On my run on Sunday I felt crappy which is mostly due to the fact that I was just exhausted combined with the heat and humidity. That's not going to cut it when I start marathon training in a week!
A 2006 Harvard Study found that chronic sleep loss majorly affects our health in a negative way. I am usually getting from around 4-6 hours of sleep lately. Apparently most people sleep less than 6 hours a night, which can lead to weight gain, higher blood pressure, and suppressed immune system. Mostly people need at least 7.5-8.5 hours of sleep (and I know I do!). During sleep the brain is committing new information to memory which is clearly important. Constantly being sleep deprived also causes weight gain due to altering appetite-affecting hormone levels. Another obvious effect of sleep deprivation is that my mood is definitely more irritable and less focused.
For runners, having a weakened immune system leaves you more susceptible to injury and illness, which can sideline your training for weeks ( and is quite agonizing if you've gone through it!). Also because of sleep deprivation, post-exercise recovery can be impaired and the muscle cells broken down during exercise don't have enough time to get fully repaired.
So I've come up with a game plan to help me get to bed on time:
1. Take time to wind down: I had started doing this a few months back but have fallen off the wagon. 30 minutes before bed I'm going to not look at my phone, scroll through Instagram, surf the internet, or watch TV. The bright screens of electronics suppress our production of melatonin (which makes you fall asleep) by almost 25%!
2. Stick to a routine: I'm going to try to set a time to be in bed by (say 11:00) to make sure I get a full 7 or 8 hours of sleep. If I'm still feeling lethargic during the day I'll make it a little earlier. This means not sleeping in on the weekends also, which I find totally messes up my sleep schedule.
3. Limit caffeine before bed: I don't think I am overly affected by caffeine, but anyways I'm going to try to not have lots of caffeine in the afternoon or before bed. I'm loving some decaf Yogi tea at night, especially the Soothing Caramel bedtime flavor!
Yogi Tea |
How many hours of sleep do you usually get? Do you notice a huge difference when you get less?
I love Yogi sleepytime tea with the blue label! I think it has SUCH a good flavor and it definitely does help me wind down before bed. I'm so jealous you're going to Bonnaroo!
ReplyDeleteIt does really make me feel sleepy! I'll be sure to report back-it's my first year going!
DeleteI definitely notice a huge difference when I do not get enough sleep! I am very slow, overly tired (obviously) and my runs definitely slack! I also seem to have a bigger appetite on those days as well! i'm like a bottomless pit.
ReplyDeleteAh I get those bottomless pit days too. I call myself the snack monster!
DeleteI am an at least 6 hours person, although my need is growing GREATER with the baby coming!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine! I can't sustain less than 6 for days in a row very long any more.
DeleteI'm a bit of an insomniac. I average about 4 quality hours a night :( I do usually manage to get a decent power nap in the afternoons, which helps a little. On the plus side, running does make me tired, so that can sometimes lead to an extra hour or two.
ReplyDeleteI've been averaging 4-I'm a night owl too! I still haven't mastered the power nap with getting the time right-I feel like I always sleep too long.
DeleteGetting enough sleep is always so hard! I'm on a medication that makes me sleepy, but if I don't leave enough time for sleeping before I take it, I still wake up EXHAUSTED. Definitely the biggest thing in my way of being healthier and pushing myself harder in workouts.
ReplyDeleteKudos to you for trying to tackle it!