Getting little to no sleep
(14 posts) (11 voices)-
Eric
MemberGreetings all!
This is my first post, and I've been adapting a PB lifestyle for just over a week now. In doing so, I've also not had a single cup of coffee (because I used to drink about a pot a day with added Coffee Mate creamer). My stress levels with work, family, etc have all remained the same and everything is normal but for my adventure into PB eating and my cessation of coffee.Having said that, my concern is that I've experienced a DRAMATIC decrease in my ability to fall asleep and my ability to stay asleep. I used to be one of those people that was sound asleep for 7 or more hours five minutes after my head hit the pillow. I am now averaging between 3 and 4 hours a night, after having laid in bed tossing and turning for two+ hours before drifting off.
I suppose this could all be just an anomaly, or my body being stressed from the changes I've made (even though I'm feeling great, losing weight and have more overall energy), but just thought I'd ask if anyone else went through something similar or maybe had an insight as why this has come about. While I'm currently able to round out a full day of life after 3 hours of sleep with little to no detrimental affect, I feel like I might not be able to keep this up for too and I don't want to keep breaking Rule #6! =)
Posted 3 months ago # -
jc2bg
MemberNo idea what's going on with you. For me, after 3 weeks of PB eating, I'm sleeping much easier and more soundly than before. I haven't given up coffee, though: I still take my 3 or 4 cups per day. Maybe you've jumped into too many changes too quickly? I have to say that while I've heard of caffeine withdrawal, I have no experience in that realm. I have what might be called a non-addictive body chemistry. I've gone off caffeine several times (just to see if it benefited the way I felt) and had zero problems getting off coffee or back onto coffee. Just didn't seem to matter either way, and I resumed drinking coffee because I liked the taste and didn't like the taste of decaf. The coffee thing might be a red herring, though.
Posted 3 months ago # -
PaleoMom
MemberMy husband and I both had this same thing happen when starting paleo. I think it lasted a few weeks and now we are sleeping great. We don't drink caffeine (and didn't before) so that didn't have anything to do with it. I don't know the reason for it all, but it did pass. Just hang in there. Maybe try some camomille tea before bed, that can help a bit.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Eric
MemberThank you all for the helpful posts!
@jc2bg - Luckily, I didn't experience any noticeable caffeine withdrawal effects either.
@PaleoMom - Thanks for the tip! I will try that tea.
@AuH2Ogirl - Before moving to a PB lifestyle, I was on a low fat "CW healthy eating" lifestyle, so it wasn't a great diet, but I wasn't ever eating any fast food, drinking any soda, etc, so it could have been worse. =)
@chazglen - No, I am not falling asleep during the day - that's what I found most strange. Despite the lack of sleep, I have plenty of energy to do everything I need to... and more... =)
@OnTheBayou - I will learn to enjoy black coffee sooner or later, but it's going to be hard moving off the fat-free flavored creamers and Splenda (who knows - it may turn out I never enjoyed coffee, just the sugary sweet carbs in the creamer and the artificial ultra-sweetness from the Splenda!).
@arthurb999 - I did the reading thing, which usually does put me right out, but it hasn't worked. I will try the stretching and maybe some easy/relaxing yoga poses.
@Griff - Thank you sir. "Stimulant effect" is a perfect way to describe it!
And to all, I will hang in there and wait for it to pass. The results I'm getting in the way I feel (energy, lowered inflammation, not always hungry, etc) after only a week are nothing less than astounding to me.
Posted 3 months ago # -
BlazeKING
MemberHigh levels of carbs increase brain serotonin and melatonin. This helps to explain why eating high amounts of carbs in the morning with a big meal makes people sleepy after a few hours ie the afternoon slump.
I've been in ketosis for about 5 days now and it is definitely much harder to go to sleep. I figure this is temporary as the adaptation takes place and I am sure that once I am keto adapted, my sleep will be normal, if not better than before.
By the way, I have no afternoon slump anymore. I even ate half a pound of burger + 3 mini steaks and, if anything, I am more alert and awake.
Posted 3 months ago # -
Eric
Member@BlazeKING - I also used to have the afternoon slumps which have been almost completely eliminated.
@PrimalK - I've looked through other people's posts on this forum regarding the initial periods and also what to expect from carb withdrawal and, apparently, I was one of the lucky ones in that I didn't get cranky, didn't get any headaches, didn't suffer any ill effects. The first day, though, I did have that "spaced-out/foggy" feeling. All things considered, I've come off pretty lucky compared to some, so I'll just count my blessings and hang in there with my sleep troubles and sooner or later it's bound to go back to normal.
Posted 3 months ago # -
inga
Memberapparently vitamin D taken at night keeps you awake too, which is weird to me since sunlight makes me sleepy... go figure...
Have you added any supplements into you day, or night? Also, my partner reckons sometimes he doesnt sleep at night and just lies awake. In actual fact hes asleep and sort of dreaming hes awake. I doubt he is as asleep as normal perhaps but he gets enough to not get sleepy in the daytime. Perhaps its something like this?
Posted 3 months ago #
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