There was a time in my life that I slept well. Then I got married. Then I started my own law firm. Then we had kids. Then we got a dog. I miss getting eight straight hours of sleep. A lot.
I’m starting to think this lack of sleep is responsible for my endumbening. It’s common knowledge that lack of sleep can mentally slow you down. What I didn’t realize is, “Sleep deficiency also has been linked to depression, suicide, and risk-taking behavior.” That explains my sadness having unprotected sex with hookers who choke me to the edge of unconsciousness.
But you’re not here for the details of my life. You’re here Q’s pics and how to get ready for bikini season. If you want to gain muscle, you want to generate human growth hormone. Your body generates plenty when you sleep.
It turns out sleep is also important in keeping muscle mass. Too little sleep may cause you to lose mass. Adequate sleep helps you to retain, even gain, muscle mass.
Of course, staying trim is the other part of fitness. From the first article I linked, “Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don’t get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you’re well-rested. Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.”
These articles can skew male but this applies to you too Glibbroads (h/t Gender Traitor.) Even Shape magazine has something to say about this. It turns out sleep may be even more important for women than men.
So get some sleep, Glibertariat. Sleep.
Go Ravens!
This is a sore spot with me. Get some sleep? How, pray tell, does one do that? Because I’ve played the game of lying in the dark with my eyes closed. After about four or five hours of this I figure I’m not doing something right.
I’ve found melatonin helps.
Yeah, I use that at least once a week.
I’m a lawyer not a magician Hobbit.
https://youtu.be/MULMbqQ9LJ8
You said it brother. Between my overnight job and caring for the kids during the day, I get about 2 or 3 hours of sleep in the mid-morning and another 3 or 4 in the evening. I truly hate it. All I want to do in my off time is sleep.
I did that when I was a kid working third shift in a UPS hub.
However, I was a total bad-ass in those sleep-deprived days. I ate 4,000 calories a day, was 6-2 180# ripped and ready.
But you can only do that a few years; after that, all your cartilage is gone and it gets quite grim after that.
I hear you I0b0t.
I’ve been sleeping better as the weight loss continues. Hit another new low weight this past week, and still on pace to hit the 180 goal by April. Got to a new maximum wattage in the spin class yesterday (652 watts), although the average RPM (~80) and average wattage (~170) are staying stable. As a reward to myself, when I hit the goal weight, I plan on going to a local restaurant and getting their steak tasting:
Good job on the working out Neph. Do you believe the weight loss is “causing” your better sleep?
There may be correlation there, but I’m not willing to link them. I’ve also been trying to get more of a set schedule going as well.
I can’t get no sleep
Sleeping Beauties https://youtu.be/UQSqac0liiQ
I get lots of sleep, it’s just not always good quality sleep. You need to be in REM.
I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep since… fuck…. 1974?
It shows.
I know. People used to think I was your son, now they think I’m your younger brother.
In your wet dreams, grandpa.
I’ll have you know that I have the prostate of an 18 year old.
I keep it hidden away in a jar in case the cops come.
How did you…never mind.
fuck…. 1974?
Guilty conscience?
My sleep got much better when I gave up on this fantasy that I can operate on a first-shift schedule. People have different rhythms, and some people are night owls.
The whole time I was on first, I had trouble falling asleep anytime before 1 AM, and getting up at 6 was daily torture. Then I switched to second… Roll out of bed at 10:30 AM, work 5 PM – 2 AM, and go to sleep at 4 AM. I’m doing unimaginably better than that.
I can’t live a life before work. Has to be after. I did a lot of 2nd and 3rd shift work and I was utterly miserable the whole time.
Yep, I’m a night person, but most things that happen in my neighborhood are not suited to that AT ALL.
It’s good you know your own rhythms.
No Sleeep https://youtu.be/2_t0ffY3JvE
Bruh. I have to take pulls to go to sleep and take pills to stay awake.
What are you, Elvis?
*looks for death certificate*
I don’t think so. Lemme keep looking.
I thought it was going to be this.
https://youtu.be/07Y0cy-nvAg
Bonus features: a faux hasid in the front row and Kerry King in his hair farmer days.
For the most part I am on a 6-hour timer when I sleep. Go to bed at 10pm’ up at 4am…bed at 8pm, up at two.
Sleep is for the week
NewWife goes to bed on a Sunday and gets up on a Saturday.
Sleep is her week.
Once the wife goes to bed, it’s my time to unwind. Inevitably, I’m going to fall asleep in my chair. The question is, what time do I wake up. If I wake up at one, or two, I can go to bed and get some quality sleep. If I wake up at four, or five and go to bed, it’s going to be a rough day.
Sleepwalker https://youtu.be/aTiO-XGgtYM
If I didn’t have to keep a normal schedule, I would be awake for 18-20 hours and then sleep for 10. I don’t have trouble falling asleep once I’m in bed, but I forget to go to bed until I’ve only got 6 hours left before I need to get up for work. Since I’m not very functional on 6 hours of sleep, especially if I do this several nights in a row, I’m working on fixing this habit, but I’ve still got a ways to go.
yeah: If I had a beer at 830 and started reading in bed at 900, the world would be a better place
I just won’t do it
I blame Glibs After Dark.
I was 3+ lbs under my target weight this morning. I had a big lunch with friends today, along with some carbs and vodka martinis. ?
I usually get a good to decent nights sleep.
Losing weight and getting a good mattress went a long ways towards a better sleep.
I am an early to bed, early to rise guy. I go to bed at 9 PM, get up any time after 5 AM. I have to get the house warmed up, check in with the Glib stuff that I missed. I don’t do much physical activity, particularly now in the cold weather, other than clean the driveway after a snow.
I drink a lot of coffee, get up often at night, 3-4 or more but almost always go right back to sleep. About once a week I’ll wake up, stay awake for an hour or so, solving world problems, then go back to sleep. Then the next night catch up on the sleep.
When I was drinking I’d sleep for a couple hours, then wake up and have a lot of trouble going back to sleep. After 3 weeks of being dry I began to sleep the night away and another reason not to start that routine again. 35 years ago.
Yes. Drinking ruins sleep. And many other things.
Because of a health issue, I need 10-12 hours of sleep to feel ok. Guess how often THAT happens?
Although, we did just get a new bed and mattress and that seems to be helping somewhat.
I’m guessing it’s a little more plausible now that your MIL doesn’t live with you. But I’ll still guess that much sleep is rare.
“That explains my sadness having unprotected sex with hookers who choke me to the edge of unconsciousness.”
Relevant.
http://archive.li/pBmy5
I assume not shitposting since my pics are mentioned in the article…
#22
Don’t expose her to direct sunlight.
I may be an anomoly but your posts are always welcome.
FWIW, in Glibfit, athletic/trim women are preferred but not required.
I’d like to attend 15’s club meetings.
I ised to be able to pull all-nighters on a couple of hours of sleep a couple times the next day. I can still stay awake all noght, but I can’t THINK after about 1:00 a.m.
I would love to be able to nap for about 2 hours around 4:00 p.m. or 7:00 p.m. every day, but the world won’t let me.
I think I have sleep apnea. Without an alarm, I’d sleep 8.5-9 hours each night, and I usually feel like I got hit by a freight train until I get out of the shower. I’ve never been a morning person, but it’s extra hard to get up to a 5:45 or 6:00 alarm when I’m not worried about missing the bus or clocking in late.
Has your wife said anything about snoring or unusual breathing while you sleep?
Yep, all the signs are there. I’m just short a formal diagnosis. Frankly, it’s a pride issue. I could lose 70 lbs and it would go away. I’ve not admitted that the extra weight isn’t just a temporary inconvenience, so I haven’t done things like get my apnea treated.
So, either obesity causes sleep apnea or sleep apnea causes obesity.
My boss is a slender guy that rides lots and lots of miles on a bicycle. He was diagnosed with apnea.
Sleep apnea kills. Fuck your pride.
^^^^
I was married to a trauma ICU nurse for 20 years.
She finally got me to go for an overnight test, and it was the best night’s rest I had managed in years. I was given the all clear, and she was furious.
Of course I have apnea; she was seldom wrong about anything then and I assume so remains. But I have doctor’s permission to pretend I don’t have it; I expect it to kill me.
I am not worth a damn if I don’t 6-8. I have gotten less too many times. I am also a fan of naps. Which is what football is good for. Something about the cheering puts me right to sleep.
As one gets older, one produces less melatonin. This is why old people are notorious for sleeping short blocks of time at night and catnapping during the day.
Melatonin supplements are cheap, safe, and effective.
Yeah, getting enough sleep is a struggle for my wife and I. We have no problem on the weekends. But, during the week, we both get up early (me at 4:30am, her at 5am). Our respective jobs are 35 miles away from home.
This fall & winter, we’ve both been very busy at work. I rarely get home before 6:30pm. So, with dinner, random chores, any quality family time with my stepson, and getting ready for bed, we’re lucky to asleep at 9pm (try as we might).
During the week, I’m getting 6 – 7 hours of sleep, typically closer to 6.
I know Rippetoe’s Starting Strength also harps on getting enough sleep to effectively make gains. It doesn’t help that I’ve missed workouts quite a bit over the past 5 months, between the trip to the Philippines last August, my mom’s visit around Labor Day, and the busiest time at work starting September through today, I often get home late (we have a squat rack in the garage, and I workout at home after work).
If I don’t get home by 6pm, it’s hard to get a strength training workout in, and still be in bed by 9pm – 9:30pm. My wife’s been stressed out with how busy her work is, and if I get to bed 30 minutes or more after her, she wakes up again and can’t easily get back to sleep.
I’ve looked at my work out log, and the sections of 2 – 3 weeks or more where I missed, and it annoys the hell out of me.
I lost a lot of my strength gains since last summer, and had to reset last fall.
I’m not trying to get ripped or huge. I highly doubt I can, or my genetics will even allow it. But, last summer I got up to what for me are good numbers: 325 lb squat (3 sets of 5) and 340 lb deadlift (1 set of 5). My press and bench press have never been great. Still, those got up to okay numbers, too.
When we got back from the Philippines, I’d lost a lot of those gains. With changes at work, most of them very good (promotion and some restructuring of the management group), I’ve been busier than anytime since starting there in 2006. I know it sounds like an excuse, and perhaps part of it is. Whatever the case, I had to reset to much lower weights.
I know Rippetoe always harps on strength being more important than being slim, and has written several articles citing studies showing people with a little extra weight have less health problems than skinny people, especially as you get older.
That said, part of me still wants to get rid of flab around my waist. I’m 6′, and currently weigh 202 lbs. I need to get more of that weight to be muscle mass.
Once the Super Bowl’s done, work will quiet down. I can get back to consistent workouts. I had been doing 3 per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). When I did get workouts in the past 4 months, it was often just two per week (Monday-Thursday, or Tuesday-Friday).
I’m shooting for the M-W-F schedule again. I know that getting older means I likely won’t hit certain numbers, and that at one gets older, it’s almost impossible to keep adding weight (you hit a plateau). But, if I can get my deadlift to 385 or more, and my squat to 350, I’ll be very happy.
Sounds like a good plan.
No shit, dude.
Those numbers are great! Who the fuck cares if you are huge, if you are healthy and consistent?
Flab goes away from diet, period.
Good luck!
Those numbers aren’t where I am now. But, I’ll get back there.
Thanks!
I dunno. I never had a terrible time sleeping. I’ll go to bed at 2230, wake up around 3 or 4, drain the lizard, flex in the mirror, and go back to bed. Then wake up at 6:30.
Of course I stop drinking around 2225..
“Of course I stop drinking around 2225.” Heh.
Almost never drink during the week. So, no sleep help from the alcohol.
Lol. I like that you take a moment to flex in the mirror.
He’s young. It doesn’t create anxiety yet…
I have a sequence that will work about 90% of the time”
1. Drink cocktails (usually several shots of Jack) between 1700 and 1900. Absolutely no alcohol after that.
2. Take a 10mb edible (Indica) at about 2030
3. Soak in the hot tub for about 15 minutes
4. Take either a 0.75 mg Triazolam or 20mg Ambien (10 early then 10 more about 30-45 mins later)
If I miss any of them I will spend a night thrashing around until 4 or 5.
Really? The Smithereens?
You are the best, Chafed.
Sleep is crazy important and fucking elusive. I’ve been using blue light blockers for awhile and it absolutely makes a difference.
Staying up to all hours commenting here doesn’t hep, of course, but I find that the earlier I crash the better I sleep. Not rocket science, but still important.
Thanks, dude!
Finally someone recognizes my genius.
This is genius.
Yes it is. The late Pat DiNuzio knew how to turn a phrase. I saw them live 5 times. Great shows.
Where’s that lazy ass NoDak MikeS? Those Black Sabbath YouTube links don’t just fall out of the sky.
I’ve been out moving snow. The Smithereens link was tits.
And Black Sabbath?
Tits as well. I really dig the opening riff.
We’re friends again. ?
??????
I should probably try blue-blockers. I’m on my iPad, with a compact fluorescent light pretty much up to lights out.
I started needing melatonin a couple of years before I turned 50. I still take it, but now with a sleeping pill and an antidepressant that’s a short term knockout due to blocking all, literally, the H1 histamine receptors. Oh, and I take a barbiturate precursor to manage tremors. Still don’t always get a good night’s sleep.
f.lux for the laptop. Blue light for the phone.
This, l love the Smithereens. Always makes me think of Yosemite Sam for some reason.
Also sleep wise I have become a true believer in the two sleep system, I go to bed 10 or 11 get up at 1 or 2, read, do dishes, or peruse glibs for an hour (and you have to get up, you can’t just lay in bed and hope to go back to sleep) then sleep again til 5 or 6. No way I’m sleeping 6-8 straight hours.
I’ve read a lot about this.
I haven’t been able to execute it, but it is interesting.
I’ve never heard of that. What’s the theory behind it?
I’ve heard a few theories one is that our natural sleep cycle is only 4 hours or so and multiple sessions of 4 hours is better than one 8 hour, also that pre-electric lights/industrialization we would go to sleep much earlier 8 or 9 and sleeping all the way through the night just wasn’t a thing. It mostly sounds like BS to me but I never sleep through the night anymore and I do find if I get up and do something for an hour or so I get back to sleep faster and sounder than if i simply lay in bed and fret about not sleeping. which I think is why it works for me not some biological history mumbo jumbo.
I like your thoughts on it better.
I think the third cortisone shot is helping. I have my physical therapy eval for my return on to physical therapy on Wednesday.
The irony of the timing here is that I’m working on about six hours of sleep a day now, generally getting around four from 4:00 AM to 8:00 AM and then another two around noon to 2:00 PM due to the newborn schedule. I got a FitBit for Christmas and have been using it to track sleep. Prior to the baby, I was actually getting a princely 7 or so hours a night, generally pretty good as far as it can measure these things in terms of REM cycles, deep sleep, etc. Now, I’m still close to that number, but the amount of deep sleep I’m getting is way low and REM doesn’t happen very much. That shit is telling on me. I’m awake, mostly coherent, but my short-term memory is comically bad right now and I feel like crap.
Been there, done that. Just like every other parent on this site. You have my sympathy. As you know from child 1,it will get better.