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Insomnia – sign of over training?

So I’ve really stepped up the training in the last few weeks, averaging over 2 hours training a day… but I’m suffering from insomnia.. I normally drop of to sleep pretty easily but after about 2 hours I wake up and really struggle to get back to sleep. Night after night..

Had a chat with a PT friend and he believes it’s a classic case of over training… I didn’t like that answer so I’m asking for a second opinion from the forum..

As I’m not drinking at the moment I can’t self medicate.. anyone else have any good sleeping tips??

Scotty

Comments

  • when you wake up, do you pee?

    wierd question, but i was on caesin protein and it kept doing that to me, then id not sleep so good
  • Interestingly enough I do sometimes. not all the time but frequently..
  • md6md6 Posts: 969
    if you can get a melatonin tablet they are quite good at helping you get to sleep - they come highly recommended by a friend on mine. I suffer from insomnia anyway so it wouldn't be a sign of anything for me so i can't really be much use.
  • cut down the protein shakes before bed maybe? i say that as i am chugging down one....
  • BopomofoBopomofo Posts: 980
    Pee-time is a favourite cause of this, often because we all love to be well hydrated but forget to back off a few hours before bed-time.

    Do you monitor your Morning Resting Heart Rate, even just occasionally? If you do you'll often spot a rise that says you're pushing it too much. I wake up now and again and I can feel my HR is high, maybe 70bpm against a normal MRHR of 56-58 - this coincides with periods of insomnia etc and says I'm overdoing it.

    It's all relative, though. If I dived straight into 2hrs per day at the moment I'd definitely be into OT within a few weeks - I'm pretty much out of condition at the mo owing to work and giving myself a break after my virgin 70.3 hell.

    It could be stress at work or home? Check your ingredients on your supplement drinks to see that there's no caffeine? Are you training late at night - that always leaves me wired and unable to sleep - but I have to do it 'cos that's when it fits my life. Only reason I'm on the forum at 11:30 is 'cos of my 9-10pm swimming class. Still Buzzzzzing!

    Restless sleep can be so debilitating. You have my sympathy there. I never have unbroken sleep and it sucks.
  • durhamvamdurhamvam Posts: 246
    I don't know about insomnia resulting from overtraining but I do find I can't sleep easily if I do a session too late in the evening - just too wired.

    I have suffered from insomnia in the past though - at the moment it's not a problem thank goodness so you have my sympathies.

    A couple of tips though -

    hot bath an hour before bed can help, it's to do with the gradual drop of body temperature making you feel sleepy or something. Valerian is really good - you can buy tea or tablets the latter being somewhat stronger. Shouldn't make you feel dopy the next day but I'm not sure what effect it might have on training but I guess it depends how much sleep deprivation is damaging every day life, I've never had a problem with it although it stopped working when my insomnia got too bad. I also found that I had to switch off the TV/computer at least an hour before going to bed - the job of TV is to keep you alert and interested so that you don't switch over so it doesn't really help with relaxing.

    What do you do when you wake up? Just lie there tossing and turning and fretting over stuff? I recommend getting up making a chamomile tea and reading a book for an hour and the going back to bed - don't lie there getting all stressed out by the fact that you can't sleep and you have to or you'll not be able to function in the morning

    Standard relaxation techniques can really help too.

    If you are really suffering and can't function during the day and it goes on for a long time and nothing seems to help it might be worth seeing your GP........ but sleeping pills (wonderful though they are in the short term) aren't a substitute for solving the central problem.

    Good luck - sorry this turned into a long post - I'd try the valerian
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    I am not a terrible sufferer more of a seasonal change sufferer, but I find a regular routine helps as much as is poss same time etc to bed. If I work a late then I have a frantic 15 min cycle home & need to come off that, so hit the settee, cup of tea & some undemanding TV. Once in bed I have a mental routine, which I guess could be defined as self hipnosis as in I have a couple of mental stories I start in my head & never get to the end of.
    my biggest sleep prob is getting hot & sweaty (steady on) due to the temp changes, even under a sheet I still get hot & then at 3-4am get woken up shivering as the temp drops, cover up, then awake at 6ish sweating again.
  • A supplement that a lot of bodybuilders like to take to aid sleep is Taurine (http://www.myprotein.co.uk/bulk-powders/amino-acids/taurine/). A pinch of that before bed is supposed to help, also it can be added to your energy drinks. I have to admit i have never used it and the first thing that came to my head was red bull which contains taurine...

    However much more knowledgable people on the myprotein forum have vouched for its sleep aiding properties. So there you go.

    as an addition to that, you may also want to try to induce an insulin rush by eating something with a high GI (like white bread or pineapple), that can help you get off to sleep too...just make sure whatever it is isnt a drink eh?
  • gunforhiregunforhire Posts: 457
    Peeing during the night? Sure you're just not getting on a bit?
  • JessterJesster Posts: 482
    When you train a lot, your body produces cortisol, a stress hormone. this is why you are having trouble sleeping. cut down your training a fair bit til your body feels rested, then gradually start building it back up again.

    I experienced this when i hit the training pretty hard, for 2-3 hours a day. you'll find your own balance in time, but until then your body needs a chance to adjust.

    I sleep like a baby now and nothing wakes me up!
  • jonEjonE Posts: 1,113
    Forwo penneth worth,I need to be both mentally and physically tired for a good nights sleep,a training session that isn't mentally taxiing or a busyday at work mentally may both caue me to be twiddling my thumbs into the early hours.I can assume that you are training for a specific race,you are subconsciously thinking that you are not training enough so train more,becoming physically tired but you brain is making you want to train again,as you try to go to sleep this subconscious green goblin is keeping you awake,it may not be physical overtraining but mental under training,or I could be talking out of my backside again.
  • hammerhammer Posts: 1
    Jesster wrote:
    When you train a lot, your body produces cortisol, a stress hormone. this is why you are having trouble sleeping. cut down your training a fair bit til your body feels rested, then gradually start building it back up again.

    I experienced this when i hit the training pretty hard, for 2-3 hours a day. you'll find your own balance in time, but until then your body needs a chance to adjust.

    I sleep like a baby now and nothing wakes me up!
    Best advice so far. It's better to catch overtraining early. My advice is to seriously stop training until you feel normal again. Forget about active recovery. The longer you keep pushing yourself while in a negative physical state, the longer your recovery will take. Don't worry about losing your gains because once you're in a balanced state you "will" come back stronger than before. The golden rule about overtraining is "if you think you're overtraining, you are". That sleeplessness feeling is a classic sign of o.t. I've o.t. a few times in the past and it took me about 6 weeks (of zero training) before I started getting deep sleep again. If you come back too fast and hard you will relapse and have to start all over again. When you make a comeback I suggest you get a solid plan designed or seek some professional advice, otherwise you'll go through this vicious cycle again.
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