Sleep

I miss sleep. I miss sleep a lot.

Now, I obviously don't mean by that that I am completely sleepless. In fact I currently sleep a lot more than I have done for about the last four years!* What I mean is that I miss a certain type of sleep. Let me try and explain...

I usually have a look at my kids on my way up to bed of an evening (just to check they are ok) and I am often more than a little envious of their incredibly deep, dreamless sleep. This is a type of sleep that you can really only achieve when you are young. I think it comes with having no worries or cares in the world. Now I am definitely not one of lifes worriers and I am fortunate to have a very happy, comfortable life most of the time. I don't lead a stressless existance but I am no finger nail biter either. However, gradually as one grows up and takes on responsibilites (especially having kids) your lifestyle and your thought processes inevitably change. I think this definitely has an effect on your sleep patterns.

I have always needed a lot of sleep. I have always been an early to bed man (story goes that I used to ask my Mum not to tell my mates what time I went to bed). As a youngster, nine hours or so was the norm. Now I would quite happily still sleep eight hours a night (ideally - like my kids - with an early night and early start, the best time of the day). The big difference though is that whereas when I was younger you could have hit me on the head with a brick and I wouldn't have woken up, now I sleep much more fitfully. It is not unusual for me to take a while to nod off, or to wake two to three times during the night. This is not aided by the fact that I suffer from a condition known as restless legs (google it).

Also, one thing I have started to notice recently is that with the increased volume of training I am doing, I am going to have to pay more attention to "recovery". It sounds daft but I can see that there is a need to just sit on my backside sometimes and obviously to try and maximise my shut eye. There have been a few mornings recently when I have woken and realised straight away that I am short of the required amount. If I don't watch out, this could affect my training. With that, I am off for a lie down...

Take care and happy snoozing,

Col.

*I have a 3yr old and a 1yr old, both of whom now sleep through the night (in their own beds) and are generally great sleepers but this has not always been the case and they have both had a love for early mornings since they were born. 5 am has not been an unusual start time in our house for the last few years, now at least we usually make it to 6am!