Restless at Night as you Burn Fat?

LarStar

Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

Thank you for any insight!

LarStar

Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

Thank you for any insight!

LarStar

Am I the only one experiencing this??

recoiljpr

I have always had problems going to sleep, so i'm afraid i'm not much use on this. But, i'll offer you a bump.

needamulligan

Can't say that I've experienced restlessness. Are you exercising too close to bedtime? I typically have a period where I get really exhausted and sleepy in the first few weeks. Then I feel renewed and and energetic!

LarStar

@ recoiljpr - Thank You

@needamulligan - I don't think it's exercising too close to bed, but I might just be getting a boost of energy instead of feeling sluggish; something I'm not too used to. I can tell that my body is tired and I want to be sleeping, but another part of me is like, "Heck no! Let's get up and move!!" I'm looking forward to very sleepy nights Thank you for your message!

j5thomas3

I'm with you! The first couple months of working out I would lay in bed and fall asleep almost instantly... and I'm talking between 9 and 10 pm and I would wake up around 6:30-7am and work out. The past few weeks I've been laying down at 10pm and not being able to fall asleep until close to midnight then I wake up at 6:30-7am feeling tired but I can't fall back asleep so I get up and work out. I'm thinking part of it is from the heat lately but I'm not sure. I have the same where my heart slows way down and then I jolt. I'm assuming it's close to what sleep apnea is like, but I actually wake up and feel my heart racing and slow back down. It's weird. I'm hoping that it's just a phase because my body is finally realizing that my workout/diet is not just a joke and it's throwing me "NOOOO"! Sorry I can't be of help, but you are not the only one feeling this way.

melx123

hey girl! I can't say i felt the same way as you when i first started BUT i did feel so uncomfortable the first week or two. My stomach would hurt a lot and couldn't really lay on my stomach because it felt weird. Maybe my body was just getting used to it? But afterwards it went away and now it's all fine. I hope its the same for you, and eventually stop. Good luck hun!

meganld

I started running a few weeks ago and on days when I run I have a hard time falling asleep. It doesn't matter what time of day I run. I don't know if you've been exercising but that has been my experience.

myfitnessval

kind of. i think my body wasn't used to so many endorphins running amok in my body because the first two weeks i started working out i had heart palpitations lol. i had to cut the caffeine completely to calm my dang heart! but yeah i'm a late night exerciser (it just seems to happen that way) and i find myself having to really focus on trying to sleep because i have so much energy.

TXBlueEyes

I have something similar happening to me. Perhaps it is caused by my late workouts (after the baby is put to bed), but I don't have a problem getting to sleep. Every time i go through a sleep cycle, instead of just drifting into the next cycle I'll fully wake up and the only thing I can do to get back to sleep is flip from one side to the other in bed. Practically every hour last night from 2am to 6am.

myfitnessnmhoy

@needamulligan - I don't think it's exercising too close to bed, but I might just be getting a boost of energy instead of feeling sluggish; something I'm not too used to. I can tell that my body is tired and I want to be sleeping, but another part of me is like, "Heck no! Let's get up and move!!" I'm looking forward to very sleepy nights Thank you for your message!

My sleep has actually gotten a little better since I joined MFP and got my diet under more control.

But, you know, there's ALWAYS room for a workout. If you're that energetic, do a few planks and some squats to calm you down AND benefit your core. All you need for those is a little floorspace.

sarah44254

My sleeping issues are extremely similar to this and completely unrelated to weight loss / healthy lifestyles.

Jessica1274

Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

Thank you for any insight!

What you're describing sounds a lot like Restless Leg Syndrome. Make sure you are getting enough potassium. I suggest taking magnesium right before bed. Also, some medicines, such as Benadryl, can make it a lot worse. I will take some ibuprofen and magnesium when I get that way, and it usually helps.

Pimpmonkey

Gee, I have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) and you might want to check that out, cause the symptoms are exactly the same.

katejkelley

I've had some trouble falling and staying asleep, even though I'm dead tired. I thought it may be drinking water with Mio in the evenings, so have quit adding that after dinner. But I still drink A LOT of water, so am up several times to go to the bathroom. I could really use a solid night's sleep with no interruptions!

lilylight

This has happened to me a few times... For me, I think it's from getting more exercise now, whereas before I was much more sedentary. If your legs have a creepy crawly feeling, that's restless leg syndrome. I get that sometimes, and I find that rubbing aloe Vera gel on my legs helps a lot! It's cooling and soothing. Also see the thread titled "legs won't stop".

Guitarjon

I am the opposite. I always struggled getting to sleep, now I can sleep much easier and I don't need to wait for my body to feel tired it sort of does automatically now. Much happier that I can sleep airliner and wake earlier.

JennieAL

Yes, I've experienced this and I think it may have to do with later workouts. I have had a vague crawly sensation in the legs, but I looked up Restless Leg Syndrome and don't think it's that... or if it is, it's very very mild and doesn't happen often.

I think it may be adrenaline or other chemical reactions going on after a hard workout. It happens to me when I lift weights late, not so much after walking or cardio... just a heavy lifting session.

LarStar

Hey All, Thank you SO MUCH!

I looked at my daily intake of iron and potassium and both are down; which are both associated with restless leg syndrome. I usually take an iron and magnesium as supplements, but haven't been too good about taking my vitamins and making a point of eating banana for the potassium. Thank you Jessica1274 & Pimpmonkey

I'm going to keep in mind to watch how I sleep on nights when I do work out and nights that I don't. I went swimming last night and fill asleep easily without that creepy crawly feeling. It will be important for me to leave a few hrs between working out and sleeping so that I can come down from the natural high and drift into sleep; thank you everyone who mentioned sleep & exercise/lack of exercise!

This info helps me a lot!

Thank you all again

ashlielinn

The exact same thing happens to me. I think it's just because I workout so close to bedtime. I'm usually fine once I finally fall asleep!

debomommyforhealth

Oh my goodness! I have had the same thing happen to me since I've started training for a half marathon in September. I toss and turn and eventually have to go in the other room to read since my husband gets annoyed! It's like I have more energy than I know what to do with. It's not caffeine related, but man, wouldn't my poor body be exhausted from all of this hard physical exertion!? Didn't think about fat-burning. Anyway, let me know if you find a solution. Mine is just to go read a book and get good and tired before hitting the pillow!

choppie70

Hmmm.... I have been feeling the exact same way lately. I am having such a hard time falling asleep and then staying asleep.

I used to get the jittery leg feeling a lot. I even did a bit of research on RLS. Then is just went away. Now that I have been exercising and changing my eating habits it is back. Maybe I need to look at iron and potassium? With the change in my diet and changed eating habits I may not be getting enough.

ninerbuff

Hate to tell you that "restless" sleeping doesn't "burn fat" as effectively as DEEP SLEEP. When you deep sleep, HGH is released in higher quantity and helps to burn more fat. If you're restless when you sleep, this doesn't happen.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

suziecue66

"RLS is extremely real.” Fortunately, real remedies exist for it. Here are four to try:

Iron: This nutrient appears to play an important role in dopamine metabolism and, thus, nerve health. More than a fourth of RLS patients are deficient in ferritin (the form in which your body stores iron). Before taking iron supplements, get your ferritin levels checked. Standard blood tests dont measure it, however, so you have to ask for the specific test. Doctors recommend supplementation only if ferritin levels measure less than 50 ng/mL. For those with a deficiency, studies show that taking 200 to 300 mg of oral ferrous sulfate one to three times daily (depending on the degree of deficiency) can improve RLS symptoms if taken over several months. For optimal absorption, take the supplements on an empty stomach, an hour or two after your last meal. Intravenous iron therapy can alleviate symptoms faster and keep them at bay for up to six months. Since taking too much iron can cause you serious harm, make sure to have your iron levels monitored while supplementing.

Folic Acid: For 30 years, researchers have hypothesized that taking folic acid (a key component in nerve health) may alleviate restless legs, particularly when the condition runs in a family. “People who respond best to high doses of folic acid are people who have a family history of RLS,” says naturopathic doctor Dean Neary, chair of the physical medicine department at Bastyr University in Seattle. “Perhaps there is some deficiency that gets passed from gene to gene that causes malabsorption on the folic acid end.” Start at 5 mg daily, and if symptoms persist, you can work your way up to as much as 30 mg. Keep in mind that these dosages are very high (the RDA for folate is 300 to 600 micrograms), so work under the supervision of a healthcare provider.

Magnesium: Restless legs can sometimes occur because of an underlying electrolyte imbalance, says Cuellar. For instance, patients who have an eating disorder or who undergo gastric-bypass surgery, both of which disrupt electrolyte levels, often develop RLS. If an electrolyte imbalance is the culprit, taking extra magnesium may help. This mineral promotes muscle and nerve health, and anyone with RLS can safely supplement with it to see if their condition improves. Try taking anywhere from 200 to 800 mg of elemental magnesium a day at bedtime (start with a low dose, and move higher if necessary.)

L-theanine: Studies have shown that this amino acid, found in green tea, promotes the brain wave activity associated with deep relaxation. It’s also a critical precursor to the relaxing neurotransmitter GABA (gamma amino butyric acid). Even though there’s little research specifically on the use of L-theanine for restless legs, Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, medical director of the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers, says it has proven itself as “one of the best natural remedies for sleep.” He recommends 200 mg of Sun Theanine one hour before bedtime."

http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/media/Documents/Sept09/remedies-for-restless-leg-synd healthy living.pdf

http://www.care2.com/greenliving/remedies-for-restless-leg-syndrome.html
Edited by suziecue66 on Fri 07/06/12 02:00 PM

secretlobster

Are you sleeping in a fire?

LarStar

Hate to tell you that "restless" sleeping doesn't "burn fat" as effectively as DEEP SLEEP. When you deep sleep, HGH is released in higher quantity and helps to burn more fat. If you're restless when you sleep, this doesn't happen.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

I wasn't saying that restless sleep burns fat, I was saying that since I have started burning fat by working out/changing my eating, I have become quite restless

LarStar

Hey Everyone! Just wanted to say thanks for all the info and that I'm no longer restless at night. I've been working out later in the day, but giving myself appprox 4 hrs between swimming and sleeping. I've also got back to taking my vitamins and supplements every day, including a banana for potassium.

Here's what I take, the Iron, Potassium, and Magnesium all helped with the feelings of restlessness, as well as cramping in my legs.

-B12
-D
-C
-Calcium
-E
-Magnesium
-Iron (Proferrin - it doesnt give you stomach aches or cause constipation, as I have heard other iron supplements do)-
-EFA - Salmon oil in a gel tablet.
-Potassium (by eating a banana)
-Oil of Oregano (if you decide to take this, it is kind of a miracle oil in the name of immunity, but make sure you do not have gall bladder concerns and that you read about the side effects. I never take more than a drop or two and I only take it a couple times a week or if I am feeling sick, because I have a sensitive gall bladder.)

itgeekwoman

I wasn't sleeping well either, but then started drinking the magnesium at night and it helped balance my sleep times. I sleep through the night now with no issues!!

tom_olech

Hey, i am the same. I get restless at night if i have an empty stomach. I find that a glass of 1% milk before i got to be helps quite a bit. It has a little bit of fat, some card and protein, so it satisfies my me long enough for me to pass out. Plus, its only 120 cal or so; so its easy enough to make room in my diet for it.

As for the skin crawl thing i have something similar. My body tingles slight when i'm hypocaloric and burning fat....