Low Carb and Sleeping page

[Lawyerchick12]

So I have been gradually reducing the amt of carbs I consume. from roughly 120g to 60g. Yesterday I ate ~30g. I want to try carb cycling and weight lifting together to see what gains i can achieve at the gym. Anywho I need to know how my peeps who go real low carb manage with their sleep because I could not sleep until 4am and had to wake up at 6. My sleep is bad enough as it is and 1am is "early" for me but 4 is kinda crazy. So please share if you did encounter sleeping problems with going really low carb, and if these problem eventually disappeared and/or how you managed to deal.

Thanks!

[gopintos]

I dont think my troubles were necessarily low carb. Well maybe. Cuz that made the fat % higher, and going lower carb meant no sugars, etc and that all made me a fat burner so I guess maybe. I am curious what other replies will be. Because for me, when I became a fat burner and started eating more protein and fat, I start to get hot after a meal. Then it goes away. But then I wake up hot and start to get sweaty during the night. I am never drenched with sweat. Just get clammy and start to sweat, lasting only minutes it seems. I am not menopausal or pre-menie. I just went to the doctor a few weeks ago just to make sure. But I can GO to sleep, I just cant STAY alseep because I have to start peeling off layers. Then after the hotness passes, then I get cold and have to start covering back up. But if I keep the other things in check that I will mention in the next paragraph, I still wake up but I am able to go back to sleep.

Seems like when I get in plenty of activity, I sleep better. I don't do caffeine after 2. (usually not after 12 but def. not after 2) I take supplements like magnesium with my evening meal. I get sleepy after eating carbs it seems, so I am trying to have my carbs in the P.M. I also downloaded f.lux so that my computer screen starts to adjust the light settings, so that helps me to prepare for bedtime also I think. When it starts changing, I can feel a mental downshift.

I also try not to drink much water after dinner. That use to have me up & down all night also.

Anxious to see what others say.

[Lawyerchick12]

I dont think my troubles were necessarily low carb. Well maybe. Cuz that made the fat % higher, and going lower carb meant no sugars, etc and that all made me a fat burner so I guess maybe. I am curious what other replies will be. Because for me, when I became a fat burner and started eating more protein and fat, I start to get hot after a meal. Then it goes away. But then I wake up hot and start to get sweaty during the night. I am never drenched with sweat. Just get clammy and start to sweat, lasting only minutes it seems. I am not menopausal or pre-menie. I just went to the doctor a few weeks ago just to make sure. But I can GO to sleep, I just cant STAY alseep because I have to start peeling off layers. Then after the hotness passes, then I get cold and have to start covering back up. But if I keep the other things in check that I will mention in the next paragraph, I still wake up but I am able to go back to sleep.

Seems like when I get in plenty of activity, I sleep better. I don't do caffeine after 2. (usually not after 12 but def. not after 2) I take supplements like magnesium with my evening meal. I get sleepy after eating carbs it seems, so I am trying to have my carbs in the P.M. I also downloaded f.lux so that my computer screen starts to adjust the light settings, so that helps me to prepare for bedtime also I think. When it starts changing, I can feel a mental downshift.

I also try not to drink much water after dinner. That use to have me up & down all night also.

Anxious to see what others say.

I got very hot last night as well. I was wondering why that was, I normally have to sleep more bundled up. Also I will try not drinking too much water at night because i kept needing to go as well. Thanks for the input

[denise]

I have heard - on a number of sites, including paleo for women - that vlc affects women very differently from men. Sleeplessness is one indicator that this low may not be for you.

Personally, much below 50g a day and I start to get into all sorts of trouble.

[Neckhammer]

I had trouble sleeping prior to low carb so I might not fit your criteria for answering.

What helped was going low carb, eating IF (large meal in the late evening), and plenty of sodium (on food per being low carb), and Epsom salt bath right before bed. I still toss and turn a bit, but I'm just a really lite sleeper.

[Graycat]

About 18 months ago when I went VLC my sleep quality improved dramatically. I believe what also helped was taking magnesium supplement before bed.
Not saying VLC is the way to go, just how it has affected my sleep. YMMV

[katemary]

Same here, primal makes my insomnia worse. In periods where I fall off for days or a week, I sleep well. Magnesium before bed helps. So does exercise. My quality of sleep is better though, even if it takes longer to get there, if that makes sense.

[gopintos]

What helped was going low carb, eating IF (large meal in the late evening)

Oh yal, that helped me as well. I was "dieting CW style" and hungry all the time. Going to bed hungry, waking up during the night hungry. So after going low carb and getting a grip on my hunger, I was able to sleep better than previously. And when IF became the next natural step, I have dinner as my last meal (sometimes only meal - imagine that!) So I never go to bed hungry anymore. That was just no fun at all.

[Lawyerchick12]

I see a few recommending magnesium, I guess it does not hurt to buy it and test it out. What kind of magnesium supps should I be looking for?

[denise]

I wholeheartedly recommend magnesium citrate - makes me sleep much better (I have had insomia issues in the past, so even when not vlc I can have trouble.