Trouble sleeping after long rides

nuddmann · Post by **nuddmann** » 29 May 2017, 9:21am

Hi folks I'm new to the forum.

Just wondering if anyone else struggles to have good night's sleep after a long or demanding ride. Last week I did a mtb sportive that was around 3&1/2 hours riding. Yesterday I did 55 on my road bike, which was just a bit less time wise.
It's completely counter intuitive but I really struggle to get a decent night's sleep after these rides. I would have thought I'd be out for the count all night!!
My eating and drinking was spot on yesterday so I don't think it's that. Any ideas?

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

axel_knutt · Post by **axel_knutt** » 29 May 2017, 9:46am

Yes, I did it for decades.

I'd get into bed and be out like a light as soon as my head touched the pillow, but then wake up again about half an hour later. I'd then feel hot, thirsty, and as restless as if I'd consumed half a ton of caffeine. It's caused by overtraining, be careful you don't push it until you develop overtraining syndrome.

John1054 · Post by **John1054** » 29 May 2017, 10:57am

I've had difficulty sleeping after long cycle rides, but not after long walks. Never really understood this; always been careful over nutrition and hydration?

raj · Post by **raj** » 29 May 2017, 11:00am

This happens to me pretty much every time. 75 miles yesterday on club run at a pace I was uncomfortable with should have been more than enough to ensure a good nights sleep but it didn't happen. It's mostly a feeling of being unable to find a position that's comfortable, presumably some form of muscle/joint perception issue. I just accept it and put up with it. I've never heard of "overtraining syndrome" before but it sounds interesting (http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/overtraining.html) but most of the information out there refers to athletes on regular exercise regimes not recreational cyclists on occasional day rides. Not sure how applicable it is to us.

Heltor Chasca · Post by **Heltor Chasca** » 29 May 2017, 11:02am

I get this too. I also get it after a long drive. Could it be the hyper-stimulation the brain goes through and then struggles to switch off?

My next experiment will be to see what happens to me on a 155km night Audax (Dartmoor Ghost)

John1054 · Post by **John1054** » 29 May 2017, 11:05am

Heltor Chasca wrote:I get this too. I also get it after a long drive. Could it be the hyper-stimulation the brain goes through and then struggles to switch off?

I think that this is the most likely cause, although I feel the same type of tiredness after cycling as walking, perhaps it's different parts of the brain involved?

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 29 May 2017, 11:08am

Hi,
As some one who suffered chronic insomnia in my youth, and after shingles I am back to 3-3.5 hrs a night sleep even when I stay up till my eyes drop.

Too hot in the bedroom as you heat up as you go to sleep so that might be a problem it is for me and if you have exercised in the day your metabolism runs on high even for several days after.

I have been sleeping under or in a sleeping bag for the last three years, if you heat up you only need to put your feet out or and knees even shoulder to regulate without disturbing your partner

You will also find that a sleeping bag in winter comes up to temperature that is comfortable very quickly compared to any other bed clothing, I don't wear pyjamas either, they make you sweat and then you go cold.

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 29 May 2017, 11:11am

Hi,

Heltor Chasca wrote:I get this too. I also get it after a long drive. Could it be the hyper-stimulation the brain goes through and then struggles to switch off?

My next experiment will be to see what happens to me on a 155km night Audax (Dartmoor Ghost)

Night riding will really screw you up

Its the effects of light in eyes which bring on sleep, just finished a day / night ride once and when it got light I started to fall to sleep

Edited-
That's my stomping ground, that audax looks really good fun, free breaky and a slice of pizza

Kevin organises the Dartmoor devil too so its a top event, 1ST of june blimey I could do that..........do I want to.........

Entrys closed, I could always crash it

June or july :?:

Heltor Chasca · Post by **Heltor Chasca** » 29 May 2017, 11:36am

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
Heltor Chasca wrote:I get this too. I also get it after a long drive. Could it be the hyper-stimulation the brain goes through and then struggles to switch off?

My next experiment will be to see what happens to me on a 155km night Audax (Dartmoor Ghost)

Night riding will really screw you up
Its the effects of light in eyes which bring on sleep, just finished a day / night ride once and when it got light I started to fall to sleep

Edited-
That's my stomping ground, that audax looks really good fun, free breaky and a slice of pizza Kevin organises the Dartmoor devil too so its a top event, 1ST of june blimey I could do that..........do I want to......... Entrys closed, I could always crash it

June or july

July 1st. Entries still open on AUK. See you there [emoji6]

NATURAL ANKLING · Post by **NATURAL ANKLING** » 29 May 2017, 12:11pm

Hi,
Route card said 1st june 2017.

Dartmoor Classic is 2ND July And I was meant to crash that

Heltor Chasca · Post by **Heltor Chasca** » 29 May 2017, 12:41pm

Confucius reigns http://www.aukweb.net/events/

nuddmann · Post by **nuddmann** » 29 May 2017, 1:28pm

Heltor Chasca wrote:I get this too. I also get it after a long drive. Could it be the hyper-stimulation the brain goes through and then struggles to switch off?

My next experiment will be to see what happens to me on a 155km night Audax (Dartmoor Ghost)

More than likely. I get the same problem if I've done a particularly hard circuit training class. Gentle rides out with my other half tend to make me sleep well so it must have something to do with over stimulation plus it's really hard to get comfy!!

I have also found over the many years I've been exercising that a hard session makes me impossible hot at night. Even in the winter I have to open the windows and put the fan on!!

I'm a trendy consumer. Just look at my wobbly bog brush using hovercraft full of eels

hamster · Post by **hamster** » 30 May 2017, 2:23pm

Check if any drinks or nutrition contained caffeine.

I need an hour to wind down at the very least after riding - even when i go out on my MTB at night.

Post by **Vorpal** » 30 May 2017, 2:53pm

I find a hot bath before bed helps.

ChrisOntLancs · Post by **ChrisOntLancs** » 30 May 2017, 3:10pm

yeah for some reason my brain just doesn't shut off.

if you use any laptops, tablets, watch tv or anything like that while you recover, wear yellow tinted glasses as the blue from the screen causes some.. biology stuff i don't really understand fully. anyway... blue light bad yellow light good. there's actually an application called f.lux that automatically adjusts your screen display in accordance with the cycle of natural light.

for a long time i worked my considerable behind off in a warehouse, cycled fifteen miles home wanting to just drop, check my emails before bed and BAM i'm wide awake. i don't know if there's anything to this, but the more active i am during the day seems to worsen this.

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