Clean eating = trouble sleeping??

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emmab0902
emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi everyone. I've recently started clean eating, and I'm now finding it hard to sleep. I'm still hitting my goals in terms of calories and macros so not sure why sleep is suddenly elusive as nothing else has changed. Is this a normal thing when you cut out junk food?
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Replies

  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    What do you mean by clean eating? There is no commonly accepted definition of "clean" eating.

    I can't imagine why what you are eating would cause sleep problems if it is not food that contains stimulants like caffeine.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    I agree with the above. Can you give a better description of how/what you are eating. Or if you are following a website, could you post a link.

    Why can't you sleep? Are you simply not sleepy, or having reflux or other symptoms that keep you awake?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Yes, what specific changes have you made? Have you change when you eat? Are you hungry in the evenings? Any sense of why you can't sleep -- waking up, mind racing, so on?
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    I've eliminated junk food and am eating a good variety of proteins vegetables eggs yoghurt etc. I'm a competitive swimmer so I eat well. I'm finding it difficult to get to sleep at night. As mentioned nothing else has changed, I'm still eating the same calories and same mealtimes. I'm not going to bed hungry and don't restrict calories as it would be detrimental to my training.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    When are you training--in the evenings? My husband trained for competitive swimming yrs ago and couldn't sleep. He had to quit.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    emmab0902 wrote: »
    I've eliminated junk food and am eating a good variety of proteins vegetables eggs yoghurt etc. I'm a competitive swimmer so I eat well. I'm finding it difficult to get to sleep at night. As mentioned nothing else has changed, I'm still eating the same calories and same mealtimes. I'm not going to bed hungry and don't restrict calories as it would be detrimental to my training.

    How much sleep are you getting now compared to before you changed your diet?
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    When are you training--in the evenings? My husband trained for competitive swimming yrs ago and couldn't sleep. He had to quit.

    Mostly early afternoon. But evening training has never disrupted my sleep.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    With so little information it's hard to tell what it is since you've recently made dietary changes. It could be many things. I would suggest discussing this with your doctor or trying OTC melatonin.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    With so little information it's hard to tell what it is since you've recently made dietary changes. It could be many things. I would suggest discussing this with your doctor or trying OTC melatonin.

    All I've done is eliminate junk food. As a psychologist I wouldn't touch melatonin
  • Mazintrov13
    Mazintrov13 Posts: 133 Member
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    I find if I don’t get enough carbs or calories I have trouble sleeping.
    Also curious why you wouldn’t use melatonin?
  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
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    It’s hard to imagine the two are directly related. Do you not fall asleep, or not stay asleep? Drinking more water and having to get up to pee?

    Could there be something environmental like new noises, pollen, stress? I’m sure you know there are many foods that are thought to help sleeplessness. Doctor Google can help.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    Have seen too many bad side effects in lots of people I work with, including really serious stuff.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    edited February 2018
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    Significant weight loss can affect hormones and that affect many area, including sleep. If sleep issues continue, you could consider talking to doc to rule out any clinical sleep disorders.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    Will give it a week or so and see if it settles. I'm in maintenance weight wise my focus is on swimming performance. Was just perplexed why my sleep has suddenly gone wonky. I eat well and am on a 40:30:30 split for P:F:C which meets my training needs. Hopefully it's a shortlived blip!
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    The only time diet lost me sleep was when I was’t eating my minimum.
  • margotlovesyou
    margotlovesyou Posts: 102 Member
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    That happened to me too - it’s because you’re hungry when you go to bed. I was waking up 4 times a night and it was driving me mad! Our brains are a lot more alert when we’re hungry, so it doesn’t let you sleep. Save some calories so you can eat half a banana before bed. I sleep just fine once I figured that out!
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
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    margotlovesyou wrote: »
    That happened to me too - it’s because you’re hungry when you go to bed. I was waking up 4 times a night and it was driving me mad! Our brains are a lot more alert when we’re hungry, so it doesn’t let you sleep. Save some calories so you can eat half a banana before bed. I sleep just fine once I figured that out!

    I never go to bed hungry. Usually have something containing protein before bedtime. Could be just a coincidence that it's happened after I've cleaned up my diet!
  • Nicky882018
    Nicky882018 Posts: 8 Member
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    I know exactly what you mean, something I do is buy natural peanut butter ( without any sugar or salt added ) and use your own Himalayan salt sprinkled on it. Take a few spoonfuls just before bed. Seriously it works .. if you can't sleep it raises your cortisol levels which as we all know is terrible

    Add me as friend anybody, my food dairy is always open .. clean eating is life !!

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