How many of you folks wake up at 5:30 am daily to cram a couple of hours of training in before work. I know, that this is pretty well the only way that I can keep this lifestyle going as evenings are pretty well reserved as family time. This is all fine in practice, until 4 pm rolls around on most days and I still have a couple of hours of work to do in the office before leaving. It’s no problem when I am in meeting, and interacting with others, or even doing a presentation to customers…the problem is when I am solo in my cube and have a pile of mundane things to do.
I do sleep 8 hours per nite, so that is not an issue. The issue is more energy to do things and concentration. My productivity seems to slide down around 4 pm for an hour before I get a final surge closer to 6 pm.
Anyone else ? Solutions (no coke or caffeine please) ?
Interestingly enough, I usually have my lowest of lows in an Ironman around 4 pm or 9 hours into a race !
I have usually brewed a mild cup of green tea…(yes it has caffeine) but I figure it I don’t overdo the brew part not too much and doesn’t keep me up at night. Also eat another “meal” mid afternoon say about 3 pm consisting of complex carbs with protein which seems to help carry me through. I am working out by 4:45AM and usually have a second workout after work around 5 pm so this keeps me going. No family to deal with however, just a couple of cats. Yep single…darn…LOL
Yea, Dev. Masters swim practice at 6am or bike commute starting at 5am. Great way to get 3000 yards or 55 miles (round trip) in. Caffeine, yes to much I think.
I have a twenty minute afternoon nap most working days. I usually take a two hour lunch and either run or (more likely) ride for an hour. I then come back o eat some lunch and then crash out into a light sleep for 20 minutes or so. I wake up very refreshed and ready to rock n roll for the afternoon.
It’s actually quite natural to nap in the afternoon. That’s what our hunter/gatherer ancestors did. I’m fortunate that I am self employed and have a home office so can do this. Most people would benefit and be more productive with a twenty minute afternoon nap. Unfortunately most empoyers don’t understand this concept.
Sometimes I’m up at 4:30 to get it all in. Plus a lunchtime run or lift.
Ever since I switched to a modified Paleo diet, I actually don’t bonk in the afternoon anymore. You might look at what you’re eating for lunch or snacking on later in the day. If it has a lot of sugar that may be contributing. What do you normally eat for lunch and after?
I work between 9-12 hours/ day with a pharmaceutical company and going to start graduate school…
Here’s what I do…
M-Fr I wake up at 5:30…either complete a 60-75 minute spin Tuesday and Thursdays. I do 2500 yards at the pool M,W and Friday morning. Shower at the pool, then leave and I am in the office by 8:30…Lunch is at 12:15. I go for my run…shower, come back. I usually take between 1 hour15 -1 hour 30 for lunch… I get in both workouts before 3:00 and am done for the day. If you can train at lunch, you will be finished for the day and have the whole evening to relax, crash early or spend time w/ family. In my case, it will be sitting in class at Temple University…
I have been doing double workouts this way all winter long. Now that the spring is coming, I plan on commuting to work at least 2x/week on my bike. That will be a 22 mile hike each way. It took me a few onmths to eatablish this routine, but ti reallyb pays off at the end of the day.
I’m definitely one for the early morning rise/mid afternoon bonk… It’s usually a little earlier in the afternoon for me though, around 2:30-3:00pm. I’m a student so I’m usually in class around that time and I find it hard to stay awake. A trick I use is to pull out a bottle of water and start sipping it, this usually does the job. One thing that I have noticed is the number of people who are falling asleep just as I am…although I doubt that many were up @ 5:45am for a workout before class…so, on that point, I think that no matter who you are/what you do(active or inactive) there is a definite lull period in the afternoon.
Maybe just try getting up, walking around a bit for a little break. Another possible option(if you can) is to try to get the mundane things done in the am(when you are more productive) and schedule the group meetings, etc. In the afternoons?
I do think your body gets used to it. I’m up at 4:15 4 weekdays out of 5 to hit the gym before work, evenings are reserved for taking care of babies. You have to do what you have to do!
This morning, a funny story. I woke up at 2:30am because my youngest decided that she just didn’t want to sleep anymore. After an hour and a half, she finally konked out… but it was too late to get to bed - I’m up at 4:15 anyways. So I had my toes in the pool at 5am, swam 3100 yards and then hit the road for a 5 mile run.
Normally I would have slept in, but I’m 1.5 weeks away from Ralphs 1/2 and this was a “Key” workout. I have a meeting from 2-4 today at the office, team building event, I may make an appearance and head out to the car and catch a nap. If I go home, I have to work.
Lypto, it looks like nothing has changed for me in the 15 year since I graduated from university and you are experiencing the same. In university, I’d just start working on an assignment or lab rather than fall asleep in a class, while my lab partner took notes in class (or vice versa). We never had the two of us taking notes…way to redundant and most of the profs never said anything useful enough that we could not glean out of text books in half the time (sorry Francois). Still have that low point like you, albeit later in the afternoon. The issue is not falling asleep, it is maintaining focus on the task at hand and whipping it off efficiently (i.e. productivity).
Eating an apple around 4 pm seems to help and I am now experiencing my 5 pm surge of energy and focus. To Herschel, I am certainly not on the Paleo diet or anything, but usually eat some whole grain pasta with lots of salmon, lean chicken or tofu for lunch, followed by a whole grain bagel with Almond Butter and Jam. Maybe I am still to high on the carbs and my blood sugar is being affected later in the day. I read somewhere that your brain alone uses 30% of available blood flow, thus a low blood sugar would certainly affect productivity.
Depending upon the schedule for the day and week I could be up as early as 4:00 AM to make sure I get my work-out(s) in. Until I changed my diet I experienced the same mid-to-late afternoon “bonk” that you are talking about.
I am not familiar with the diet that some people are referencing on Gordo’s site, but I did change my diet significantly. First thing to go was coke (and I have not ever had any coffee). Second adjustment, and I think the most relevent, was that I started eating 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Which yielded no energy loss, in fact it actually improved my energy levels.
As an example a typical day’s worth of meals looks like the following: Breakfast; 3 medium size pieces of pineapple, 3 medium size pieces of cantelope, half a bagel, and 12-16oz of water. Mid-morning snack; one medium size banana and another 12-16 oz of water. Lunch; Chickensald sandwich (non-fat mayo), one medium size apple, two graham crackers (2 sheets or 4 squares if you like), and again another 12-16 oz of water. Mid-afternoon snack; 1-2 oz of almonds or cashews, or another medium size banana (but not both), and again another 12-16 oz of water. Dinner; 4-6 oz of salmon, small salad, small helping of green beans (or another vegie), and more water.
Your diet looks pretty good to me although jam can spike you pretty good. Try leaving it off and switching to a sprouted grain bagel instead. That may or may not do it, but it would be interesting to experiment.
(sorry Francois). Still have that low point like you, albeit later in the afternoon. The issue is not falling asleep, it is maintaining focus on the task at hand and whipping it off efficiently (i.e. productivity).