Insomnia

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JaimeMWS
JaimeMWS Posts: 36
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started back on my healthy eating program, and am having a hard time falling asleep. I am eating plenty of calories (1400 net after exercise), and am not hungry at night - but I just don't fall asleep. I know that if I got up and had some bread and warm milk it would help me sleep, but carbs right before bed destroy any chance I have of losing weight.

(Please - don't tell me how it doesn't mess with your weight loss, or how it shouldn't hurt if I am under my calorie goal. I know from experience that for me a nighttime carb-heavy snack sabotages weight loss. )

Does anyone else have this problem, and if so, do you have things that worked to get over it and train your body to sleep without that warm fuzzy feeling that bread and milk brings?

Replies

  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Maybe a nice hot shower?
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
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    Maybe some herbal tea, Sleepytime or something?
  • hilldiggity
    hilldiggity Posts: 166 Member
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    Klonopin.
  • nofear01
    nofear01 Posts: 9 Member
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    What time are you training at night? If you are training hard, your body will still be training even after you have finished.

    If you are training in the evenings, try mixing it up and getting up early and training in the morning and going to bed earlier in the evening.

    Next bit sounds cheesey, remember is a bed is for sleeping, so don't have any lights on or your mobile phone on you in the room. Stops you from relaxing
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    You are absolutely right that eating before bed AND insomnia can mess w/your progress. I'm an EXTREMELY light sleeper & had to work in a job where I was sleeping during the day, so I've read everything possible on insomnia. Here are the things that worked for me...
    Go to bed & get up the same time every day, even when you CAN sleep in.
    Try not to eat, drink, or exercise 4 hours before bed (but drink like crazy before that cut off, so you're well hydrated)
    If hot showers/baths relax you then do it before bed, if they wake you up then do them in the morning.
    Temperature should be slightly cool, but you should have warm covers, & warm feet help you sleep, so socks are good.
    Use some kind of small fan or white noise maker to drown out noise.
    Use black out curtains, or cover your windows w/foil to make it REALLY dark & don't use night lights
    When you go to bed, tense all your muscles, then from your fingers & toes towards your core, gradually relax them
    Take several deep, slow breaths & let them out

    Other helps if you live w/others who might be opening doors, drawers, or cupboards...oil squeaky hinges, & put bumper dots on drawers/cupboards so they don't make as much noise when closed. Also ask anyone you live w/to help by trying to be quiet when you're trying to sleep.

    If that doesn't work, melatonin works for some. Although we've found that Nature Made's "Sleep" product works even better. Both should be taken about 30 min before you go to bed.

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