The Sleep Deficit & Working Weekends

I just don’t know how not to be in a sleep deficit as I get home from work, eat and then it’s almost time for bed. I will do my best to try for a little bit earlier to bed tonight. Then I work on Saturday 7am to 10pm as I’m On Crew / On Call for work. We each get 4-5 Crews per year and everytime one is approaching for me my mind goes into “I’m quiting mode.” I was suppose to be Crew last weekend but switched due to the swim meet. My best time is in April on the Sunday. It’ll be a crazy weekend as Thur/Fri I’ll be away for an Open Water Swim, then work and announce our 5K on Saturday then Ceew Easter Sunday 7am-10pm. I can’t swap as the following weekend O have the SWAG Swim Meet and the next is Senior Games Swimming which I run/lead the meet. In the back of my head I think that’ll be my last one. I got between now and then to find a new job.

OURA SLEEP SCORE – 67

5 hours and 28 minutes

24% REM and Recovery

GARMIN SLEEP SCORE – 41

3 hours and 37 rminutes

THURSDAY – 1/22/26

BACK & BICEPS DAY – STRENGTH (80-100%)

THE WORKOUT:

53:52

ZONE 1 – 10:02

ZONE 2 – 10:27

ZONE 3 – 04:48

ZONE 4 – 00:09

ZONE 5 – 00:00

5 minutes Easy Warm Up Cycle

Cable Lat Pulldown (22”) at 178.5 lbs at 95.96% 1RM / PR x Reps 3 / 3 / 2 / 2 / 2

2 min rest between sets (w/ Wrist Straps)

(186 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 132 x 8 / 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 143 x 8 / 6 / 6 / 6 / ?)

(Prior Time 178.5 x 4 / 5 / 5 / 4 / 3)

(Prior Time 178.5 x 4 / 4 / 4 / 3 / 3)

(Prior Time 178.5 x 3 / 3 / 3 / 3 / ?)

Curlbar Bicep Curl w/ Arm Blaster

20 each side x Reps 6 / 6 / 6 / 4

2 min rest in between sets (PR 65 lbs)

(Last Time 12.5 each side 8 / 8 / 8 / 8)

(Prior Time 15 lbs each side x 7 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 20 lbs each side x 7 / 6 / 6 / 6)

(Prior Time 17.5 lbs each side x 6 / 7 / 6 / 6)

Cable Back Pushdown at 110 lbs at 88% 1RM / PR x Reps 6 / 6 / 6 / 6

1 min rest between sets

(125 PR/1RM)

(Last Time 99 x 8 / 7 / 6 / 6)

115 x 5 / 5 / 6 / ?)

(Prior Time 112.5 x 6 / 6 / 5 / 5)

(Prior Time 110 x 6 / 6 / 6 / 5)

PELOTON TREAD APP – 10 Min Warm Up Run

12:50

ZONE 1 – 03:02

ZONE 2 – 00:43

ZONE 3 – 01:51

ZONE 4 – 04:29

ZONE 5 – 00:31

Shower, Eat Banana and Drive…

6:15am – 6:45am

TEACH 30 min INDOOR CYCLING

33:00

ZONE 1 – 09:37

ZONE 2 – 16:03

ZONE 3 – 06:27

ZONE 4 – 00:19

ZONE 5 – 00:00

JUST KEEP SWIMMING:

2026 SWIM DISTANCE TOTALS:

SCY – 22,500 (including this last swim)

SCM – 2,700

LCM – 2,100

SWIM THE VILLAGES VIRTUAL SWIM – OLYMPIA EDITION – COUNTRY CLUB CHALLENGE

USMS OPEN WATER CHAMPIONSHIP 1K – April 3, 2026 Sarasota

TV SENIOR GAMES – April 18 & 19 2026

Senior Games season is almost upon us! We’re just less than 3 weeks away from registration, which will begin February 17th.

THE LIFT AHEAD:

FRI – SWIM w/ Team

SAT – TBD – Work 7am to 10pm

SUN – NONE

MON – SWIM w/ Team

TUE – CHEST + TREAD & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

WED – SWIM w/ Team

THU – BACK + TREAD & TEACH 30 Min INDOOR CYCLE

THE ROAD AHEAD:

STRENGTH (80-100%) 2/3 – 3/26

ENDURANCE (60-80%) 3/28 – 4/9

TAPER (50-60%) 4/11 – 4/16

runDISNEY:

PRINCESS HALF – MARCH 1stSpringtime Surprise – APRIL 17-19th (Not Running)

Disclaimer: This information is for general knowledge and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before considering the use of peptides and/or testosterone replacements therapy. 

GEMINI AI RATE MY WORKOUT:

It sounds like you are caught in a classic high-performer’s “vice grip”: an incredibly demanding professional schedule clashing with elite-level athletic goals. Those sleep scores (41 and 67) are screaming for mercy, and that “quitting mode” is a natural psychological defense mechanism against burnout.

You aren’t just tired; you are over-extended. However, your strength numbers remain impressive despite the exhaustion.

Workout Rating: B+ (Strength Performance) / D (Recovery Context)

The Wins:

* Lat Pulldown Dominance: Moving 178.5 lbs for reps is serious weight. Your 1RM of 186 lbs is elite for most bodyweight categories.

* Bicep Intensity: Using the Arm Blaster for those 20lb (per side) curls ensures zero momentum and maximum fiber recruitment.

* Training Density: You managed a heavy lift, a run, and taught a cycling class all before the workday really began.

The Red Flags:

* The “Dead Zone”: Your Garmin sleep score of 3 hours and 37 minutes is physically dangerous for someone pulling near-maximal loads (95\%+ 1RM). Your central nervous system (CNS) cannot recover at this rate.

* Zone Overlap: You did a heavy back/bi day, then a run that hit Zone 4/5, then taught a cycle class. That is a massive amount of “up-front” stress on the body before a full workday.

The “Road Ahead” Reality Check

You have a massive April coming up (Open Water 1K, Senior Games, 5K Announcing, and Easter Crew). If you keep the “Strength” phase (80-100\%) going while in a chronic sleep deficit, you are at high risk for a tendon injury or a crash in cortisol levels.

Strategic Recommendations:

* The 15% Rule: On nights where sleep is under 5 hours, reduce your lifting intensity by 15-20%. Don’t chase PRs on 3 hours of sleep; you’re asking for a “snap.”

* Saturday Survival: Since you have a 15-hour shift (7am-10pm) on Saturday, Friday’s swim must be purely technical/recovery. Do not push the pace.

* Job Search Energy: If you are serious about finding a new job by April, you need mental “bandwidth.” Consider dropping the Thursday Treadmill run to save 15 minutes of sleep and 100 units of mental energy.

Sleep Score Comparison

| Device | Score | Duration | Insight |

|—|—|—|—|

| Oura | 67 | 5h 28m | More “optimistic,” likely valuing your 24% REM/Recovery. |

| Garmin | 41 | 3h 37m | Likely detecting high Stress/Low HRV, signaling you are not ready for a 1RM day. |

> Note: When your Garmin and Oura disagree this significantly, look at your Resting Heart Rate (RHR). If it’s 5+ beats higher than your average, your body is still fighting yesterday’s workout.

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