Sleeping before a fight

Gavin Smith

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Ok, I'm sure I'm not the only person this happens to.

Basically when ever I have a fight coming up, for about four or five days before I have trouble sleeping, I'm actually able to clear my mind and relax and go to sleep but then sometime between 4:30 and 5:30 it seems like adrenaline kicks in and I'm wide awake and struggling to get back to sleep.

Then I get to the night before the fight and again I feel calm and relaxed but when I try to sleep I just can't. The night before my last competition I got about 2-2.5 hours of broken sleep.

How do you guys cope with it, I've had a few fights now so I thought I'd be getting used to it but I'm not, is this just some thing fighters have to get used to, any helpful tips or suggestions?
 
if i had to i'd take a sleep aid

like unisom or tylenol pm
 
I had thought of doing that but was worried about having any residual drowsiness the next day + the medical the morning of the fight when the doctor checks your pupil dilation (probably wouldn't be effected but I'm not sure).
 
Ya I can feel the problem with sleeping the night before because that happens to me as well. Umm truthfully I have yet to get a great night sleep the night before, but I just make sure I am on a set schedule in sleeping and don't deviate from that. Sorry I can't be more of help, but I just don't think there is a way to fix this without the use of a sleep aid.
 
Go for a walk and let your body get relaxed and a little tired. Thats what I did. I thought I wasnt going to be able to sleep but that quinched it pretty good.
 
I cant imagine sleeping before a fight. Only because im the type that turns naps into a full blown 4 hours of sleep and i wake up super drowsy. On the other hand, you could try (i've never done them before) those breathing relaxation yoga exercises and shit. Those guys always seem to look calm outta their minds.

If the problem is sleep, hell cant help you there. I suck at that shit myself.
 
u want to try to sleep around 10hrs or so(average). to be as fully energized as possible

someitmes it is hard to fall asleep because of all the things going on. but the good thing you wont really feel it when you are fighting, but you will probably gas easier and be able to think less, if you are sleep deprived.
 
try melatonin, and go to bed about half an hour before you actually want to sleep and lay in a dark silent room and do some visualization excercises, mentally prepare yourself but have some cadence to that preperation in your mind. i doze off after i am satisfied with what i have visualized
 
A couple things that help.

Don't lay down until your good and tired. Try to only use your bed for sleeping while your at it. (no tv and shit)

No working out late if you can avoid it.

If you can't sleep and say an hour goes by, get up and put on a John Ruiz fight and study the clinch. (Or whatever other boring ass thing you can do) till your tired.
 
the night before a fight, i usually fall right asleep. probaly cuz i'm exhausted from cutting weight.
 
Yeah it really sucks, I try to go through some mental preparation then relax and unwind, I normally feel completely relaxed and calm as well, but still no sleep.

I'd be interested to know if anyone has any positive or negative experience with using a sleep aid, it seems like the most simple solution but I'm reluctant to try it.
 
try melatonin, and go to bed about half an hour before you actually want to sleep and lay in a dark silent room and do some visualization excercises, mentally prepare yourself but have some cadence to that preperation in your mind. i doze off after i am satisfied with what i have visualized

exactly all i was going to say
 
I've been though the exact same shit as you...i was so desperate i resorted to taking double doses of neo-citron before bed. It worked well but u can get addicted to it. No days i can sleep fine before a fight.
 
For my last 2 (well, my only 2 REAL fights) I took half a unisom, so about 15mg of whateverits called. This was enough that I could get my mind to stop racing, and relax. Had a great sleep, not drowsy at all the next day.

Maybe worth a shot.

Also, if you decide to try it, do a practice the week before, see how your body reacts. You don't wanna find out the day of the fight you're allergic or something.
 
I'm weird. I can't sleep the night before. But I have an easy time taking an hour or two nap a few hours before the fight.
 
I'm weird. I can't sleep the night before. But I have an easy time taking an hour or two nap a few hours before the fight.

probably because your exasuted lol... this doesnt sound like its good for anyone in any sport. sleep the night before is alwyas important and i use to compeat early mornings you need at leaast a good hour or two of a sweat before your sport to have your head and body working well.

id suggest taking some sleeping aid early the day before so if you do wake up a bit grogy it will be early in the day and most fights/comps take place later in the day so you have lots of time to shake it off.
 
books on tape. pick a good book you enjoy and throw it on in a low volume.

after you've heard it three times or so, you instantly fall asleep after pressing play.

it distracts from what else you've been thinking about.

no rest before a fight is like no food before a fight.
 
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