Not enough sleep = obsession?

[janeybz]

Hello,
I usually get up at 3:30 (with DH) and workout until about 5:50 when it's time to get my boys ready for school. I go to bed at about 9:30 usually so I get 6 hours of sleep every night pretty consistently. I am a stay at home mom with a sweet 3 year old little boy and two older boys (7 and 8 years old). I've been reading a lot lately about the improtance of getting enough sleep. I've even read that it's better to not workout as long if working out long means you get less than a decent amount of sleep. I had been getting up at 4:00 to workout for a couple of years and then pushed it back to 3:30 last Augsut for the Boot Camp rotation and just stayed with it.
What do you guys think about the whole sleep vs exercise thing? Should I cut back a little bit? Sleep a little later? I AM tired at night. Last night I could hardly get through the book I read to the older boys each night. (This was at about 8:30!

I don't want to workout some other time during the day because I really value the time that I have to myself. This is the ONE thing that I consistently do for myself. The early morning before everyone gets up is pretty much the only time I can get to be by myself uninterrupted. I also value having the rest of the day with my little boy during the day. When he comes in during my workout I think we both end up feeling bad. I feel bad because I'm not able to concentrate on my workout and he feels bad because I can't do the things he wants me to do.
I think I'm kind of obsessed too. Somehow I feel that if I don't work out for two hours, I'm slacking off. I really love to work out just for its own sake, but there is still this little piece of me that fears if I slow down, I'll gain weight.

Any thoughts?

Thanks, Jane

 

[pixie9]

Wow, I feel for you here Jane. This does seem like a problem. The only advice I could give would be to possibly sleep in a couple of days a week and on those days, work out during the day. I know you are hesitant to give up time with your children but maybe on those days you can schedule shorter workouts, or even split up a workout throughout the day. Working out during the day may also be good for your boys to learn about how important exercise is to you. It may even help them learn a great habit for themselves. Or you could consider taking a nap during the day(possibly with the boys?) and keeping your early morning workouts.
I must say that IMO, you REALLY don't need to be working out for 2 hours a day. I would say that an hour workout is plenty. Sure, it's nice to add in a really long workout now and then but doing that everyday is really a lot for the body. I've read studies that implied that you get the most gains within the first hour of exercise and after that, the cost/benefit really decreases. If you're really worried about gaining weight then I would suggest slowly cutting down the time of your workouts over time so it doesn't feel so drastic. Maybe you can "make up" for the time lost during your workout by going on a walk with your family or playing outside with them. Weight IMO, really has to do more with what you eat rather than how long you workout(but that does play into it of course). So that's something to consider as well.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.

carolyn

 

[amyg]

Jane- I applaud the efforts you've put in on yourself!!!

I wonder if you could try a week or so with only working out for an hour a day and see what happens? You'd get 7 hours a night that way. I have noticed that when I don't work out, I'm not nearly as hungry.

The longer your workouts are, the more sleep you need.

I'd try and shoot for a few days a week of shorter workouts and sleeping more on those days.

 

[banslug]

Jane-welcome to the life of a mom and woman! LOL. I hear you on every count! Answer these questions...are you tired during the day? Do you FEEL like you need more sleep? When you wake up in the morning, are you rested? Do you hit any 'walls' during the day? How easily do you fall asleep at night? Can you make it thru a 30-minute show, sitting down, without falling asleep?

Just some thoughts, really. I'm no expert, just a mom and a woman! LOL

Like you, I'm a SAHM (boys 5 and 8). I get up at 5am to workout for anywhere from 60-95 minutes a day. I go to sleep by 11pm. Not a lot of sleep, according to the experts, but I feel fine MOST days! MOST DAYS! I wake up easily when the alarm goes off, I fall asleep within 10 minutes of laying down, I hit no walls during the day. There is, however, a time here and there that I simply feel like I need more sleep. On those days, I sleep in and workout during the day (or take a rest day altogether).

As for working out with the kids around. I, too, felt that guilt. But we are setting examples for our children and they know how important a healthy lifestyle is to me. Eating, working out, regular bedtime, etc. Just like showering or brushing your teeth.

Everybody is different, so I hate reading all the studies about experts saying EVERYBODY NEEDS the same amount of sleep.

My answer...do what works, when it works.

Gayle

 

[pink_fortitude]

Does your little bug still take naps during the day still? When I run or lift weights, I do it while my little guy is napping so that I don't miss any time with him, and I still get my workout in. Sleep is SO important to me, and I get at least 8 hours a night so that I can be my best and give my best. Anything less than that and nobody wants to be around me. }( Something else I will do when the kids are on break is get very light weights, 1 or 2 pounds, and I will let them work out with me when I do weights, or kickbox (they really love that! And the older ones are 7 and 9).

I think we all need time to do what we love and need - I don't consider that an obsession, I consider it a need for my physical and mental health. If mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!

HTH,
Missy

ETA that not everyone has the same needs - some people are fine on five hours, and some need 9 hours. We are all different. If your body is telling you that you need more sleep, then you should really try to sleep in some days.

 

[SRP]

Well, I don't have kids, but what with my work schedule and long commute during the week, I don't have much time either. I really, really like to work out for about 2 hrs a day, like you. It makes me feel good. But during the week, it just isn't possible for me. I allow myself 1 to 1.5 hrs during the week and then really kick it up on the weekends. It's a compromise I chose to make because I'm one of those who needs a bit more sleep. I just don't function well without it, and I know I'll risk injury if I make myself exercise when I'm too tired.

In fact, there are some evenings when I actually opt out of exercise, because I really would prefer to cook a decent meal or something, instead of throwing something in a pot and hoping it gets done by the time I'm out of the shower. I've had some severe talks with myself and have finally decided that for me, being healthy isn't just about a kick-butt workout. Let me tell you, that took some fast talking from the voice of reason, too! ;-)

 

[BeckyU]

Hi Jane,

I also have 3 kids, ages 12, 9 and 3. Since getting up early is never an option for me ( I tried for a while, but I am just too much of a night owl and wasn't getting enough sleep), I do work out during the day. I used to work out during my son's nap time, but since the time he was 2.5 or so, he stopped the nap. So I started working out in the morning after dropping my girls off at school. I bought my son 1 lb weights and he uses the whatever step I'm not using and he "works out" with me. He loves it and looks forward to "seeing" Cathe every morning. Now, of course, he doesn't "work out" the whole 60-90 minutes that I do, but when he gets bored, he just brings his cars or whatever toy he wants to play with into the room with me. I did this with my girls also and I think that since they have always seen that exercise is important and fun to me, it is also fun for them. I always like to think that when Mom is happy and healthy, so is everyone else!!

HTH.

Becky

 

[red_mct]

I would go by how YOU feel and not by how someone else says you "should" feel. Do you feel tired, withdrawn, depressed? Do you sleep soundly for the 6 hours you get? Some people only need that much; others need more. It's all very individual.

Good luck!
Marie