How much do you sleep on school nights??

[Batman02]

I've only been getting 5-6 hours. Anybody else in the same boat as me and seriously sleep deprived???

[DTRG]

i hate going to bed early but it may work for you..

ive been getting tired lately due to my lifting i think. i go to bed at 9 instead of my old 11 pm

[M.Doyle]

My hours are kinda like this:

Weekdays: 12pm-7am
Weekends: 2am-9am


I try to get 7-8 hours every day....anything less can't be good. I also find anything more (like 10 hours) ends up costing as well....less time in the day to do stuff, lose valuable morning time, and its TOO much sleep....you feel overly groggy, and too much time before your bedtime meal.

[Ciups]

for the last few weeks, I have only gotten about 4-5 hrs per night, but last night was about 6 hrs, so I think Im getting over my Insomnia; I hate Finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DTRG]

Originally posted by Ciups
I hate Finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FINALS SUCK!!!

so do research papers on glaucoma =x

[Batman02]

Does anyone have good tips to help get a better night's sleep?? I would LOVE to sleep 8-9 hours a night but just can't.

[DTRG]

ive heard that wearing sock (and gloves for the extremists) keep the blood in those areas warm because those are the places heat escapes fastest,so it makes you fall asleep faster

i also find that wearing no pants helps,doesnt irritate the hair on my legs

[fmusclekg]

i used to get very little sleep now i take a anti-depressant for sleep and it takes care of it, although sometimes i still have trouble sleeping

[Baby bear_85]

Originally posted by M.Doyle
My hours are kinda like this:

Weekdays: 12pm-7am
Weekends: 2am-9am

Wow, I sure wish I could get that much sleep on weekdays. LOL!!!!

[sconroy]

i get about 7 1/2 hours on school nights, and on weekend whenever my body wakes up is when i wake up...doesnt matter if its 6 hours or 9 hours...if my body wakes itself up, your body is saying it has recieved enough sleep.

[wolfx5]

Not exactly, If i let my body tell me when i had enough sleep, i would die of sleep deprivation..hence:

if i stayed up when at 3AM when my dumb neighbours were having ANOTHER fight, i wouldnt feel to good on 4 hour sleep.

If i stayed up at 630AM when there Rat kids start playing basketball( thats not the problem, the problem is, they dont have a hoop to shoot it in, SO they throw it at my Bedroom wall for half an hour) id feel a bit too goggy for my liking.

OR i could just wait in bed for there 18 year old biker son to start up his DADS harley, and rev it up so ****ing loud, that it wakes up the whole neighbourhood.

PS: one of there Rat kids just started throwing the basketball at my bedroomwall.. im going to go Fix him for good!

[hHh657]

I hate it when u just finish the weekend and ur all used to going to bed late. Then on Sunday night u try to get to bed early cuz u gotta get up earler, it's hard to fall asleep cuz u woke up so late.

[p0w3rlift3r]

i get only around 3-5 hours sleep

[Poppa Pump]

Damn..on school nights i generally get 9 hours of sleep. I used to never be able to pull that stuff off, but now i'm working out so muc harder, that i get tired so much easier, and it just puts me out. I used to not be able to fall asleep before midnight, and every now and then that still happens, but i can generally fall asleep at 9:30. Believe it or not, it actually takes some work to go to sleep early. You really have to force yourself into a relaxed state which can be difficult. I still can't sleep in school...but i'm workin on that 1. Peace

[ruffrydergus]

weekday - 10-7
weekend (work day) - 1 - 8
weekend (no work) - 1-12

[WQ87]

My average hours of sleep i get is 6 hours(not exactly... can be like 5hrs 59mins). The most i have ever gotten was a "straight" 7 hours of sleep. I have gotten 8... but you wouldn't consider that straight.

[gmmathers]

school nights - 9-6....8 hours
weekends - 2-10.......8 hours

[Rsottoway43]

Originally posted by gmmathers
school nights - 9-6....8 hours
weekends - 2-10.......8 hours

Actually on school nites you are getting 9 hours of sleep.

I get about 7-8 hours of sleep on school nites and sometimes shoot for 8.5-9 on days I work out really hard. On the weekends I get to bed later but I shoot for 9-10 hours of sleep to completely recover and become rested. There was a really good article on sleep that I found somewhere. Ill try to find it and post it for you guys that have trouble sleeping. You could try Melatonin to help you get to sleep. You can find it at the cyberstore for really cheap or your local grocery store or Target.

Ryan

[Rsottoway43]

Why Can't I Sleep?
by Bodybuilder and Powerlifter, Anthony Church

Sleeping, it seems easy enough right? Well maybe for you. Studies show (2001 National Sleep Foundation) that 63% of us don't get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, recovery, and optimum performance. Why? Mostly because of poor time management skills and busy schedules. A big problem for many people is falling asleep. Not many things are more frustrating than being extremely exhausted all day long and then as soon as you finally get to lay down to go to sleep, you are more awake than a soldier in combat. Also, since our hours of sleep are limited we want to make the most of it. The following are some hints for helping you fall asleep at night and once you do, increasing the quality for better recovery and recuperative purposes.

1. Avoid Caffeine five hours before bed: The reasons for this are obvious. Caffeine, the single most popular drug in the world is a stimulant to the central nervous system and puts the body in an excited state while speeding up the metabolism as well as other body processes. Avoiding it before bed will give your body time to wind down and your muscles to relax, putting you in a better position to fall asleep and sleep with less restlessness. If you want to be wise about your sleeping patterns, save your coffee to jump-start your day rather than your nights.

2. Herbs and supplements: If better sleep can be achieved by merely swallowing a pill or drinking a beverage, you bet Americans are going to be the first one to use them. The following are some herbs and supplements that will help you fall asleep and improve the quality of your sleep. None of the following is intended to cure, treat, or prevent any medical conditions.

Kava Kava - Surprisingly Kava Kava is an herb that comes from the pepper family. It has been in use for over 3,000 years but has seemingly been increasing in popularity during recent years. It is used to create a feeling of relaxation and achieve a higher level of consciousness both throughout the day and before bed. Taking it any time of the day is no problem since it doesn't make you tired. It solely relaxes you, enabling you to fall asleep and reducing all forms of anxiety throughout the day. This is a great thing because stress plays a huge roll on your quality of sleep whether you realize it or not. If you suffer from anxiety, that is just one of the many benefits of this herb. Studies show that Kava Kava influences the part of the brain responsible for your feelings and emotions, the limbic system. Increased socialization, increased memory, increased focus ability and an overall feeling of contentment are some more of the plethora of benefits this herb has to offer you.
Chamomile - Chamomile is an herb, usually taken in a tea form. It is a member of the daisy family and has been used, primarily in Europe, since the 1600's and even predates that going as far back as the Egyptians use in Ancient Egypt. Its sedative effects are great for nights where sleeping seems nearly impossible. Its benefits are endless but mostly do not pertain to bodybuilding and recuperation efforts so they will be listed and not discussed here. They are as follows: dispelling worms, bruises, inflammations, digestive tract tumors, colic, back pain and stomach cramps. The tea itself is relatively cheap and extremely easy to prepare. If you are a tea drinker, than this herbal tea is a great option for you! If not, try it out anyway and you may surprise yourself. Its calming affects are almost instant and you will not be disappointed.

Valerian - Valerian is another great herb used to soothe insomnia. It is a very cost-effective supplement (it can be purchased in pill form) or tea with no groggy side effects. Like most herbs, Valerian is nothing new. It has been around for over 1,000 years and it possesses the ability to enhance sleep, decrease stress and anxiety levels, promote feelings of calmness, and relax the central nervous system. Look in your local supermarket for a Valerian tea or your local vitamin store for the pill form.

Melatonin - Melatonin is produced and released from the pineal gland naturally by the brain. It is responsible for your body' natural day and night cycle. Interestingly, the body can sense when it is night-time through light sensors in your eyes and your brain produces the highest levels at this time. Although you can find small amounts of Melatonin in certain foods, its effectiveness is much better put to use when taken in pill form. It is commonly used to help treat jet-lag because of its day and night cyclical affecting properties. Research shows that those who lack Melatonin are more prone to stress and anxiety.

ZMA - This revolutionary supplement is extremely underused by athletes and most beginning bodybuilders. Although relatively expensive for low-budget teenagers, ZMA will give you perhaps the biggest bang for it's buck of all supplements because of it's vast benefits in many areas. It is made of Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate plus Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6, hence its name ZMA. Athletes (bodybuilders) can especially benefit from ZMA because Zinc and Magnesium are more often than not deficient in their bodies. Most people taking ZMA report that they fall asleep easier, sleep more deeply, and wake up more refreshed. As if that isn't enough, increased (up to 30% or more) testosterone production, better strength gains, and increased IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor-1) levels are other benefits boasted by this supplement. The best part is that there is tons of scientific data and research that support this time and time again! ZMA is an extreme must for any bodybuilder regardless of size or experience level!

3. Take a hot bath: Taking a hot bath or shower 90 minutes before bed will increase the body's internal temperature, relaxing any tense muscles and reducing physical and mental stress on the body. The progressive internal temperature drop once you are finished will most likely help make you sleepy and ready to go to sleep easier than ever!
4. Exercise: Exercising for at least 30 minutes a day will actually help you sleep better at night. There is only one small stipulation to this tried and true eventual sleep inhibitor; resist exercising a few hours before bed. Exercising puts your body's central nervous system in an uproar, which can take hours to calm down. The last thing you want when trying to fall asleep is a nervous nervous system.

5. Bedtime: Setting yourself a bedtime and sticking to it will put your body in an effective sleeping cycle that will be as predictable as the sunrise and sunset. Catching up on weekends just doesn't work and leaves your body in a deficit all week long. Making a specific bed time, even if it is general (between 10:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.), will inform your body, after some period of consistency, that it is time to go to bed and you will naturally feel more sleepy during that period of time every night.

6. Bore yourself: Slowly bringing down your excitement level is a great way to relax. You can do this by doing something that isn't very exciting (other than watching TV because remember that the bright light will help in the prevention of the production of Melatonin, in turn telling your brain to stay awake). Try spending your time before bed listening to slow music or anything else that may help bore you to sleep.

7. Control your breathing: This is one of the best and most underused method of helping you to fall asleep. Controlling your breathing can help you fall asleep almost instantly as it relaxes your entire body and helps to focus your mind on only one thing. What exactly does controlling your breathing mean? It means to slow your breathing down to a rate that your body uses when sleeping. This does two things. First it tricks your body into thinking it is sleeping and second it slows your heart rate and helps your muscles to relax. A good way to do this is to breath in for four slow seconds and then exhale for a slow eight seconds or until your CO2 reserve is spent. Any time your mind wanders from anything but your breathing bring it immediately back without getting discouraged. This small but effective technique can also help to strengthen your mind-muscle connection so use it to your heart's content.

8. No alcohol or nicotine a few hours before bed: Alcohol and nicotine have the ability to sabotage not only your bodybuilding efforts but your sleeping efforts as well. Nicotine, like caffeine, is a stimulant. It increases your heart rate and puts the body in somewhat of an excited state. Alcohol is a completely different case. It can help you to fall asleep, however, the quality of sleep you get is poor. It is extremely wise to avoid these two drugs before bed if you want to increase your recovery time and help yourself get the most out of the time you spend doing just about nothing (other than sleeping).

The main reason for bodybuilders to get quality sleep is because Growth Hormone rises during deep sleep, usually beginning 30 minutes after falling asleep and then repeating in cycles throughout the night. It has also been shown that those who don't get enough sleep generally don't live as long. Remember that a good nights sleep is a necessity, not a luxury.

Thanks,
Anthony Church

[Rsottoway43]

In order to get a good night's sleep, make sure you are doing everything you can to promote a restful night. Here are some tips to help:

Napping


Avoid naps, except for brief 15 minute naps eight hours after you wake up In some sleep disorders, naps can be beneficial. Check with your doctor first.
Restrict your sleep period to the average number of hours you actually slept per night the week before. Too much time in bed can decrease your sleep quality the next night.
Take a hot bath to raise your temperature before bedtime. A hot drink may help you relax.

Exercise


Get regular exercise; preferably 40 minutes of daily activity that makes you sweat.
Avoid strenuous exercise after 6:00 p.m.

Your Sleep Rhythm (Circadian Factors)


Keep a regular bedtime and waking time every day of the week.
Do not expose yourself to bright light if you have to get up at night.
Get at least one half-hour of sunlight within thirty minutes of your waking time.

Smoking, Caffeine, Alcohol and Sleep


Do not smoke to get yourself back to sleep. Do not smoke after 7 P.M., or give up smoking entirely. Smoking can keep you awake, and make it impossible to breathe properly to sleep.
See if caffeine is one of the culprits. Avoid caffeine entirely for a 4-week trial period. Then limit your caffeine use to no more than three beverages no later than 10 A.M.
Alcohol can disturb your sleep later in the night. Practice light to moderate use.

What's Keeping You Up? (Sleep Setting)


Keep your clock turned away from you. Don't try to find out the time when you wake during the night.
Do not eat or drink heavily at least three hours before bedtime. A light bedtime snack may help.
Be especially careful to avoid heavy meals and spices in the evening, if you have a problem with regurgitation. Do not go to bed too hungry or too full. The head of the bed may need to be raised.
Keep your room dark, quiet, well ventilated, and at a comfortable temperature throughout the night. Use earplugs and eyeshades if they help you.
Practice a bedtime ritual. Reading before lights-out may be helpful.
Distance yourself from your problems and "To do" lists by writing them down and putting them aside until tomorrow.
Do not try too hard to sleep--instead, concentrate on the pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Avoid unfamiliar sleep environments.
Be sure the mattress is not too soft or too firm, and that the pillow is the right height and firmness.
An occasional sleeping pill is probably all right.
Use your bedroom only for sleep.