Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Intermittent Sleeping

The Crossfit "cool kids" are following this interesting way of eating called Intermittent Fasting. Basically, you decide on a specific "eating window" and only eat within that window - say 9 hours in a day. Or alternatively, you eat for 24 hours and you don't eat for 24 hours. I tried the 9 hour window thing and it sucked (see other posts) I've been on an eating program by Advocare right now, so I haven't been "zoning" or "if'ing" of anything in particular. however the Metabolic Nutrition System eating plan that I am following is about 16 blocks minus some fat and carb blocks. The IF idea made me curious and so now I'm trying my own new thing: "intermittent sleeping". In "Lights Out" TS Wiley talks about circadian rhythms, and sleeping about 9.5 hours a day. Sure, I agree on the science and I agree that I feel great when i do sleep that much... if only I could get paid to sleep. I should ask T.S. Wiley to send me money for "sleep studies" or something. SO anwyay, apparently all the good stuff happens in the deeper sleep states. so then is 3 horus of sleep on one night and 9 hours on the next night better than 6 and 6 ? I dunno, let's find out.

The good:
-on the 3 hour sleep day, I'm up late at night and making myself do stuff, which has actually proven to be highly effective because at 3 am there really are not many disctractions.
-Also, I managed to get a bunch of my non work stuff done.
- I get to really test out the efficacy of "energy drinks" because my energy level is really really low, I'm sore all over and I have a general "heavy" feeling.
- the mind is focused due there not being enough energy for "background" processing.
- appetite is curbed in general so time isn't wasted on preparing or eating food.
- going out in the sun woke me up considerably

The bad:
- I want to eat sugar all the time.
- I don't want to drink water
- I am not craving protien at all
- it's hard to workout on the 3 hour day.
- Some uncontrollable bouts of sleepiness


.... more info coming soon on the 9 hour night if there is one.