How important is sleep?

**Long&Strong** · 03-09-2004, 10:25 AM

I am currently on an EQ/Cyp stack on my fourth week. Let me first say that I am married with two kids under the age of 3!!! needless to say there isn't much of a possibility of getting 8 hours sleep every night. I was just wondering how important getting 8 hours is. Any help would be appreciated.

**M-JAY** · 03-09-2004, 10:26 AM

This is the PRIME TIME for your body to grow. Its VERY important.

Try some melatonin/GABA to put you to sleep if you are having any problems.

**spywizard** · 03-09-2004, 10:27 AM

it is as important as water............

**Long&Strong** · 03-09-2004, 10:35 AM

what is your advice on getting that sleep...really, I get up every morning at 5:30 to hit the gym, home by 7:45 hang out with kids for about an hour, and have to be to work by 10:00 I usually don't get home from work until 9 or 10 at night and then I need to get the kids down for the evening, by the time I hit the bed it is usually around midnight...HELP!

**spywizard** · 03-09-2004, 10:38 AM

If you cycle... and live a life... as we all do..

and don't get sleep... 8-9 hours..

because of the stress that AS puts on your body.. .you will get sick.. and your body will make you sleep..

try adjusting your routine.. work out later in the morning.. if you can..

good luck.........

***Pheedno*** · 03-09-2004, 10:40 AM

You tear down when you train. You grow when you sleep. Plain, simple, true.

**Long&Strong** · 03-09-2004, 10:42 AM

I would love to change up the routine, but this is the only way I can spend at least a little time with my children, and I guess if I had to choose between my cycle and my kids, I choose my kids, I was just wondering how much it would hurt without all my sleep. Do you recomend stopping my cycle?

**einstein1905** · 03-09-2004, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Long&Strong

I would love to change up the routine, but this is the only way I can spend at least a little time with my children, and I guess if I had to choose between my cycle and my kids, I choose my kids, I was just wondering how much it would hurt without all my sleep. Do you recomend stopping my cycle?

Only you can decide if the gains you're getting are worth it. It's true, without enough sleep while on AAS, you open yourself up for some problems...illness, overtraining, which isn't something that just refers to your training (yes, even on AAS), etc. If you still get acceptable gains while getting suboptimal sleep, then decide based on that.

BTW there are always people looking for children out there

**Da Bull** · 03-09-2004, 11:00 AM

What about us Fina users who suffer from insomnia.I'm lucky to get 5-6 hrs of half azz sleep,but keep getting bigger and stronger.
Someone explain that to me please.

**speedtraining** · 03-09-2004, 11:04 AM

Your body doesn't repair deep tissue until it is in the 4th stage of sleep,which is when you are out cold...If your getting interupted and aren't getting good sleep you aren't repairing them muscles...

Swellin · 03-09-2004, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Da Bull

What about us Fina users who suffer from insomnia.I'm lucky to get 5-6 hrs of half azz sleep,but keep getting bigger and stronger.
Someone explain that to me please.

Just think of the growth and the gains we would mke if you and I slept like normal people.

**DEVLDOG** · 03-09-2004, 11:13 AM

yeah,you aint kidding about the tren ,i'm lucky to sleep for 2 consecutive hours at a time.i lie awake for hours at night just sweating.while sleep is important,every one is different.i read an article about ronnie coleman,weather it was true or not he stated he only sleeps 5 hrs a night...must be all the tren

**DARKSEID** · 03-09-2004, 04:05 PM

the tren wakes me up every few hours, from soaking the **** pillow, but I never have a problem getting sleep, I think the biggest problem I have is trying to get up after only 8 hours of sleep.

**M-JAY** · 03-10-2004, 08:49 AM

I'll tell you what works great for me while running tren :

3mg melatonin

5g GABA

2 tsp of Ny-Quil

Sleep like a rock. Now if only I could find a way around the night sweats!!

**Paranoid** · 03-10-2004, 03:38 PM

I say hold off on spending some time with the kids for a few months while the cycle lasts, so that you can catch up on the vital sleep that you will need. The way I look at it, the kids will still be there once the cycle is over, and since they are under 3, they won't have any vivid memories of an absent dad. Use that to your advantage bro and make the best of it while you still can. Good Luck

**BASK8KACE** · 03-10-2004, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by Paranoid

I say hold off on spending some time with the kids for a few months while the cycle lasts, so that you can catch up on the vital sleep that you will need. The way I look at it, the kids will still be there once the cycle is over, and since they are under 3, they won't have any vivid memories of an absent dad. Use that to your advantage bro and make the best of it while you still can. Good Luck

It doesn't sound like you have kids, Paranoid. When you're married with kids, there are two adults who are responsible for them. Withdrawing and spending 10 or more weeks ignoring your kids, WILL be noticed by the kids and will likely cause problems with the wife.

A person definitely has to find "ME" time but not for long 10-week periods--especially during a marriage.

Originally Posted by Long&Strong

I am currently on an EQ/Cyp stack on my fourth week. Let me first say that I am married with two kids under the age of 3!!! needless to say there isn't much of a possibility of getting 8 hours sleep every night. I was just wondering how important getting 8 hours is. Any help would be appreciated.

Long&Strong,

Here's a perfect time for you to break any beliefs you might have about how important it is to be in the gym often versus rest.

Nutrition, rest and workout intensity are all just about equally important for growth, but if I had to put them in order of importance I would list them like this (first being most important):

1. Nutrition
2. Rest
3. Workout intensity

Yes, it is important that you get your rest. During times I could not sleep as much as 8 hours per night, I focused on doing the following things that helped me to continue to grow steadily:

1. I made sure that I did not go to the gym as frequently so that I could give my body time to rest. I cut back from going 3-5 days per 7 days to going 3-5 days per 8-10 days.
2. I made sure that the few times that I was in the gym, that I kept my workout to 1.5 hours, but worked INTENSELY that whole time, knowing that I would not hit that same body part for another 8-10 days. NOTE: This will not work if you do not work out intensely during the few times you get to the gym.
3. I took 20 minute naps whenever I could. Don't go much longer than 20 minutes for a nap else your body will start producing chemicals that will make you sluggish the rest of the day until you get a several hours of sleep in a row.
4. On nights that I knew that I would be able to steel at least 7 hours of sleep I would occasionally take a sleeping pill to make sure that those were the best 7 hours I could have, knowing that I would be back to 4-5 hours of sleep for the next several nights.
5. I made every attempt to eat as healthy and as clean and as often as possible to keep a steady flow of fuel for energy in my body. I stayed away from sugar, caffine and most simple carbs that would cause an insulin spike/crash.

We grow as we rest! Remember that. It's hard for some to stay out of the gym because they think that the more often they lift, the more they'll grow. If you lift too often (5-7 days per week) you're going to overtrain yourself. Learn to feel comfortable giving yourself EXTRA time to rest--especially when you cannot sleep for 8 or more hours every night.
Best of luck! Keep growin!

**ItalianMuscle** · 03-10-2004, 05:39 PM

I have a 7 month old bro I know how it is.. I have my own gym in the cellar Have all the equipment I need. I work out when i get home at night still I get maybe 6 to 8 hrs..

Swellin · 03-10-2004, 05:44 PM

Bask8kace, that was an excellent post. I do many of the same things, but there are certain others I need to incorporate. Nice post.

**BASK8KACE** · 03-10-2004, 06:05 PM

Originally Posted by Swellin

Bask8kace, that was an excellent post. I do many of the same things, but there are certain others I need to incorporate. Nice post.

Thanks, Swellin. I appreciate the feedback, bro.

**spywizard** · 03-10-2004, 06:18 PM

Bump............. bask8kace.............

great post.......... basic........ but all true......... sometimes we take for granted the basic fundamentals of what we do.....

Thanks

Originally Posted by Swellin

Bask8kace, that was an excellent post. I do many of the same things, but there are certain others I need to incorporate. Nice post.

**fitnessNY** · 03-10-2004, 07:16 PM

Sleep is imperative for AS success

**BASK8KACE** · 03-10-2004, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by fitnessNY

Sleep is imperative for AS success

Someone's been studying for his SAT.

**Solrock** · 03-10-2004, 10:00 PM

Nice post Bask8kase. Very helpful.

**TheSevnthWarrior** · 03-10-2004, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Pheedno

You tear down when you train. You grow when you sleep. Plain, simple, true.

Absolutely correct.
Sleep=Healing=Growth.
Period.
TSW
(Got Pheedno?)

**the dent depot** · 03-10-2004, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by BASK8KACE

It doesn't sound like you have kids, Paranoid. When you're married with kids, there are two adults who are responsible for them. Withdrawing and spending 10 or more weeks ignoring your kids, WILL be noticed by the kids and will likely cause problems with the wife.

A person definitely has to find "ME" time but not for long 10-week periods--especially during a marriage.

Long&Strong,

Here's a perfect time for you to break any beliefs you might have about how important it is to be in the gym often versus rest.

Nutrition, rest and workout intensity are all just about equally important for growth, but if I had to put them in order of importance I would list them like this (first being most important):

1. Nutrition
2. Rest
3. Workout intensity

Yes, it is important that you get your rest. During times I could not sleep as much as 8 hours per night, I focused on doing the following things that helped me to continue to grow steadily:

1. I made sure that I did not go to the gym as frequently so that I could give my body time to rest. I cut back from going 3-5 days per 7 days to going 3-5 days per 8-10 days.
2. I made sure that the few times that I was in the gym, that I kept my workout to 1.5 hours, but worked INTENSELY that whole time, knowing that I would not hit that same body part for another 8-10 days. NOTE: This will not work if you do not work out intensely during the few times you get to the gym.
3. I took 20 minute naps whenever I could. Don't go much longer than 20 minutes for a nap else your body will start producing chemicals that will make you sluggish the rest of the day until you get a several hours of sleep in a row.
4. On nights that I knew that I would be able to steel at least 7 hours of sleep I would occasionally take a sleeping pill to make sure that those were the best 7 hours I could have, knowing that I would be back to 4-5 hours of sleep for the next several nights.
5. I made every attempt to eat as healthy and as clean and as often as possible to keep a steady flow of fuel for energy in my body. I stayed away from sugar, caffine and most simple carbs that would cause an insulin spike/crash.

We grow as we rest! Remember that. It's hard for some to stay out of the gym because they think that the more often they lift, the more they'll grow. If you lift too often (5-7 days per week) you're going to overtrain yourself. Learn to feel comfortable giving yourself EXTRA time to rest--especially when you cannot sleep for 8 or more hours every night.
Best of luck! Keep growin!

Thats some of the best advice I have seen in quite a while!

I have follwed a similar philosophy for years. Along the lines of H.I.T. really.

D

**BASK8KACE** · 03-10-2004, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by the dent depot

Thats some of the best advice I have seen in quite a while!

I have follwed a similar philosophy for years. Along the lines of H.I.T. really.

D

Thanks for the positive feedback, all.

the dent depot,
You hit the nail right on the head when you mentioned HIT, a method that author, Stuart McRobert, supports. McRobert's book, Beyond Brawn, discusses HIT, goes into detail about the necesity for rest, and is responsible for helping me realize the importance of rest.