Sleep
 

I need eight hours. But I can't get more than six after a medium to high effort ride, and later in the day I end up having to take a nap of an hour or two to make up for the lost sleep. I find this rather annoying.

Is this just part of getting old? My dad is 75, and that's what he says. I'm not interested in pharmaceutical options, but I'd love to know if anyone has any tricks up their sleeve.

My sleep is disturbed after a hard or long effort, but I believe that is only because I have a hard time regulating my body temperature (Age 36). I'm usually too hot and can't get comfortable enough to relax. Later on, I tend to cool off and wake up cold. I make an effort to perform my harder efforts earlier in the day(ie, mornings). Saturday mornings can be chilly, but it gives my metabolism a chance to even out before I sleep at night.

Try melatonin.

Melatonin for Sleep: Hormone and Supplement Effects on Sleep

From what I understand, the less you take, the better the effect. I currently take about 2.5mg. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not it works, but perhaps I haven't found the right dose.

I will say that after I take some, about 30 minutes later, I do feel a little sedated / sleepy. However, I will still wake up, from time-to-time, at 3am. Doc said to take another 2.5mg then.

YMMV.

I've noticed that I sleep like a baby if I do a ride earlier in the day. Which is terrific, but that ain't happening too often. 99% of my riding is between 6 and 9 pm, and that's not going to change.

I'm thinking that may be the issue. Your body hasn't "come down" from the exercise.

Beth makes sure I sleep like a baby.

Any evening ride under 45minutes I can sleep normally (intensity seems not to matter), more than that I'm screwed.

I usually go to bed at 7pm and wake up at 5am then bike a few hours, I take naps in the day time and it doesn't effect my sleep (28 years old).

You sleep 10 hours and take naps?? Holy cow. You're asleep like half your life.

That's an odd name for a hand

Regardless of age, my sleep has been disturbed after an unusually hard day of physical exertion. By unusually hard day, I mean something well beyond what I was accustomed to doing at the time.

As I've aged (now 69) I've noticed that I need less sleep. I get about 6 hrs. But, as always in my life, when I hit the pillow I am sound asleep in minutes. Riding doesn't seem to affect my need or ability to sleep.

I used to play tennis with a foursome indoors at night on weeknights. We played from 8:30-10 PM. It was horrible trying to sleep after that. It took me hours to wind down. Riding from 6-9 PM is really not a good idea from a daily biorhythm point of view. Ya gotta do whatcha gotta do, but sleep will be a problem as you have found out. Perhaps TM after riding and before bed would help if you are dead set against a pharmaceutical solution. Something as innocuous as Benadryl antihistamine might be all you need. That is what is in many OTC sleep aids.

Regardless of age, if I'm pushing hard, I usually pass out cold until something or someone wakes me up. When people found out I climb bigwall, the second question they always asked me is "How to you sleep on a portaledge?" The answer is "I just passed out quickly".

If you look at a computer screen in the evening, use the program Flux at justgetflux.com. It takes the blue light out of the display to allow your natural melatonin levels to rise. I sleep better and take less time after installing it. I went from 8 hours to 6 hours, sometimes 5 hours.

Well you do sleep less as you get old, but it's not uncommon to not sleep so well after a ride. Maybe try doing it earlier in the day.

Is your problem not being able to get to sleep, not staying asleep or both?

If I don't get hard exercise regularly, that is when my sleep is disturbed.

The longer and harder the ride, the harder and longer I will sleep.

If I go a week without any serious training, I will then start bordering on insomnia.

When I cycle, it's usually done by 5pm - so there's no problem with calming down before I go to sleep at 10:30. I used to go to grappling classes at night and on occasion I would be amped up when I tried to sleep 2 or 3 hours later, but that was not the usual.

Not to hijack the thread, but I wonder if the OP solved the wheel issue he was having.

I do indeed spend way too many hours in front of a computer screen, right up until I go to bed. This sounds like an interesting program. Thanks for the suggestion.

I've updated that thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...ur-wheels.html.