Real Talk: Who Cares About Sleep?
Let’s be honest: do you really care about how much sleep you get? For the longest time… I didn’t. In fact, in my seven years as a high level runner (okay, I probably wasn’t “high level” my first few years of college, but I’m going to count those!), this is the very first time I’ve actually been getting the proper amount of sleep.
I recently stumbled upon this awesome graphic about sleep– and it was like a jolt of energy. Who knew SLEEPING enough was key to so many awesome benefits (and the culprit behind certain physical deficiencies)?
I’m not doctor, so I can’t tell you all the science behind getting good sleep. But what I can tell you is that having REAL quality sleep has totally transformed my fitness.
A quick overview: in college (the five years I competed in the NCAA), I was averaging 5-6 hours of sleep. Between class work, extracurriculars like The Cav Daily, boyfriends, and episodes of Top Chef, sleep was the last thing on my list. I didn’t nap– I usually lived too far away to get back to Grounds without scrambling– and naps were lame anyway. I lived off coffee and sugar and managed to do just fine, in my terribly uneducated opinion. Couple that attitude with one too many all-nighters (as an English major AND a government major, there was no shortage of papers to write) and sleep was a stranger.
Post-collegiately, my sleeping schedule didn’t get better– it merely got more chaotic. My coach at the time insisted that I get 9 hours of sleep, which was absurd in my mind; “sleep when you’re dead!” was more my speed and, besides, I lived so far away from the track we trained at (it took me a minimum of 30 minutes one way) and we trained so early in the morning (usually before 8am) that I’d have to go to bed, eyes closed, lights out, at 10pm or earlier. No. Chance.
When I did sleep 9 hours, I felt disgusting– mentally and physically. I hated the thought of wasting my day away with sleep and usually woke up feeling groggy and disoriented. I’d be wide awake and hitting my work stride by early evening, leaving me up late… only to sleep in even later, in order to get this 9 hours that were supposedly so important.
The clincher? It was my worst year as an athlete. So that 9 hour requirement went out the window.
Last year, I went back to getting 6-7 hours of sleep and still rarely napped– when I did, it was for hours at a time and would again leave me groggy and feeling physically gross, instead of alert and refreshed. I did a terrible job of keeping hydrated during the day, so when I’d manage to fall asleep for a few hours, I’d be ultra dehydrated when I woke up. It was another year of subpar competing as well…
But finally– it’s starting to click. Something about the attitude my new coach has, the culture of the group I train with, and the quality of workouts has made me re-think this whole sleep thing. I’ve managed to stay within the 7.5 – 8.5 hours a night category (very rarely I’ll dip under 7 hours of sleep a night) and I’ve started listening to my body when it feels tired during the day. If I’ve had a hard workout, I’ll lay down for a short 20 minute nap later that day– and when I wake up, I’m usually ready to rock the rest of the afternoon! If I haven’t done as much intense training that day, I’ll supplement with a cup of tea and power through. Overall, I’m starting to choose rest instead of muscling through a low energy day– what’s the point of pushing through a tired slump when laying down and letting my entire body (and mind) recover only takes 20 – 30 minutes?
Why did my terrible sleeping habits wreck my training before? I probably pushed through college training out of sheer willpower and youth; the sleep I had the first year out was likely very poor quality and too inconsistent to matter; and the sleep I managed last year was probably a major catch-up for the previous 5 -6 years and, therefore, not enough.
The takeaway: if you think TWO things about sleep for the rest of your life, think about this:
1. Sleeping 7 – 9 hours is the minimum requirement for being a successful human. I don’t mean a human that can manage through, but a human who looks and feels fit and awesome day in and day out. Sleeping an adequate amount is said to be good for your weight, your energy, your skin, everything! And a good night’s sleep is the number one tool for recovery.
2. Squeezing in a mini-nap (20 – 30 minutes) is a secret productivity weapon. The number of times this year (already!) I’ve laid down for a quick nap and woken up ready to rock is astounding. It helps! It really, really does. Steal away for a cat nap and you will be totally refreshed. Couple that with a light amount of caffeine and there’s no stopping you…
Where does sleep fall on your priority list? How many hours do you average? What tips or tricks do you have for getting a good amount of sleep? Or, if you don’t– how do you manage without it? | top image source unknown / infographic via Fatigue Science / bottom image by Chris Ne
