Are You Getting Enough?

If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know that I have a love-hate relationship with my Garmin, the amazing device I wear on my wrist that lets me know precisely just how many steps I’m getting in at any given moment as well as how many hours of sleep I’m getting. I’ll be the first to hold my hand up and say I absolutely love stats but I do feel they have a time and place and they’re definitely not something to obsess over.

That being said, there was a period of time not too long ago where my lovely little (or perhaps big in some peoples eyes) wrist buddy was making me very aware of my lack of sleep. Some nights I was only squeezing in a mere 3-4 hours before waking again only to repeat my sins the following night. I survived on caffeine and a drive of adrenaline to somehow keep on going, to keep doing the things I needed to do to keep everything ticking over. I really don’t condone this in any way shape or form.

This was at a point where The 5am Club seemed to become a trend (my lack of sleep was no attempt to be part of it), but lately I feel it’s perhaps being taken to the extreme. I’m seeing people slowly setting their alarm earlier with the aim to wake up at 4am and mostly recently I’ve even seen 3am. The sad thing is, I find this trend to mainly be women trying to make that bit of extra time for themselves or to simply squeeze everything in. Getting up earlier does sound appealing, there’s something about the idea that feels productive and like you’ve got things figured out before the rest of the world has even woken up but sleep is sooo important in so many ways, girls!

Sleep is especially important for women, it matters more than people realise. We’ve got our hormones to think about along with training, recovery and stress. They’re all closely tied to how well (and how much) you sleep. If we don’t sleep, our energy dips and our workouts feel heavier than they should. Even our motivation to workout or go about our daily lives in general can be affected.

Most women need somewhere around 7-9 hours of sleep per night and this needs to be consistent - joining The 5am Club as a part timer isn’t an option 😜. Not gonna lie, I’m not the poster child for this, but that’s because I also don’t believe in being so regimented and strict with our routines that life becomes unenjoyable. It’s nice to break the rules sometimes! I’ve seen some amazing sunrises and sunsets because of this, but in general it’s best to stick to the same sleep and wake times. As a rule of thumb, you don’t want to be sleeping in any extra than an hour on the weekends either, as this can disrupt our circadian rhythm.

There’s also a difference between waking up early and waking up naturally. Your body is designed to wake with light. Daylight gradually signals that it’s time to be alert and to start moving. When you’re waking up in the dark to an alarm, this cuts sleep short and it’s a different experience. I know this isn’t easy in winter, and maybe that’s why it can feel so much harder - not to mention the cold 🥶, but we can help ourselves as much as possible by sticking to the same timings each day.

I’ve already touched on how sleep impacts your training and recovery, and I’m sure you can agree a morning workout doesn’t quite hit the same after a late night. It can feel so much harder, like you’re having to push through and be your own cheerleader. You’ve probably noticed how your recovery takes a hit too. You don’t bounce back in the same way, the DOMs are DOMMING and you’re looking like a mad woman trying to navigate the stairs (IYKYK).

You’d be forgiven for thinking lack of sleep doesn’t affect hiking in any capacity, but it does. Sure, a walk around the block or a slow stroll might not be difficult, but tackling a day in the mountains on sleep rations isn’t the best - trust me, I’ve been there. You need your awareness and focus here to navigate uneven ground without resulting in a twisted ankle. When you’re tired, you’re a little slower to respond and a little less aware of your footing.

So, should we be joining The 5am Club? For some people, yes. But you must make sure you’re going to bed early enough to support it, ladies. In time, if you go to bed early, you’ll more than likely naturally wake early and feel good doing it. But forcing yourself into a 5am routine at the expense of sleep? Nah. Something usually has to give, and it shouldn’t be your sleep. I’m all for it if you can get those 7-9 hours in but it might be more useful to ask:

Am I getting enough sleep to actually feel good, train well, and recover properly?

In focusing on how you feel when you wake, you’ll probably find your own personal timings, even if that means slightly shifting to an earlier bed time.

I’m genuinely curious (if a little nosey) about your sleep and wake times - let me know below!

L x