# Really cant



## gb155 (5 Jul 2011)

Sleep

I dont need to be up till 640, but I was up well before 5am, the quality of sleep when I was in bed was poor, Its been like this for a few months, work is hard right now, but I wouldn't say im stressed.

Any hints or tips ???

Gaz


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

Get an eye mask. And/or thick curtains.


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## gb155 (5 Jul 2011)

True that

Thanks


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## Rob3rt (5 Jul 2011)

Could be many things, but based on some other things you have said lately, I would suggest that it may be a symptom of chronic over training, i.e. harsh as it may sounds, stop over exercising and undereating.


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## Paladin - York (5 Jul 2011)

Get a pensions estimate.


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## gb155 (5 Jul 2011)

Rob3rt said:


> Could be many things, but based on some other things you have said lately, I would suggest that it may be a symptom of chronic over training, i.e. harsh as it may sounds, stop over exercising and undereating.




Over training stops you sleeping ?


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## ColinJ (5 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Over training stops you sleeping ?


_Effects of Overtraining (_Wikipedia_)_

Physiological
Lymphocytopenia
*Excessive weight loss*
*Excessive loss of body fat*
Increased resting heart rate
Decreased muscular strength
Increased submaximal heart rate
Inability to complete workouts
Chronic muscle soreness
Fatigue
Increased incidence of injury
Depressed immune system
Constipation or diarrhea
Absence of menstruation
Frequent minor infections/colds
*Insomnia*
Heart Palpitations
Lower Testosterone Levels
Higher Cortisol Levels

Psychological
Depression
Loss of appetite
Mood Disturbance
Irritability
Loss of motivation
Loss of enthusiasm
Loss of competitive drive

Performance
Early onset of fatigue
Decreased aerobic capacity
Poor physical performance
Inability to complete workouts
Delayed recovery


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## coffeejo (5 Jul 2011)

If I can't sleep / get back to sleep after half an hour of trying, I find it easier to give up and do something else, from the washing up to going back to bed with a glass of water and a book. 

Sometimes, sleep needs to be managed like hiccups - it's not the drinking out of the wrong side of the glass or holding your breath, but the distraction that's the key.


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## Fab Foodie (5 Jul 2011)

Warm milky drink before bed, Hot choccy or ovaltin (even better malty goodness) contains high levels of Amino Acid Tryptophan which aids relaxation (clever stuff milk!) A banana in addition would be good.
I also find having R4 on very quietly helps too.


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## fossyant (5 Jul 2011)

You aren't having some of my meds, they are mine.... the side effects knock me out. Can't say they are blocking my nerve pain yet though, but I am sleeping better (about time 2.5 years of no sleep)


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

fossyant said:


> You aren't having some of my meds, they are mine.... the side effects knock me out. Can't say they are blocking my nerve pain yet though, but I am sleeping better (about time* 2.5 years of no sleep*)



\no wonder you're such a miserable bastard then!


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Jul 2011)

Hints from a TV programme I saw some time ago.


Have a warm bath about 1 hour before you go to bed.

Restrict time the bed room to 6 hours only. Get up at the same time every day.

Try to nap between 2pm and 5pm for 30/60 mins (Your work place will love that one!!!!!)

No caffeine 4 hours before bed

Blue light helps you to wake up. Light blocking curtains help the body top stay asleep.

Carbs help sleep - Eat four fours before you want to go to sleep

Progressive muscle relaxation (Tense and relax from feet up) for 15 / 20 mins.

Lavender tea and Valeriun (St Johns Wart) tincture.


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

I can't believe nobody's suggested the obvious yet.


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Jul 2011)

dan_bo said:


> I can't believe nobody's suggested the obvious yet.


Sex or large quantities of Vodka?


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

Perhaps a touch of self romance?


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Jul 2011)

dan_bo said:


> Perhaps a touch of self romance?



What, buying yourself flowers and chocolate???


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> What, buying yourself flowers and chocolate???



yeah that.


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Jul 2011)

dan_bo said:


> yeah that.


So why would that help?


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## dan_bo (5 Jul 2011)

Err err 



Well it used to work for me.


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## Angelfishsolo (5 Jul 2011)

dan_bo said:


> Err err
> 
> 
> 
> Well it used to work for me.


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## coffeejo (5 Jul 2011)




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## Glover Fan (5 Jul 2011)

Read any helmet thread before bed. Stronger than chloroform!


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## gb155 (6 Jul 2011)

Eat more

Rode less

Yesterday , was in bed for 10, up at 6, only woke up once !


Guess you all now need to say " told you so " :-)


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## mr Mag00 (6 Jul 2011)

clipper sleepy tea, excellent


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## Rob3rt (6 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Eat more
> 
> Rode less
> 
> ...



Well Gaz, glad you slept better  but it may be a coincidence that last night you slept well, keep eating and keep exercise in check, over training isnt something that is cured in a day, or a week, if you are chronically over training (I suspect you may be based on this thread and others, but im not a doctor or sport scientist so this is purely speculation) it can take a good while to recover fully.


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## Angelfishsolo (6 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Eat more
> 
> Rode less
> 
> ...



I doubt anyone would say told you so. You asked for advice, were given it and took it. I seems to have worked although only time will truly tell. Best of luck as I have the same problem. The best thing I ever did was make blackout curtains. I still have issues getting to sleep but once I get there I stay asleep until the alarms goes off (o_r until one of my cats decides it is time for me to get up_ )


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## lulubel (6 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Eat more
> 
> Rode less
> 
> ...



Told you so  

Well, actually, I didn't, but I thought it was good advice coming from other people. Hopefully, if you stick with it, it will help your sleep in the long term because I know how debilitating it is when you can't sleep properly.

I'll have to try it myself now and see if it improves my sleep.


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## DrSquirrel (6 Jul 2011)

One night of sleep does not make your sleeping fixed.

Wait until you have a few days in a row.


I could have a bad night and sleep fine the next just from being overtired, I wouldn't be fixed every other day.


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## gb155 (6 Jul 2011)

Hoping for good things tonight 

I've done 13 miles in total today and had 550 more cals than normal


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## Rob3rt (6 Jul 2011)

Just to note, so your expectations arent raised and so you dont become dissapointed, a day to day adjustment is unlikely to influence your day to day sleep pattern, it takes sustained change and effort to alter your sleep pattern long term, also if its caused by over training, it takes time to recover from not a day or two. Not to be a debbie downer, just so you dont get hopes up then feel like you did something wrong.


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## funnymummy (6 Jul 2011)

Fab Foodie said:


> Warm milky drink before bed, Hot choccy or ovaltin (even better malty goodness) contains high levels of Amino Acid *Tryptophan* which aids relaxation (clever stuff milk!) A banana in addition would be good.
> I also find having R4 on very quietly helps too.



After the arrivals of #2&3, my body clock took a serious whack - There's only 14 months bewteen them so was just getting 2 into a sleep routine when 3 arrived, i'd have naps during the day when I could - 2 yaesr later & I still couldn't lseep at night for more then an hour at a time, it didn't matter how tired I was, It would take me ages to get to sleep then be wide awake again within an hour.
A friend in the US reccomended a supplement called 5HTP, her Dr presrcibed it for her for the same symptoms I had. Over here it's not on the presrcibable list but can be bought from Holland & Barrett.
I take 2 tabs a night, I still wake at 5am everymorn, but i sleep soundly for the 7 hours before that


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## slowmotion (6 Jul 2011)

I never used to do much exercise and I've always slept like a log. Years ago, we walked the northern half of the GR20 through the mountains of Corsica. Walking ten hours a day for ten days, carrying a 14 kg pack, came as a serious shock to my system. Despite being physically exhausted at the end of the first few days, I was greeted by insomnia for the first and last time of my life. Maybe there is something to the overtraining idea.

Good luck. Sleep well.


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## gb155 (7 Jul 2011)

2 days in a row 2 nights worth of good sleep :-)


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## Angelfishsolo (7 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> 2 days in a row 2 nights worth of good sleep :-)


Congratulations


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## Hip Priest (9 Jul 2011)

slowmotion said:


> I never used to do much exercise and I've always slept like a log. Years ago, we walked the northern half of the GR20 through the mountains of Corsica. Walking ten hours a day for ten days, carrying a 14 kg pack, came as a serious shock to my system. Despite being physically exhausted at the end of the first few days, I was greeted by insomnia for the first and last time of my life. Maybe there is something to the overtraining idea.
> 
> Good luck. Sleep well.



Juan Manuel Fangio once said he worked so hard to win a Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, and gave so much of himself, that he couldn't sleep afterwards for 48 hours, so there is something in it.

On the other hand, my father-in-law rode 136 miles to Carlisle and back then fell asleep face first in his dinner. So who knows?


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## gb155 (9 Jul 2011)

Last night I was in bed for 11

Woke up at 10am

that's 11 hours of sleep and unprecedented for me since I was a teenager. 

I'll keep plugging away with the food, lower (Ish) miles and no red bull


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## Banjo (9 Jul 2011)

Could be as simple as hunger waking you up. I think your in a change phase now going from weightloss mode to finding your bodies natural balance of calories/ exercise levels.


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## ColinJ (9 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Last night I was in bed for 11
> 
> Woke up at 10am
> 
> ...


That's good progress!

Er, I think 'No Red Bull' is a good idea! (Massive stimulants before bedtime ...? )


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## Angelfishsolo (9 Jul 2011)

ColinJ said:


> Er, I think 'No Red Bull' is be a good idea! (Massive stimulants before bedtime ...? )



Yep not a very good idea. Be prepared for the withdrawal headaches though!


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## gb155 (9 Jul 2011)

ColinJ said:


> That's good progress!
> 
> Er, I think 'No Red Bull' is a good idea! (Massive stimulants before bedtime ...? )




Lol

I had one at 630-7 am and another at around 2-3 pm if needed


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## gb155 (9 Jul 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> Yep not a very good idea. Be prepared for the withdrawal headaches though!



Been through them this week tbh


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## Angelfishsolo (9 Jul 2011)

gb155 said:


> Been through them this week tbh



Shows it is getting out of your system. I am very glad your sleep pattern is improving. I wish mine would


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## cyberknight (10 Jul 2011)

Angelfishsolo said:


> Shows it is getting out of your system. I am very glad your sleep pattern is improving. I wish mine would



Same here i work rotating shifts , 2 weeks days and 2 weeks nights .

Takes a couple of days to get into each change and by the time you get into it its the weekend and your body clock is totally confused, you either eat to much or not enough and lie awake half the night because you have come off nights and then have to get back onto "days " meaning you are up at 5.30 am.

Nights this time of year are pretty rough as its nice outside and the extra daylight means you are coming home in daylight so your body is telling you it is not time to sleep.


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## gb155 (11 Jul 2011)

Slept last night lol

The ride, then all afternoon on the pleasure beach

Bed at 9, up at 7, could have slept in much much more :-)


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