Sleep...

[Jersey]

I know that 8 hours a night for anyone that is training specifically lifting weights is recommended. I almost always go to bed with atleast 8 hours until my alarm is set to go off. But sometimes I can't fall asleep right away and might only end up getting 6 hours and on a rare occasion 5 hours.

My question is while I am laying in bed trying to fall asleep is my body doing the same things it does while I am sleeping?

I know our bodies recover and rebuild while we are sleeping (if this is not the case enlighten me) but if I don't get my full 8 hours, is the time I am resting but not sleeping the same in terms of muscle repair?

 

[Girljock]

Sleep is needed more for our brains than our physical bodies. I would think relaxing in bed, not necessarily sleeping is pretty darn close to being asleep for your physical body.

 

[Revok]

Not at all. Lying very still is no substitute for sleep, which is vital for a myriad of recuperative processes in every part of your body, from your nervous system to your skin. Your brain needs only 2 hours sleep to fully rejuvenate - the rest is necessitated by various things going on in your body, such as dealing with toxins and rebuilding muscle via hormonal activity. These processes cannot begin until your body is fully at rest.

 

[Rjkd12]

I don't know if anybody really knows this. Sleep is a very complicated thing, and there are tons of research going on about it.

Either way, from the way you posted, I don't think you can do anything about it. Its not like if everybody says "NO! its not the same!" you will be able to fall asleep right away. I would assume laying still in bed is similar to sleep, but not quite. It has to be a continuum, where total activity is at one end and sleep on the opposite and laying still is far to the "sleep" side of things.

Why don't you tell us? How are you functioning? If you are having problems, go to a sleep specialist. If not, then you are fine.

 

[Girljock]

Not at all. Lying very still is no substitute for sleep, which is vital for a myriad of recuperative processes in every part of your body, from your nervous system to your skin. Your brain needs only 2 hours sleep to fully rejuvenate - the rest is necessitated by various things going on in your body, such as dealing with toxins and rebuilding muscle via hormonal activity. These processes cannot begin until your body is fully at rest.

Actually sleep isn't exactly restful to the physical body. People toss, move around due to dreams, laying at rest awake....may be much more...restful. I would argue that being in a meditative state, while awake, can be more restful and beneficial than actual sleep. Recooperative processes happen all the time....that's why we eat after a workout and not wait until it's bedtime.

 

[shanes]

its not the amount of sleep you get its the quality of sleep meaning how long your body is in the REM mode thats when your body produces HGH and repairs everything .if your having trouble try melatonin 30 min before you go to bed .GHB works wonders for this also but is now banned in almost every country .

 

[Jersey]

Thanks...I am never tired unless I have to wake up extra early for some reason or dont get a full nights sleep due to partying. It's not like I have a problem just curious...

 

[sambo fighter]

I know that 8 hours a niht for anyone that is training specifically lifting weights is recommended. I almost always go to bed with atleast 8 hours until my alarm is set to go off. But sometimes I can't fall asleep right away and might only end up getting 6 hours and on a rare occasion 5 hours.

My question is while I am laying in bed trying to fall asleep is my body doing the same things it does while I am sleeping?

I know our bodies recover and rebuild while we are sleeping (if this is not the case enlighten me) but if I don't get my full 8 hours, is the time I am resting but not sleeping the same in terms of muscle repair?

I dont think laying in bed awake counts as sleep. While you sleep your body produces many hormones that are critical to recovering from training. 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep should be a minimum for anyone who trains.

I have had trouble falling asleep in the past too. I have a really busy mind and some nights I will think for hours.

A couple things that could help you:
dont go to bed until you are really tired,
dont fall asleep to the tv or radio,
make sure your room is cool,
make sure it is as dark as possible,
avoid bright lights like the computer or tv for an hour or so before bed (this tricks your body into thinking it is daytime still)
and most importantly dont think about the fact that you are having trouble getting to sleep. some nights I will lay down thinking "if i fall asleep right now i will get 6 hours of sleep" then an hour later im thinking "if i fall asleep right now i will get 5 hours" ive done this straight through to morning before.

 

[farmboy]

Try taking some melatonin. It's naturally released by a gland in our bodies to help regulate our sleep cycle, but you can get supplements that will help yu get to sleep more quickly without the hazards of drugs and such. I tried using it and found it to be quite helpful.

 

[kakashi]

and most importantly dont think about the fact that you are having trouble getting to sleep. some nights I will lay down thinking "if i fall asleep right now i will get 6 hours of sleep" then an hour later im thinking "if i fall asleep right now i will get 5 hours" ive done this straight through to morning before.

Yeah I know what you mean, you really need to occupy your mind and make yourself think about something you like, a hobby or whatever.
I have another method, it's stupid but it really works for me. I listen to language learning tapes on my ipod, especially the Pimsleur method, got them from bittorrent, those are repetitive and soporific, it lasts 30min a lesson and I always fall asleep before the end, especially when you make the mental effort to learn. The more you try to learn, the quicker you fall asleep, that's my theory.

 

[$uperman]

I read before I sleep, instead of tv or computer.

 

[farmboy]

I read before I sleep, instead of tv or computer.

Yah, that's a good idea, too. I like to read for a while, and eventually my eyes get tired and pretty much fall right to sleep after that.

 

[Madmick]

If it's possible, try sleeping in the morning. Like I just posted in my other thread, that helped improved the subjects' chances of getting good sleep by 70%.

Maybe a short morning run: 20-30 minutes. It shouldn't affect your training, and most likely would boost it.