I ride between 25 and 30 miles before dawn during the week which means I get up at 4 AM and need to do this due to my work schedule. Towards the end of the week I can get very fatigued due accumilated sleep deprivation and sometimes may take a day off--usually Friday. I try to ride 30-40 miles on each weekend day and do one interval and one hill training ride per week.

Now I get that I should take a rest day but why do I feel so out of sorts and crabby? I feel its because I miss my ride and the stress reducer it is for me particularly as my job is very high stress. I sometimes crosstrain or do some brief HIIT workouts on the rest day but if I sleep in a bit I simply don't have time for any extended workouts so might as well get up and ride.

Any advice from someone in similar circumstances--FYI I am 64 but fit although a little over weight-although I am losing that as I continue to ride and diet