An Ultra Running Parent’s Anecdotal Guide to Sleep… or Lack of.
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An Ultra Running Parent’s Anecdotal Guide to Sleep… or Lack of.By Coach Chad Hetrick I’m not a doctor. This is not medical or sleep advice. Talk to a doctor if you can’t sleep. It could be something serious…. Sunday 8:22 PM – Put 2 year old daughter to bed. Sunday 8:30 PM – 6 year old son goes to bed. Sunday 9:00 PMish – in bed and asleep to get ready for a big week of running and work. Sunday 11:42 PM – 2 year old wakes up screaming and I attempt to console her. Sunday 11:55 PM – All attempts at consoling fail. Throw kid in our bed and back to sleep. Monday 1:08 AM – Can’t sleep w/ kid kicking me. Take 2 year old back to her bed. Success! Monday 1:10 AM – 3:00 AM Just can’t sleep now. No reason. Scroll aimlessly on X. Monday 3:00 AM – Asleep!! Monday 4:00 AM – Morning alarm goes off. Time to run! Nope… not happening. I’m sure this scenario or a variation of it sounds familiar to some of you. Well, a few weeks ago I had a couple friends ask me how I manage my sleep. I assume they asked since most of my runs start between 4:00 and 5:30 AM. Let me state for the record that I’m not a great sleeper. Add young kids on top of that and it’s a real challenge. There are so many variables that go into getting a good night’s sleep, I think many people give up and assume it’s just not possible. They might be right to a certain extent. National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends adults get 7 – 9 hours of sleep and states: Adults who sleep less than seven hours a night may have more health issues than those who sleep seven or more hours a night. Seven hours of sleep a night is where I set my baseline. Do I get seven hours of sleep every night?.. Heck no, but over the last few years, I’ve somehow averaged 7 hours and 44 minutes of sleep per night. Some nights it’s 5 hours, other nights it’s 9 hours. The amount of sleep needed can vary on the person, but ultimately if you’re averaging less than 7 hours of sleep every night, you’re not performing at your best. One key to getting adequate sleep is a strict time to be in bed. Easy math will tell you that if you’re in bed at midnight and wake up at 5:00, the most sleep you can get is 5 hours. Bedtime should stay consistent within 30 minutes… every night of the week. When so many other variables are out of your control, you CAN control your bedtime! However, time in bed does not always equal total sleep. I find on average my total sleep time is an hour less than time in bed. Naps!!! Napping is great if you can fit one in during the day. I could not survive without my 30–45-minute lunch naps. Find a dark quiet place at home or work and just lie down. Maybe put up a sign that says “Not dead, just napping” or something similar so you don’t startle coworkers. So when and how do we decide to hit the ground running or smash the snooze button? This is a tough question. I believe a little bit of training while sleep-deprived is good, so you know what it feels like in the late stages of a 100+ mile race. Also, it depends on what workout you have set for the day. A key workout or long run is more important to complete than a 30 – 60-minute recovery run. If you find yourself sleep deprived and just can’t get a run completed, adjust your schedule to prioritize the important sessions. Ultramarathon training is hard but having a coach to guide you through challenges helps immensely. They can see through the sleep-deprived brain fog and guide you to make good training decisions. Coach Chad P.S. If you're looking to run your first or furthest ultra or just looking to take your running to the next level, we'd love to chat with you about it! Click here to learn more! |
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