Not getting enough sleep

Flexappeal

Member
The best gains or I should say the only gains I ever got in my life was the 18 months I was laid off from work and sleeping 9 hrs every night! My body's progress was happening weekly! Now that I am back at work and sleeping 5 hours a night I'm making absolutely no progress at all!. I've even stepped back my training to 2-3 days a week and feel a little better. But the only piece I need for my puzzle is more sleep In which I am simply not fortunate enough to get. I'm realizing that I'm now wasting my time because I've experienced no progress in the last 2 years even with test+hgh.... Except some fat loss. Muscle building is out of the question when you get up at 430 am every morning and need stimulants daily just to function. I'm feeling I couldn't possibly be the only one with this 1 hold-Back. Like I said I log everything and the only difference between GAINS and NO GAINS is SLEEP. Thought I would share that !
 
Flexappeal said:
The best gains or I should say the only gains I ever got in my life was the 18 months I was laid off from work and sleeping 9 hrs every night! My body's progress was happening weekly! Now that I am back at work and sleeping 5 hours a night I'm making absolutely no progress at all!. I've even stepped back my training to 2-3 days a week and feel a little better. But the only piece I need for my puzzle is more sleep In which I am simply not fortunate enough to get. I'm realizing that I'm now wasting my time because I've experienced no progress in the last 2 years even with test+hgh.... Except some fat loss. Muscle building is out of the question when you get up at 430 am every morning and need stimulants daily just to function. I'm feeling I couldn't possibly be the only one with this 1 hold-Back. Like I said I log everything and the only difference between GAINS and NO GAINS is SLEEP. Thought I would share that !
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What exactly is the excuse for not being able to get more sleep?
I understand the busy life and the lack of sleep.

I'd like to touch on that because I think I can change your mind.

You Are right, sleep is definitely needed.

Average 6-8hr of sleep a night is what will keep you gaining.
This could be an interesting thread. You got me
 
I only sleep 6-7 due to early start, however I sleep 3-4 afternoons after shift and get up a tea time, weekends I sleep like a teenager.
 
Well getting home around 4pm everyday after work. By the time I do the normal daily things and include a training session and cooking/prepping I'm usually fighting the clock to get into by 10, and then toss and turn till
About 11pm. Again, feeling like a Zombie at 430am only to go to work and get physical (electrician) for 8 hrs. (2 hour total commute daily). I'm literally beating my body daily and not getting anywhere close the recovery I need. Mind you I take 2iu of HGH daily (real stuff) and still can't make up for it.
 
I train alone , and switched up
My workouts to only include the mother movements. I only train major chest, back, legs, and abs. I don't bother with shoulder , biceps, or triceps any more.... I've done a great job of maintaining! But gains are not there. My job sucks the life out of me , currently looking for a new career with better work/life balance. I eat 5000+ calories a day. I weigh 185 and have a visible 6 pack. 36 yrs old.. Also supplementing 300mg test a week long term..... Goes to show how important sleep is!!!! It is vital !
 
You already have the answers, looks like your in great shape, all i can add is that maybe with the test etc your supercharging your metabolic rate and against lack of sleep this may be counter productive? Does that make sense? Interested to hear what others think.
 
I believe you could be right but with my experience it's the HGH that does this not the test. Again , I do have some body fat. My 6 pack is visible where u can count 6 separate muscles from 10 feet away, but would not consider myself ripped.
 
Flexappeal said:
Well getting home around 4pm everyday after work. By the time I do the normal daily things and include a training session and cooking/prepping I'm usually fighting the clock to get into by 10, and then toss and turn till
About 11pm. Again, feeling like a Zombie at 430am only to go to work and get physical (electrician) for 8 hrs. (2 hour total commute daily). I'm literally beating my body daily and not getting anywhere close the recovery I need. Mind you I take 2iu of HGH daily (real stuff) and still can't make up for it.
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4pm straight to gym 1/hr workout
5:30home. 530-6pm shower. 6pm-7pm dinner. 7pm-8pm brush teeth, play with kids prep some more do whatever. 8-8:30 read a book or something. 8:30 lights off.

In life there are some things you have to sacrifice.
So whatever holds you up till 10pm and makes you miserable or holds you back.. Isn't worth it.
Got a wife and kids?
The wife can do the prepping.
She is supportive right?

There are so many factors and things to be adjusted. It is very possible.

If you are single it makes it even easier.
Pick up the things like laundry or whatever on a day off.
Or a gym less day.

I worked on an oil rig 13 hrs a day and still found time to get 6 hours of sleep. While driving 90miles each way.
What's more important to you?
 
I am not single but I live alone.I guess I'm being held up between 4-6pm I need to shower after work because I am insanely dirty wouldn't even be fair to other people to workout next to me, regardless I am dying for a refreshment after crawling around for 8 hrs. By the time I take a shower, a little breather and eat some food I get to
Gym at 630.... It's not simple after being physical all day to go straight to getting physical again without a little breather in between. I guess this is life in the rat race.
 
Flexappeal said:
I am not single but I live alone.I guess I'm being held up between 4-6pm I need to shower after work because I am insanely dirty wouldn't even be fair to other people to workout next to me, regardless I am dying for a refreshment after crawling around for 8 hrs. By the time I take a shower, a little breather and eat some food I get to
Gym at 630.... It's not simple after being physical all day to go straight to getting physical again without a little breather in between. I guess this is life in the rat race.
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I understand completely. I just mean, speed up your processes.
You are going to have to give up something to get the other.

Go home, quick shower, grab a quick pre workout drink. And go.
+ - 15 minutes is all you lose or gain.
So give up something else.
All leads back to decisions.
 
Flexappeal said:
I will just need to move more quickly and cut out the after work rest or find another career.
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Any time for a nap during lunch hour at work? I used to feel like this working 70 hrs a week. Burned out as all hell. I finally started doing a 30-40 min nap in my car at work. Then eating the last 15-20min before getting back to it. Seemed to help a bit. Good luck man!
 
Haha, I wish ! I have trouble sleeping during the day, and I'm pretty much eating to the very last minute of my break regardless.
 
Flexappeal said:
Haha, I wish ! I have trouble sleeping during the day, and I'm pretty much eating to the very last minute of my break regardless.
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Gotcha. Thought it was worth a shot to mention.
 
I prep all my meals for the week in advance, i work around 60 hours every week and have an hour total commute every day still usually manage 8 hrs a nite sleep. I take melatonin If getting close to sleep time and not tired/restless. Do all your meal prep on Sunday and go to gym right after work, drink a coffee, lift, home,eat, relax , sleep. Switch to full body workouts, that way every other day is a rest day and you still hit every body part, 3 times a week. Works for me with my crazy schedule.
 
You mentioned an excessively long commute. Is that primarily from distance or traffic? When I had a 50 minute commute I found a GYM near my work and just hit it right after work. By the time I was done with the GYM my 50 minute commute was down to 20 minutes without the 5:00 PM traffic. That does mean you have to pack clothes and food to last you the whole day, but I personally can't go home after work or I never make it back out to the GYM, so it works for me.

Also, most GYM should have a shower you can hit there to save time.
 
PILL said:
You mentioned an excessively long commute. Is that primarily from distance or traffic? When I had a 50 minute commute I found a GYM near my work and just hit it right after work. By the time I was done with the GYM my 50 minute commute was down to 20 minutes without the 5:00 PM traffic. That does mean you have to pack clothes and food to last you the whole day, but I personally can't go home after work or I never make it back out to the GYM, so it works for me.

Also, most GYM should have a shower you can hit there to save time.
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Yah that's my reasoning for gyming by work too, cut lots of time off my commute because of traffic. If i got really dirty at work,I'd just shower when i got to gym and then again after workout.
 
Check out the topic of the week thread on overtraining, and some Mentzer stuff. Frankly, it sounds as if we are in somewhat similar boats....I sleep a little more each night, but don't get to sleep in on weekends at all. You are dead on that rest is a huge part of the equation.

If this were me, I would take 2 weeks off from training, catch up on some sleep, and then get back at it, working out on two of the days between Friday-Sunday when you can rest, and 1 day between Monday-Thursday.

I say to take time off because it sounds like you are constantly trying to catch up on sleep without giving anywhere else. Get back to normal and then get back at it...why even bother going to the gym if you aren't getting anything for it? Once you have recovered/reset/whatever you wanna call it, workout in a smarter fashion. I don't mean smarter as an insult to you, I'm sure you're being smart - but you have to reorganize/prioritize things.
 
HIT4ME said:
Check out the topic of the week thread on overtraining, and some Mentzer stuff. Frankly, it sounds as if we are in somewhat similar boats....I sleep a little more each night, but don't get to sleep in on weekends at all. You are dead on that rest is a huge part of the equation.

If this were me, I would take 2 weeks off from training, catch up on some sleep, and then get back at it, working out on two of the days between Friday-Sunday when you can rest, and 1 day between Monday-Thursday.

I say to take time off because it sounds like you are constantly trying to catch up on sleep without giving anywhere else. Get back to normal and then get back at it...why even bother going to the gym if you aren't getting anything for it? Once you have recovered/reset/whatever you wanna call it, workout in a smarter fashion. I don't mean smarter as an insult to you, I'm sure you're being smart - but you have to reorganize/prioritize things.
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This might just be the best option.

I remember reading some research that had a convincing argument for taking a substantial amount of time off weights.

Upon return, gains were more like that of a newbie...fast & hard, with a corresponding breaking of PRs.

I'll see if I can find that this week. On my phone right now.
 
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