Help! not enough sleep

Scott Joyce · 04-13-2006, 04:20 PM

i work as a firefighter and being in a busy area i am usually up 24 hrs or close to a couple times of week. usually avg. 5 hrs on normal days and 8 on great days(rarely). I have heard a lot about cortisol and lack of sleep probs. as well as how to eat when working all day and night.

does anybody ahve any recommendations that i should be doing to help my body i.e. supplements, food during the night etc.

thanks a lot

Roger Harrell · 04-13-2006, 04:48 PM

Yeah, sleep more. If your life prohibits it, then you're going to have to deal with the negative effects. Period. Sure good nutrition/exercise and so forth will help buffer, but you're gonna get slammed overall due to lack of sleep. I've been there. I'm there a little bit now. Do whatever you can to sleep enough.

Scott Joyce · 04-13-2006, 04:57 PM

thanks roger, im trying to work on egtting some of that lined out, but right now it's pretty unavoidable. thanks for the words. do you take any supplements to help with that. i heard cortisol is good for lack of sleep

Charlie Jackson · 04-14-2006, 12:52 AM

i heard cortisol is good for lack of sleep

Cortisol is a hormone that is produced when your body is under stress. It's not something that is good for lack of sleep.

http://www.ellipticalhome.com/cortisol-article.html

Michael J. Joyce · 04-14-2006, 01:15 AM

Scott,

LEO with similar issues. Just to echo what Roger says, there are ways we can cope... exercise, proper nutrition, but the bottom line is we are going to get worked. That is until fires and criminals only show up during daylight hours.

David Wood · 04-14-2006, 08:35 AM

Re: Supplements: Consider L5HTP . . . precursor to serotonin (neurotransmitter associated with feelings of well-being and relaxation). Take at "bedtime".

Not sure what happens with it if you get woken up 2 hours into your sleep cycle. I tend to get 6 hours / night, but it's "regular" (11:30-5:30) and the L5HTP seems to make those 6 hours more restorative.

Do not take more than 100mg / day, however. There is such a thing as "serotonin poisoning" which can occur at higher doses of the L5HTP. In fact, I would recommend starting at the lowest dose available (probably 25mg) and increasing slowly to see if you get any benefit without side effects.

Jibreel Freeland · 04-14-2006, 09:02 AM

If you're only getting that much sleep you IMO you should not be doing crossfit daily.

Also, I read in the following article that 5HTP may not be all that desireable.

http://raypeat.com/articles/aging/tr...in-aging.shtml

Jeremy Jones · 04-14-2006, 09:09 AM

I run on a lack of sleep pretty much all the time. It is my choice and I live with it.

Some of the stuff I do:

Contrast Showers before bed, especially after working out.

Naps, never more than 30 - 40 minutes

I take a generic ZMA suppliment (Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium) before bed

Fish Oil capsules all day

Naps

I only use caffine when I NEED it (about 3-4x per week)

and. . . Naps.

Do you think this lack of sleep affects your short term memory? AND what do you think about sleep affecting your short term memory?

David Wood · 04-14-2006, 09:10 AM

Sheez. I'm going to have to spend some time with that one. I've had no (noticeable) negative effects from L5HTP supplementation . . . just sounder sleep and overall improved "morale".

I don't have an LEO or firefighter's level of stress, but my job (like most folks' today) has a fair amount of inbuilt stress, and the L5HTP seems to help me manage better. But that article certainly gives one pause. I'm going to have to follow up on those references.

Jibreel Freeland · 04-14-2006, 11:14 AM

Yeah...pretty crazy article. Ray Peat's website has given me pause about alot of stuff since I was turned on to it recently.

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04-13-2006, 04:20 PM	#1
Scott Joyce Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Houston TX Posts: 19	i work as a firefighter and being in a busy area i am usually up 24 hrs or close to a couple times of week. usually avg. 5 hrs on normal days and 8 on great days(rarely). I have heard a lot about cortisol and lack of sleep probs. as well as how to eat when working all day and night. does anybody ahve any recommendations that i should be doing to help my body i.e. supplements, food during the night etc. thanks a lot

04-13-2006, 04:48 PM	#2
Roger Harrell Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Rafael CA Posts: 2,318	Yeah, sleep more. If your life prohibits it, then you're going to have to deal with the negative effects. Period. Sure good nutrition/exercise and so forth will help buffer, but you're gonna get slammed overall due to lack of sleep. I've been there. I'm there a little bit now. Do whatever you can to sleep enough.

04-13-2006, 04:57 PM	#3
Scott Joyce Member Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Houston TX Posts: 19	thanks roger, im trying to work on egtting some of that lined out, but right now it's pretty unavoidable. thanks for the words. do you take any supplements to help with that. i heard cortisol is good for lack of sleep

04-14-2006, 12:52 AM	#4
Charlie Jackson Banned Profile: Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Santa Carlos New Mexico Posts: 204	i heard cortisol is good for lack of sleep Cortisol is a hormone that is produced when your body is under stress. It's not something that is good for lack of sleep. http://www.ellipticalhome.com/cortisol-article.html

04-14-2006, 01:15 AM	#5
Michael J. Joyce Member Profile: Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Hereford Arizona Posts: 204	Scott, LEO with similar issues. Just to echo what Roger says, there are ways we can cope... exercise, proper nutrition, but the bottom line is we are going to get worked. That is until fires and criminals only show up during daylight hours.

04-14-2006, 08:35 AM	#6
David Wood Departed Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,303	Re: Supplements: Consider L5HTP . . . precursor to serotonin (neurotransmitter associated with feelings of well-being and relaxation). Take at "bedtime". Not sure what happens with it if you get woken up 2 hours into your sleep cycle. I tend to get 6 hours / night, but it's "regular" (11:30-5:30) and the L5HTP seems to make those 6 hours more restorative. Do not take more than 100mg / day, however. There is such a thing as "serotonin poisoning" which can occur at higher doses of the L5HTP. In fact, I would recommend starting at the lowest dose available (probably 25mg) and increasing slowly to see if you get any benefit without side effects.

04-14-2006, 09:02 AM	#7
Jibreel Freeland Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 548	If you're only getting that much sleep you IMO you should not be doing crossfit daily. Also, I read in the following article that 5HTP may not be all that desireable. http://raypeat.com/articles/aging/tr...in-aging.shtml

04-14-2006, 09:09 AM	#8
Jeremy Jones Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Concord Ca Posts: 1,218	I run on a lack of sleep pretty much all the time. It is my choice and I live with it. Some of the stuff I do: Contrast Showers before bed, especially after working out. Naps, never more than 30 - 40 minutes I take a generic ZMA suppliment (Zinc, Magnesium, Calcium) before bed Fish Oil capsules all day Naps I only use caffine when I NEED it (about 3-4x per week) and. . . Naps. Do you think this lack of sleep affects your short term memory? AND what do you think about sleep affecting your short term memory?

04-14-2006, 09:10 AM	#9
David Wood Departed Profile: Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,303	Sheez. I'm going to have to spend some time with that one. I've had no (noticeable) negative effects from L5HTP supplementation . . . just sounder sleep and overall improved "morale". I don't have an LEO or firefighter's level of stress, but my job (like most folks' today) has a fair amount of inbuilt stress, and the L5HTP seems to help me manage better. But that article certainly gives one pause. I'm going to have to follow up on those references.

04-14-2006, 11:14 AM	#10
Jibreel Freeland Member Profile: Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Seattle WA Posts: 548	Yeah...pretty crazy article. Ray Peat's website has given me pause about alot of stuff since I was turned on to it recently.