. Btw, does it affect your training excesively? Missed reps and stuff like that?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    4,610

    Default

    What is keeping you up late at night? Could it be done earlier in the morning?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    599

    Default

    To “reset” your circadian rhythm, try melatonin 2-4 hrs before your target bedtime. This may not work immediately. And get up at the same time every day, NO MATTER WHAT (to the extent permitted by work/school etc).

    If you are tired even after adequate sleep, consider a sleep study, especially (but not only) if you snore. Non-restorative sleep is a hallmark of sleep apnea, and no amount of sleep hygiene will fix the apnea.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2018
    Posts
    83

    Default

    Mostly just wasting time with my phone, going out late or stressful/exciting thoughts. I'll start by waking up every day at 7:30, if that doesn't work i'll try melatonin. Also, i'll keep in mind the possibility of sleep apnea.

    And taking advantage of having your attention, coach Santana. Is it wrong to make programming modifications a little "early"? Let's say, 5x3 310 squat felt imposible after first set, so i started doing 5x1+back off sets. On the press(120) i couldn't get at least 5x1 first set so i switched to 3x3 (2nd workout), similar thing with bench but instead i started 1x5+back off sets,i almost did the same with DL after getting only 3 reps, but instead i just repeated 5x1 same weight. I do not ask you for a complete assesment of all this, they are examples. So, is it wrong to make a programming change when feeling not able to get all reps after months of resets and same programming? Or would it mess with the stress/recovery/adaptation cycle? It has to be mentioned that those changes made me feel less fatigued, so it could be a bad sign. If it would mess with that then i think i would have to milk the 5X3 a little more, even though it "destroys" me. Hope i can get an answer on this, take care fellas and thank you for your time.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    599

    Default

    Staring at a screen: phone, tablet, tv, etc., at bedtime is disruptive to circadian rhythms: the light hitting your retinas tells a very simplistic part of your brain that it is daytime, and not time for sleep.

    Turn the screens off, or at the very least least dim the backlight on your device and turn off room lights. You want it dark enough that your pupils dilate. But really, if you’re having trouble falling asleep, just turn them off.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Posts
    107

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Specifically it's the blue light from screens which suppresses the secretion of the sleep hormones. Read a book instead, or if you have to use a screen use a programme like f.lux to automatically adjust the hue of your display at night so reduce the proportion of blue light emitted. One day of bad sleep even after making changes probably isn't indicative as sleep rhythms take time to adjust. If your relaxing tea is black tea then it likely contains caffeine, which remains in your system for several hours after it's consumed and can prevent a good night's sleep.

    Do not take sleep medications as these simply sedate you whilst inhibiting the restorative effects of natural sleep.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •