Which is more important for growth/recovery: FOOD or REST?

[roidpuple]

a 6 year study done by the University of California, completed
in 2002, revealed that people who slept less than 8 hours actually lived longer! Up
until this experiment (which involved 1.1 million participants), there were many
conflicting beliefs about whether sleeping less was more health beneficial. Many
would argue that sleeping more was actually more beneficial. Both sides of the
argument had experimental data to prove their theories. However, none of the
previous experiments were carried out with such a large group of people over this
long of a period of time. Many people die due to other circumstances, which have
nothing to do with how long they sleep.
How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

 

[Madcow2]

If nothing else this thread has turned into a great resource on sleep. I'll have to take some time to digest it all but this kind of illustrates the value of discussion forums. They bring out a lot of knowledge and provide a searchable repository (at least when it isn't a poll over the best exercise to build the peak of a bicept or some such crap). Karma to everyone I can give it to (which means a most of you probably won't get it unfortunately).

 

[b fold the truth]

Maing, that's a lot of calories. Can you post a typical days diet please? Thanks.

My meals mix and match. I make most everything in the morning and make sure that it is gone by the time I go to bed.
1/2 package of pasta
1-2 125gram bags of white rice
3 Liters of whole fresh milk
2-3 pounds of fresh pork (mostly ground pork)
1/4 to 1/2 pound chicken breast
2-6 scoops of prot powder with extra virgin olive oil added
oatmeal added to prot shake
1 bowl of honey oats cereal (lol)
1-4 glasses of Orange Juice
A salad (usually with lunch and the family)

The main thing is to take in the 2-3.5 pounds of meat a day.

B True

 

[Mithrandir]

I say drop it--people are different, some can get a great night's sleep on 5 hours, some need 7, some need 10.

 

[b fold the truth]

I say drop it--people are different, some can get a great night's sleep on 5 hours, some need 7, some need 10.

Not pointing anything out to you or making a comment TO you at all...just wanted to point this out a little.

Everyone that I know who is a VERY large person continues to stress to me that they MUST get 8-10 hours of sleep a night, EVERY night as well as eating LOTS of kcals. A good friend of mine told me that as a contest gets closer (strongman) and he is training REALLY heavy...he gets 10-12 hours of sleep every single night...has to in order to recover.

The body WILL adapt. It will not grow to it's full potential as long as you are not eating or sleeping enough.

B True

 

[casualbb]

Hmm... I could live longer if I was on a permanent diet... but where's the fun in that

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Too many variables to nail it down so simply as to say getting that extra 1.5 hours of sleep killed those people earlier. Please, don't even pull out these random studies. I can make a case study that proves most anything, so that really doesn't say much for your arguement. As B said, anecdotally, people seem to need more sleep as their activity level increases.

Now, I can maybe agree with you, if we're talking regular individuals who don't exercise, or work desk jobs. These people might need less sleep, and function just fine.

At the same time, you have people who are depressed sleeping longer, but I can relate to that. I've been down that road, and never bothered with medication. I hate that shit, to be honest. Regardless, my input would be that depressed people sleep because it takes them away from reality. When you're miserable in the world around you, why not sleep? I'm pretty sure that's why depressed people sleep more.

 

[roidpuple]

Too many variables to nail it down so simply as to say getting that extra 1.5 hours of sleep killed those people earlier. Please, don't even pull out these random studies. I can make a case study that proves most anything, so that really doesn't say much for your arguement. As B said, anecdotally, people seem to need more sleep as their activity level increases.

Now, I can maybe agree with you, if we're talking regular individuals who don't exercise, or work desk jobs. These people might need less sleep, and function just fine.

At the same time, you have people who are depressed sleeping longer, but I can relate to that. I've been down that road, and never bothered with medication. I hate that shit, to be honest. Regardless, my input would be that depressed people sleep because it takes them away from reality. When you're miserable in the world around you, why not sleep? I'm pretty sure that's why depressed people sleep more.

Well You jumped down my throat.. so i just tried to explain myself.. and that is what i believe.. because of my own experience... I dont know why you were so negative.. so quick... I mean shit we are here to talk and learn hear peoples ideas... you gave me the red. and said.. I was full of "stupid shit" I hope at least you understand my point.. but it is hard to just tell little facts.. with out writing a book... I agree you can find studies on both cases.. so it is kinda silly... but know for a fact this improved my mood and energy level... and the few people that i have suggested it to have felt the same... so that is all i can say.. I just hate to see people trying to sleep 10-12 hrs a day.. so much time.. doing nothing... and i feel great sleeping half the time... in two days.. i have gained a whole extra day...

,

 

[blut wump]

A few sleep oddities from my own experience:
1) I've gone 96 hours without sleep while programming for a deadline. After the first day or two I had to resort to bits of paper for short-term memory. I remember at the end being asked whether I was finished and my answer was that I had no idea but my buglist was empty so probably I was finsihed. I then slept 8 hours and was awake for a further 24 after that. My sleeping went back to normal almost straight away.

2) As a baby, apparently, I slept only 5 hours a night. In desperation my parents spoke with their doctor since they were losing sleep due to my being up all night. He suggested they keep me awake until they went to bed so that they could get at least as much sleep as I did.

3) I once went a week and a half on 2-3 hours sleep a night. When I got back home I slept for 12 hours straight, got up had a meal, slept anothr 9 straight.

4) For another deadline I once went for a whole month just getting by on 2-hour catnaps. I'd wake feeling grotty but fully alert. It was another time in my life when I kind of lost contact with my surroundings but could be intensely focussed on immediate tasks.

5) I once spent a while sleeping 10 hours a day but in two 5-hour sessions from 7-12 morning and night. I felt great.

6) At three-day gaming weekends I found I could go without sleep so long as I was focussed on a game. Between games I would be just passing out but joining a fresh game would bring me back to what felt like full alertness.

7) Until I was around 40 ish I would almost always sleep an odd number of hours (except for #4) after that age I've found I typically sleep an even number of hours, usually 6 or 8 but sometimes only 4. I don't like getting only 4 and it'll usually result in needing a siesta or a powernap.

 

[JKurz1]

I get at least 8 hours every night.....HOWEVER, the first 4, I wake up for at least 5 mins every hour either to piss or just because.......I'm thinking it's because I'm still jacked from training only a few hours before.........f-ing up my gains?