Biking on 6 or less hours sleep?

There's lots of research that sleep the night before an event has
minimal impact. It is the night before that where sleep is important.

gds wrote:
There's lots of research that sleep the night before an event has
minimal impact. It is the night before that where sleep is important.

i'm certain you're not helping.
--
david reuteler

"Bill Sornson" wrote in message
...

What someone told me long ago -- before taking the SATs, maybe? -- was to
just try to *REST* as much as possible if you can't get to sleep, as the
body doesn't really know the difference.

Good advice. I often notice that on nights where it doesn't seem like I've
gotten any sleep at all, I'm asleep when the alarm goes off. This makes me
think that, although I thought I "couldn't sleep" and was "only resting", I
was actually sleeping more than I realized.

Claire Petersky wrote:

I have had a lousy sleep before each and every STP. I always feel like an
idiot -- here I am, off to pedal 200 miles, and it's 2:30 AM, and I know I
have to be up in less than 2 hours, and I can't get back to sleep. Argh!

A short, fairly easy warmup ride the day before seems to help me sleep
the night before. And, as others have suggested, do all the prep for
the big ride the day befo top up the tires, lube the chain, pack the
foodstuffs, layout the bike clothes, etc. That way, in the morning,
you'll have nothing to do but eat your breakfast, put your bike clothes
on, and go.

Actually, what I found is that the night *after* a long strenuous ride I
have immense difficulty in sleeping.

Dave

If it's an I've done a number of times, then I lie in bed and review the
route over and over again in my mind. If it's one I haven't done before,
then it's the fear of the unknown. Either way, I dart back to the notion
that I'm going to have a long day (or two) ahead, and I REALLY NEED MY
SLEEP
dammit. Somehow, though, trying to force my mind -- my body is usually
plenty tired --to relax, doesn't work. Funny how that is, isn't it?

I have no problem if I get to bed at a reasonable hour, but if I get to bed
too late, then I can't sleep well at all. You might lie there trying to
convince yourself that resting is almost as good as sleeping, so it really
doesn't matter, but you still can't relax enough to get to sleep because
you're worried that you're not getting enough sleep. It feeds upon itself.

So two things I try to do now-

#1: Get to bed a bit earlier, never later than normal. Makes a big
difference.

#2: Make sure I don't eat too heavy a meal (especially with lots of meat)
and have to fight off feeling groggy in the evening. Why? Because once you
push past the desire to plop down and the couch and veg out or take a nap
(which you won't allow yourself to do because it's "too early" or you have
things to do), you end up wired for hours... and can't get to sleep.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

In article , Preston Crawford
writes:


Because of my anxiety I'm often worried that doing this could somehow be
*dangerous*. I have no empirical or scientific evidence to back this up,
it just doesn't feel healthy. It feels good when I do it, but I still
worry. It's become more of a problem lately because my stress is up at my
new job and I'm not sleeping well. Do you guys bike on low sleep?


Preston: Check out the RAAM, Race Across America. The solo category riders
typically ride from San Diego, California to Atlantic City New Jersey
averaging 2 - 3 hours sleep each 24 hour period. Many of these riders don't
sleep at all the first 3 days of the race. Another example is the Furnace Creek
508 where the solo riders ride 508 miles almost non stop. I mention the solo
riders as the other categories, teams for instance, do swap out and have rest
periods.

whinds wrote:

In article , Preston Crawford
writes:


Because of my anxiety I'm often worried that doing this could somehow be
*dangerous*. I have no empirical or scientific evidence to back this up,
it just doesn't feel healthy. It feels good when I do it, but I still
worry. It's become more of a problem lately because my stress is up at my
new job and I'm not sleeping well. Do you guys bike on low sleep?


Preston: Check out the RAAM, Race Across America. The solo category riders
typically ride from San Diego, California to Atlantic City New Jersey
averaging 2 - 3 hours sleep each 24 hour period. Many of these riders don't
sleep at all the first 3 days of the race. Another example is the Furnace Creek
508 where the solo riders ride 508 miles almost non stop. I mention the solo
riders as the other categories, teams for instance, do swap out and have rest
periods.

It has always been my belief that if you are not 100 percent focused
when cycling you may not arrive at your destination. I don't cycle to
work if I am preoccupied. I cannot comment in racing as I don't know
what is involved. Cycling is pretty safe if you don't hit anything.
For instance, tonight when cycling to Home Depot, another cyclist and I
passed in a narrow passage way neither one expecting the other as there
are few cyclists who go to this Home Depot. We both make quick safe
adjustments to our presence. That might not have happened if one of us
was not alert or sleep deprived!

David Reuteler wrote in message news:4165ce40$0$59513$ interestingly enuf there is no increase in morbidity from even extreme
insomnia (not to say there aren't consequences to your life) but there
are from combating it with sleeping pills (esp the evil ambien). i had
better luck w/o the pills once i acclimated to less sleep. that's a fairly
rough transition, tho.

Actually there is a lot of research that shows highly increased
morbidity. When I was in the army (late 60's) I was part of a group
researching just that. Combat results in lots of missed sleep (and
that's why so does lots of the military's training)

So, missing a night's sleep doesn't affect fit 20 yo's very much . But
sustained deprivation has large impacts on physical and mental
performance (morbidity).

Anyway, I only need 4 hours of sleep. But I need it 2.5 times a night
:-)

gds wrote:

David Reuteler wrote in message news:4165ce40$0$59513$ int
erestingly enuf there is no increase in morbidity from even extreme
insomnia (not to say there aren't consequences to your life) but there
are from combating it with sleeping pills (esp the evil ambien). i had
better luck w/o the pills once i acclimated to less sleep. that's a fairly
rough transition, tho.

Actually there is a lot of research that shows highly increased
morbidity. When I was in the army (late 60's) I was part of a group
researching just that. Combat results in lots of missed sleep (and
that's why so does lots of the military's training)

So, missing a night's sleep doesn't affect fit 20 yo's very much . But
sustained deprivation has large impacts on physical and mental
performance (morbidity).

my point is that the effect of sustained dependence on drugs to combat
insomnia has more repercussions on long term health than the insomnia
itself. certainly not that missing sleep doesn't affect physical and
mental performance (i think we're both misusing morbidity, btw). actually
i've never tried a sleeping pill that compared favorable to just cruising
on insomnia (after a readjustment phase). sleeping pills don't give you
a good night's sleep, iow.

Anyway, I only need 4 hours of sleep. But I need it 2.5 times a night
:-)

i'm "blessed" .. i only need 5 or so. just once, tho.
--
david reuteler

Preston Crawford wrote in message ...
On 2004-10-05, Roger Zoul wrote:
Preston Crawford wrote:
|| Because of my anxiety I'm often worried that doing this could
|| somehow be *dangerous*. I have no empirical or scientific evidence
|| to back this up, it just doesn't feel healthy. It feels good when I
|| do it, but I still worry. It's become more of a problem lately
|| because my stress is up at my new job and I'm not sleeping well. Do
|| you guys bike on low sleep?
||

Don't invent things to worry about, Preston. If you feel okay while doing
it, then where is the problem?

The problem is when you have anxiety (like I do) you do invent things to
worry about. Especially when work is crazy and your anxiety is at a fever
pitch and you aren't sleeping well. The whole program starts to go
haywire.

Are you being treated for anxiety? If not, try taking Kava, sold just
about everywhere. Google it first and see if it is for you.