Insomnia – sign of over training?
scott_burrows
Posts: 381
in General Chat
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
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
0
Comments
wierd question, but i was on caesin protein and it kept doing that to me, then id not sleep so good
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.
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
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.
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?
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!