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Thread: Waking up at 3am after a workout the day before and can't return to sleep? A solution

  1. #1
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    Jun 2022
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    Lightbulb Waking up at 3am after a workout the day before and can't return to sleep? A solution

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    Have read a few things on this forum about people experiencing an issue similar to my own - no matter the time of day that a work out happens, between 3-4am the next day, sleep stops, waking happens fairly suddenly and it is hard/impossible to return to sleep.

    Been searching for a solution to this for a while, and think it might have something to do with blood sugar dropping at that time of the morning. Some mix of adrenaline and cortisol, it appears, wakes me up, and with those levels elevated, the sleep disturbance occurs.

    Okay, so knowing this, I began a little experiment. I worked out at 5pm and ate an apple with peanut butter during the session. Have to say, I haven't worked out for over a week due to this sleep issue and did not feel at all exhausted after the session, when I would normally expect to, even if I was working out with the usual frequency (4 x per week). Before bed I ate 2 eggs and some carbs - diabetics raves about eggs before bed - and had pear pieces covered in PB by the bedside so when I could eat that and hopefully return to sleep.

    Well, it worked. I woke up as I would expect to, ate about 4 pear pieces and settled in to sleep. Woke up this morning, very pleased with myself.

    It's early days obviously, but what I'm trying to do here is log what I'm experiencing in the hope that it can shine some light on what is a pretty frustrating set of circumstances - wanting to train but not being able to because sleep is, for some of us, more important. Hopefully by sharing this information and pooling others' experiences some solutions can be found

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Try to get carbs during workout and lower carb after. I've heard that works. You basically don't want to spike your blood sugar or take anything that digests quickly.

  3. #3
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    I just pop a 1mg melatonin pill when I wake up during those hours. If I wake up 2-3h before my alarm I'll take 0.5mg.

  4. #4
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    I just freeze myself out. AC to 66-68 degrees and some weight on my blanket gets it done.

  5. #5
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    Sep 2011
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    Wake up at 0430 every single day and immediately go for a one mile walk. Go to bed between 2100-2130. I've suggested this to many people I know in real life and they have all had their sleep issues fixed doing this. Myself had insomnia until I started doing this, now it's lights out almost immediately and I don't wake up until morning

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    Sharing is caring.

    I have been having the similiar problem for a long time.

    Trained hard, do squat-press-deadlift, and then night comes, can't sleep. :-(
    Then I trained at early morning, around 7am, problem seem to cease for a while. but then the problem slowly creeping and soon, the sleep problem continues.
    Then I learn mindfulness meditation. It helps. But I still woke up around 3am, meditates until sleepy, mind body relax and then feel asleep. But, I still woke up at 3am. :-(
    Then I started to have heartburns, chest pain after eating. I can't lay down flat during sleeping, I have to get the right angle for my upper body with 2 pillows.
    I tried the magnesium heartburn pills. It did some relieves but only for a few hours. My digestion also suffers. I pooped every couple of days and things are not getting better. I still woke up at 3am. :-(

    Finally, I read somewhere about chewing food 40 times before swallow and something about eating slower.
    I tried to do it. Started to count 40 times, and be strict about this practice. FYI, I used to get crazy most of the time about my eating habbits, I seldom chew my food and just want to finish my meal.
    And the magic happens!!! My heartburn is gone. I still burbs but only a little. My bowel movement is awesome. The 3am waking is kinda gone. It still happens occasionally but I can easily get back to sleep.
    Sometimes, I can even sleep for 9 hours. Anyway, I think healthline has something about the chewing-40-times thing, look it up if anybody is interested.

    I hope this information can help, because you guys are awesome!

  7. #7
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by good_boy View Post
    Sharing is caring.

    I have been having the similiar problem for a long time.

    Trained hard, do squat-press-deadlift, and then night comes, can't sleep. :-(
    Then I trained at early morning, around 7am, problem seem to cease for a while. but then the problem slowly creeping and soon, the sleep problem continues.
    Then I learn mindfulness meditation. It helps. But I still woke up around 3am, meditates until sleepy, mind body relax and then feel asleep. But, I still woke up at 3am. :-(
    Then I started to have heartburns, chest pain after eating. I can't lay down flat during sleeping, I have to get the right angle for my upper body with 2 pillows.
    I tried the magnesium heartburn pills. It did some relieves but only for a few hours. My digestion also suffers. I pooped every couple of days and things are not getting better. I still woke up at 3am. :-(

    Finally, I read somewhere about chewing food 40 times before swallow and something about eating slower.
    I tried to do it. Started to count 40 times, and be strict about this practice. FYI, I used to get crazy most of the time about my eating habbits, I seldom chew my food and just want to finish my meal.
    And the magic happens!!! My heartburn is gone. I still burbs but only a little. My bowel movement is awesome. The 3am waking is kinda gone. It still happens occasionally but I can easily get back to sleep.
    Sometimes, I can even sleep for 9 hours. Anyway, I think healthline has something about the chewing-40-times thing, look it up if anybody is interested.

    I hope this information can help, because you guys are awesome!
    What is your room temperature when you sleep?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
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    I am not sure about my room temperature, but I set the AC at 23 C, most of the time.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2013
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    Drop it to 18-19. You'll sleep like a baby.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2020
    Location
    Round Rock, TX
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    75

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    starting strength coach development program
    I can't sleep if I'm too hot, but if cold not much better. Either way, I'd probably have to get divorced to set the AC below 75F at night. (76-78 is where it normally lives I usually drop it one degree at night).

    Wife keeps the house at 80-82F when I'm not home.

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