Sleeping issues and Keto
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try eating your carbs in the evening. there is some science behind it. check out the book The Bullet Proof Diet by Dave Asprey. It make s a lot of sense why we should eat our carbs in the evening and why so many of us have sleeping issues when converting to keto.0
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wheatlessgirl66 wrote: »katherineanewlon wrote: »Hi guys,
In response to sleep issues, intermittent fasting, and exercising in the evenings:
In a nutshell, adapting in ketosis is a stressor. If you have other stressors in your life or a lot of added stress due to job, family, or even dietary and exercise issues it will be much harder for you to get a good night's sleep because stress in any form causes your cortisol levels to become elevated.
When your cortisol is elevated for prolonged periods you may end up with inverted cortisol, which is where cortisol is high at night and low in the mornings. Recall that we need cortisol first thing in the morning to wake us up. Therefore inverted cortisol means you are wide awake at night and sleepy in the morning. This is the beginning of adrenal dysfunction.
This is why it is imperative to focus on being properly and COMPLETELY adapted before attempting intermittant fasting.
Intermittant fasting is yet another stressor. In fact, for some people, intermittant fasting is more physiologically stressful than keto adaptation itself.
Hard workouts are a like scenario, demanding your adrenals to pump out even more cortisol.
Over secretion of cortisol not only will affect your adrenal health in general but may prevent weight loss because cortisol mobilizes glucose from muscle and liver. Hepatic glucose output is in fact mostly regulated by cortisol when it is high.
Therefore
-Fully adapt before:
Intermittant fasting
Hard workouts
After adaptation it is important to mention that the cortisol profile actually improves long term. This is yet another way that eating keto long term will save and extend your life.
It is also important to mention that there are many fat adapted world class athletes who are at the top of thier game in numerous areas due to the keto lifestyle.
As with anything else worth having, its worth taking the time to do it right.
Your health will thank you!
Keep your heads up. ...:)
Well, this is an education for me--thank you for this information! I did a saliva test two years ago which showed I have inverted cortisol. My doctor gave me the test b/c I requested it, but that was the end of the matter. I don't think she knew how to help me; couldn't answer any of my questions or tell me what to do beyond eating 1200cal/day and exercise an hour every day. Which, of course, now I know was wrong. I began keto in March and have done some IF, which hasn't been difficult. I'll drop IF for the time being. I have a number of stressors beyond keto (chronic pain, FM, CFS, SMF, adult son w/ disabilites, etc.) so I really need to get a handle on this. I'll get the supplement mentioned above and hope it helps my sleep. I often wake at 2 or 3 and am unable to get back to sleep. Maybe it's no wonder I have a very difficult time losing weight. Is there more to do to remedy adrenal dysfunction?
I also have FM and I have CMP and various other conditions. Those of us with FM have a very difficult time with sleep in general. I know that the only thing that has helped me with sleep is starting to eat my carbs at night and taking magnesium(which I have been doing for years). I literally, feel your pain. A lot of us with FM also have cortisol issues and blood sugar issues. It is said that the average FM patient has 15 added conditions, which is really sad. I can tell you that switching over to a keto diet has made a big difference for me. We also moved to another state because where we were living is terrible for FM. Unfortunately, not everyone can do that. Keep fighting the good fight my friend. Take care!0 -
wheatlessgirl66 wrote: »
Well, this is an education for me--thank you for this information! I did a saliva test two years ago which showed I have inverted cortisol. My doctor gave me the test b/c I requested it, but that was the end of the matter. I don't think she knew how to help me; couldn't answer any of my questions or tell me what to do beyond eating 1200cal/day and exercise an hour every day. Which, of course, now I know was wrong. I began keto in March and have done some IF, which hasn't been difficult. I'll drop IF for the time being. I have a number of stressors beyond keto (chronic pain, FM, CFS, SMF, adult son w/ disabilites, etc.) so I really need to get a handle on this. I'll get the supplement mentioned above and hope it helps my sleep. I often wake at 2 or 3 and am unable to get back to sleep. Maybe it's no wonder I have a very difficult time losing weight. Is there more to do to remedy adrenal dysfunction?
I just finished reading Nora Gedgaudas's book on adrenal dysfunction, Rethinking Fatigue. It's not that long of a book, but it has TONS of information that I haven't heard anywhere else. She doesn't really go over the diet, beyond saying Primal Keto, as she pretty much already wrote a book on that, but she goes through supplements, different cortisol patterns, what to do when you first wake up, etc.
Check your PMs in a few minutes.
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katherineanewlon wrote: »Hi guys,
In response to sleep issues, intermittent fasting, and exercising in the evenings:
In a nutshell, adapting in ketosis is a stressor. If you have other stressors in your life or a lot of added stress due to job, family, or even dietary and exercise issues it will be much harder for you to get a good night's sleep because stress in any form causes your cortisol levels to become elevated.
When your cortisol is elevated for prolonged periods you may end up with inverted cortisol, which is where cortisol is high at night and low in the mornings. Recall that we need cortisol first thing in the morning to wake us up. Therefore inverted cortisol means you are wide awake at night and sleepy in the morning. This is the beginning of adrenal dysfunction.
This is why it is imperative to focus on being properly and COMPLETELY adapted before attempting intermittant fasting.
Intermittant fasting is yet another stressor. In fact, for some people, intermittant fasting is more physiologically stressful than keto adaptation itself.
Hard workouts are a like scenario, demanding your adrenals to pump out even more cortisol.
Over secretion of cortisol not only will affect your adrenal health in general but may prevent weight loss because cortisol mobilizes glucose from muscle and liver. Hepatic glucose output is in fact mostly regulated by cortisol when it is high.
Therefore
-Fully adapt before:
Intermittant fasting
Hard workouts
After adaptation it is important to mention that the cortisol profile actually improves long term. This is yet another way that eating keto long term will save and extend your life.
It is also important to mention that there are many fat adapted world class athletes who are at the top of thier game in numerous areas due to the keto lifestyle.
As with anything else worth having, its worth taking the time to do it right.
Your health will thank you!
Keep your heads up. ...:)
Hi @katherineanewlon I'm a shift worker, healthcare field, bed alarms call bells and the like (stressful environment): 12h nights and 12 h days scattered over a 6-week rotation with one week off at the end of that rotation. I use melatonin as a sleep aide, when necessary. I did have some unusal sleep habits this week (fell asleep by 930am woke at 1pm could not fall back to sleep and I normally sleep 7-8h when on nights). New to experimenting with foods: had eaten approximately at 0800 that time. Any recommendations you can make? I've been doing keto for a week (newbiew), so now is a great time to fall into keto-friendly sleep/eating habits.
Any direction you can part with (professor of biochemistry, you must be a busy lady
) would be greatly appreciated! My thanks in advance! 0 -
dawlfin318 wrote: »Sleep on keto has really been an issue for me. I have tried everything. I think I need more carbs- I was a real stickler for 20-25g/day and I am exhausted, sleep a whole night, every third day. That sleep that I do get, is not restoring/repairing my body at night. I am going to up the carbs and add exercise and see what happens. I just feel so lousy, I have no energy to make myself workout.
This is exactly like me. I feel dreadful and the lack of sleep is really draining me. Ive been on 15-20g total carbs for the past 3 weeks - wondering if i should up them to 20g net or 40g total, maybe? Ive felt dreadful ever since going keto and im desperate for all this energy and wellbeing that everyone reports. To make matters worse, i havent even lost any weight since going keto, so im feeling like total cr@p with no positive benefits, as yet, whatsoever.
This cortisol issue sounds like something i need to look into. Im a stressy sort of person at the best of times, so i can see stress hormones could easily be part of this. (I also drink a helluvah lot of coffee - does caffeine overload the adrenals too?)
Are there any other supplements or techniques to lower cortisol and repair overworked adrenals that anyone knows off?
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There's a cortisol thread on the low carber forum. You'll get lots of supplement suggestions there. Good luck!CoconuttyMummy wrote: »dawlfin318 wrote: »Sleep on keto has really been an issue for me. I have tried everything. I think I need more carbs- I was a real stickler for 20-25g/day and I am exhausted, sleep a whole night, every third day. That sleep that I do get, is not restoring/repairing my body at night. I am going to up the carbs and add exercise and see what happens. I just feel so lousy, I have no energy to make myself workout.
This is exactly like me. I feel dreadful and the lack of sleep is really draining me. Ive been on 15-20g total carbs for the past 3 weeks - wondering if i should up them to 20g net or 40g total, maybe? Ive felt dreadful ever since going keto and im desperate for all this energy and wellbeing that everyone reports. To make matters worse, i havent even lost any weight since going keto, so im feeling like total cr@p with no positive benefits, as yet, whatsoever.
This cortisol issue sounds like something i need to look into. Im a stressy sort of person at the best of times, so i can see stress hormones could easily be part of this. (I also drink a helluvah lot of coffee - does caffeine overload the adrenals too?)
Are there any other supplements or techniques to lower cortisol and repair overworked adrenals that anyone knows off?
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Since I've been on keto I haven't lost sleep, but my sleep time frame has shifted. I get up at breaking dawn (3:30) and crash about 8:30-9 (twilight). Not sure if its coincidence with daylight, but before I was up at 5:30. I do notice I sleep a lot hotter.0
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I'm having problems sleeping, but do not feel fatigued. I just can't sleep. I think it's just that my body has all that energy and not enough outlets. I've just over the past week got back on track with the Keto WOE and have also added in some cardio (walks) over the course of this next week, I plan to add in a bit more exercise and see how that affects me. Of course, because I am just one week in, it may just be that I'm buzzing from all this energy. I've even cut down on my coffee/caffeine intake, but still struggling to sleep. I just believe over the next few days/weeks it will all even out.0
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I'm having problems sleeping, but do not feel fatigued. I just can't sleep. I think it's just that my body has all that energy and not enough outlets. I've just over the past week got back on track with the Keto WOE and have also added in some cardio (walks) over the course of this next week, I plan to add in a bit more exercise and see how that affects me. Of course, because I am just one week in, it may just be that I'm buzzing from all this energy. I've even cut down on my coffee/caffeine intake, but still struggling to sleep. I just believe over the next few days/weeks it will all even out.
Adding a magnesium supplement at bedtime and/or listening to soothing/meditation music can help slow the mind, too, but most folks I know only have this issue that strongly during adaption.0 -
I do have a magnesium supplement, but am not good at consistently taking anything. I will try to start with it again as I think I'm keeping my husband up as well and feel bad for that.0
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I do have a magnesium supplement, but am not good at consistently taking anything. I will try to start with it again as I think I'm keeping my husband up as well and feel bad for that.
I highly suggest the music, too. I have a few free apps I downloaded. I'd LOVE to have some Gregorian chants, but none of that was free. My favorite one is seaside relaxation. Gentle waves, sounds of wind, and wind instruments... Even if my mind is racing, this helps me relax and shut off in a reasonable amount of time. Something, too, is to make sure you don't have coconut oil too late (more so than caffeine). It is essentially brain rocket fuel!0 -
Well, after my post yesterday....last night I had a great night's sleep, fell asleep at 9:30 pm, slept 2 hours before I needed a bathroom run, then back down for 6 hours! Woke up very refreshed!!0
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