bob r

iTrader: (46)

Does anyone else lead a life as hectic as mine? I'm starting to get concerned it could send me to an early grave.

I think a main part of my problem is the lack of sleep I get (generally 5-6 hrs).
I work shifts, which doesn't help, which means I am often up at 5am, straight to the gym, then start work at 7am. This often leaves me absolutely goosed while at work and the drive home can be hard work, being that tired.

When I do a night shift, I find it hard to sleep more than 5 hrs and if the sun is shining then I am up, doing something again. Then off to the gym prior to my shift.
If I am not washing and waxing 1 of 3 cars, then I am mowing the 3 lawns or cleaning the house, occupying the children, trying to keep the wife sweet (which is very very hard) or sat infront of the laptop filling my tired brain with Subaru related nonsense. It doesnt help that I have recenly aquired an older Impreza that needs quite a bit of tlc which again is time consuming.

One of my other talents is DIY. I moved house last year and in that time I have completely changed the interior of the house, fitting a complete new bathroom (and tiling) and wood flooring throughout aswell as all the decor, top to bottom.

I am constantly clock watching in order that I can fit something else worthwhile into my day, otherwise I feel like i'm wasting time. 24 hrs just isn't enough for me.

I feel I neglect my family/friends and don't get to see them enough so it is often a quick chat on the phone, all the while clock watching again so I am not late for what ever I am doing next.

Am I overdoing it a little or is this life in 2008?

Herbie.

Chill out man! lol

To hell with gym 5am!!!

TopBanana

Better than sitting on your **** all day, but I find I do need to take time out to chill every now and again

bob r

iTrader: (46)

Having trained for the last 20 yrs, it's something I have to do.
I cannot find the time to go to the gym any other time than prior to work as the gym is at work it works out right.

Snazy

Having spent the last 5 months doing nothing for a living, I have found myself doing the same.... just finding SOMETHING to do!

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Hmmm, I wonder if you can do a relaxation exercise. I'm guessing that you are so stressed you don't realise it, and I bet your mind would wander on to other things you are planning on doing while trying to do one of those meditation type things.

If thats the case, then that could be why you are so tired, your just too stressed. I'm not the best to advise on a solution mind

zs_phil

iTrader: (1)

there's a guy at work who since the age of 18 sleeps for 1 hour each night ,he goes to sleep at 6am then wakes up at 7am without an alarm clock and he says he spends all night on the xbox and watching **** of the net even though his wife is asleep all alone up stairs but he's knocking on now so i dont think lack of sleep harms you .


on average i think i get between 6-7 hours a night because i see to our baby every night and get up with her in the morning at weekends through choice of course ,but im always busy at work havnt even been able to have a round of golf this year last year i managed 2 games in the full year

this year will be different

PaulC72

On the brighter side you should remember there is 24 hours in each day and 25 if you work your lunch

TBH m8 I don't know how you do it.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

nah, nobody could survive on 7 hours of sleep a week. i dispute what thet guys claiming.... unless hes resting at other times during the day. hope he never crashes into me

i myself need about 7.5-8 hours otherwise im not worth talking too or just fall asleep.

coming down from working over 3 years permanent nights and im still getting used to the normal pattern of sleep again.

Emm

didn't Mrs Thatcher claim to live on 4 hours sleep every night when she was Prime Minister?



as to the thread title - I believe it gets that way

corradoboy

I used to know a guy who claimed sleep was a waste of his life and reckoned he got 4 hours or less a day. One day he fell asleep at the wheel and spent the next 4 months in hospital, very lucky to have lived. Another guy who worked with my Mum used to be at the gym before work most mornings, ran to work, cycled, marathons etc etc, and had a fatal heart-attack at 41. Moderation is the secret. Some exercise, some relaxation, some healthy food, some not-so, some alcohol. Do neither the bad stuff, or the 'supposed' good to excess.

Nate

iTrader: (2)

When I started reading this thread, that is what I was going to mention.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

I quite often go for ages with a maximum of 4 hours sleep, working 12 hour days 6 or 7 times a week, fitting DIY etc in the evenings, as well as socialising etc etc.

For the past couple of months I have worked a minimum of 72 hours,

Nights are the worst, like you I cant sleep for thinking about what needs doing, and sometimes go for two night shifts without sleep. - 48 hours

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

seriously, unless your one of these people who can live without a lot of sleep, this will really **** you up in the longterm.

theres a guy at my place (when im not excluded ), finishes at 6am like me every morning. goes home, gets to bed around 6.30am, and is up without fail everyday by 10.30am. and he always looks fresh come 10pm start of shift, but guaranteed by 2am lunch time, hes dead to the world.

i dunno why people do it to themselves. sleep to me is as important as eating/watering myself

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

I have functioned fine, with little sleep for years, your body just conditions itself. I also have no problem with jetlag etc, as I have no body clock

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

meh. must be my body then, but i needa a good sleep otherwise im into serious autopilot and nothing gets done.

The Rig

iTrader: (13)

you dont have kids yet then !

wait until you do, you aint got no choice, 5 hrs kip max unless u go to bed at some crazy early time like 9pm when you do have one.

the last 5 yrs with the 2 kids ive been having 6 hrs kip on average in between all the puking and stuff that keep them up apart from when their babies.

to answer the original question, yes, you will die early if you dont chill out.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

think i may value my sleep over having a family. i dont think nat will take it too well, she gets like 9+ hours. always asleep by 8-9pm and up for 6am.

corradoboy

I don't know if we've dropped lucky or done well, but our lad slept through from 2 weeks old, went into his own room at 3 months, and now at 6 months we put him to bed at 8.15 and hardly hear a peep from him until 730am, and sometimes as late as 9am.
Some close friends of ours put their 2 girls, 3 and 4 1/2, to bed at 8, retire themselves at whatever time but within 10 minutes the girls have joined them in their bed, and when the girls drop off they each take one of the girls beds They've let it happen for so long it's routine and they simply cannot break it now

I like to have 6 hours minimum, and at least once a week 8+ hours. As I get older though I can't seem to do the 14 hour+ marathon lie-ins I could when I was a young idiot. I used to be able to arrive home from the pub at midnight and not stir until my Mum woke me for my tea (northern version of dinner, we eat dinner at your lunchtime ), which I'd eat then go back out to the pub again

MikeCardiff

iTrader: (2)

I think the OP is definitely heading for trouble unless he slows down a bit - the human body isnt designed to work that hard without proper rest without something going wrong ( a bit like if you drove your car on high revs all the time, the engine is going to wear out quicker ).

On the subject of sleep, I think different people need different amounts, but I would be worried about these people who only sleep a few hours a night. Even if your body is OK, one of the purposes of sleep is to turn your brain off to give it a break - which is why if you are worried about something or have a lot on your mind, you wont sleep as well because your brain is still active.

hectic

Re: Hectic life. Is it harmful?


Only if you REALLY P!$$ me off !!


HTH

bob r

iTrader: (46)

Got in bed last night/this morning at 0430, and up this morning at 0930.
It's a nice day, I can't waste it sleeping and I've loads to do.

I'm glad to see there are others out there.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

You smell

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

As long as you get some sleep you should be ok, all the household stuff is exercise, I have been off all week doing jobs, the house and cars look great, plus its exercise, if you wash and leather a car off (properly) its half an hours fairly vigorous exercise, up and down, keeling to do the wheels, stretching across to do the roof, ditto mowing if you are pushing it, plus you have to empty the grass, mine takes about an hour.

So, I think going to the gym is a waste of energy sometimes when there is work to be done, I spread a tonne of Pebbles the other day, half on the front and half in the back, dug a 3 inch deep trench 10 feet by 3 feet, so I got the exercise and the work done, next weekend its a tip run.

The key is that if you are busy, your body doesnt know its not in the gym, its just exercise, ok its not 30 minutes battering a treadmill but a day spent in the garden is still pretty good exercise.

You do need down time though, I think we feel we should be doing everthing, house, work, cars, gym, family, garden etc, something has to give, sleep shouldn't be what gives.

I am a bit **** about cleaning cars and tidying the house but basically it isnt life and death, just say bollocks to it occasionally.

StickyMicky

i used to do the same, had various people telling me i need to chill out, need to stop doing so much, old man popped his clogs last year quite early in his life and had a pretty stressfull job + he was a union rep etc etc

so figured i would start taking it easier.

problem is, that i get other people telling me i`m lazy, and i never seam to be doing anything while i`m at work

"everytime i come over you are not doing anything" etc etc

you cant ****en win!

lordretsudo

I work 12 hour shifts and always find it screws up my sleep pattern. I've never been able to sleep for more than a couple of hours after a night shift, and on a non-work day can never lie in past around 7am. I know some people who sleep all day after nights and some who don't go to bed at all, it seems to be a case of 'horses for courses', though I don't doubt it must catch up with you in the end if you're getting too little sleep for years.

I don't know how anyone can go to the gym before (or after) working a 12 hour shift! I think that if I were to do that for any amount of time I would be a zombie!

Sleazy Badger

I've recently come off of a very strange shift pattern (4 week rotation) when I started my new job. Best thing I have ever done. I would never go back to shift work again - you never really realise how it affects you until you stop. 9-5? Yes please.

corradoboy

No thanks.

I w*rked shifts (3x rotating) for 8 years, then ended up in a 9-5 job and hated it. Commuting with all the other idiots on congested roads, no time to go to the bank or Post Office, most of the decent daylight stuck inside, shopping at the busiest times Eventually ended up on weekend nights (fri-sun 6-6) which leaves my whole week free from 6am monday to 6pm friday. Well, it did 'til I decided to do a second career during the week If it suits you then good on yer, but I prefer to swim against the flow.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

im in a similar boat. working permanent nights has its advantages, ie start on a sunday night and finish on a friday morning, so all friday and sat to do necessities. sundays a boring day for me so usually spent in bed.

but it is frustrating not being able to say finish at 5-6pm and go for a beer or see friends after work etc. depends on your life.

with the situation im now in of being excluded from work against my will, ive just gotten into a normal pattern again, and it feels like a fresh start...

Will

my boss has a hectic working life, he is in his 40s, but he gets plenty of sleep, plays golf and drinks beer at weekends, plus he works saturday morrnings. he went to the doctors last week and they told him he had high blood pressure, so now he is on tablets everyday possibly for the rest of his life, he even had 1 of those things doctors put round your arms to take blood pressure on him for a week, a automatic 1 which took a reading every half hour and he had to write it down to take back to the doctors. and he has had to cut back on lots of things and it was a wake up call for him. As everyone knows, high blood pressure can kill you through a heart attack