Started exercising, and now I can't sleep!

SilentTigress
SilentTigress Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone,

I started working out on a regular basis about a week and a half ago..ever since, I can not fall asleep at night! And if I do, it's just a light sleep that I wake up from within an hour or so.

I workout around noon, I've been eating about 1,200 calories a day, I don't eat before bed...any suggestions? It's frustrating!

Replies

  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    First, eat more.
  • nickymarie011
    nickymarie011 Posts: 152 Member
    I had that issue when I first started working out too! I really am crazy about putting supplements or medications into my body and prefer not to... but I found that melatonin helped me out in the beginning. It's very cheap and natural and found in the vitamin aisles. I also know that chamomile tea is great as well as valerian root in tea or capsule form. Tried them all and I have the best non drowsy in the AM sleep with melatonin.
  • MoJoPoe
    MoJoPoe Posts: 139 Member
    I am very anti-caffiene. Elimate stimulants. If you are taking diet pills, they could be the bad guys.

    Don't stress about it. Soon, your rhythms will adjust to your new exercise regime. :yawn:

    When you can't sleep, count your blessings instead of sheep.
  • SilentTigress
    SilentTigress Posts: 14
    MG_Fit: More like 1,500?


    No caffeine/diet pills. I really only drink coffee socially, and I stopped drinking pop. It's a good thing I'm a teacher on summer break or this would really be a huge problem. :/
  • chelstakencharge
    chelstakencharge Posts: 1,021 Member
    Same thing happened to me. It eventually passed though. I stay at about 1100 calories per day. I lift and do 60-90 of cardio every day. I drink nothing but water. Every BODY is different and responses different. Play around with our calorie numbers to see what works for you
  • hottamolly00
    hottamolly00 Posts: 334 Member
    Hi Everyone,

    I started working out on a regular basis about a week and a half ago..ever since, I can not fall asleep at night! And if I do, it's just a light sleep that I wake up from within an hour or so.

    I workout around noon, I've been eating about 1,200 calories a day, I don't eat before bed...any suggestions? It's frustrating!

    Yep. Eat more. You need to eat back your calories. Google TDEE. It's a better calculation than MFP gives you.
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    When did your summer break start? Could your lack of sleep be due to the fact that you are on break and are therefore doing less during the day so maybe you're just not as tired as you were previously? It may not have anything to do with your new work out regime....just a thought
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
    1500 sounds a lot healthier than 1200. You aren't feeding your body enough to sustain body function. You'll lose fat, yes, but also muscle mass. It's all a balance.
  • michellechawner
    michellechawner Posts: 892
    Exercise sooner if possible. I know If I do heavy exercising after 3 PM I can't sleep, but if I do it sooner I seem to have no issue.

    If you're having trouble sleeping, try melatonin. I take it nightly along with my prescription for sleep meds (extremely low dose of nortrypline) and the melatonin seems to do the trick to help me fall asleep. I'm on nortrypline for pain, as it helps keep me asleep. Melatonin can be found at a health food store, I get mine at trader joe's.

    Beside melatonin, try some chamomile tea. I've heard it works, but I don't use it.

    If nothing seems to work, check with your doctor - there may be something more serious going on, of you may need prescription help or your levels are off somewhere causing you to stay awake.
  • chiojukwu
    chiojukwu Posts: 8 Member
    Hi I had that problem too, found out it's better when I work out first thing in the morning. That way I use up my hyper energy that I seem to get from exercising doing things I would have been too tired to do if I didn't get that rush of energy, by evening I'm pretty much worn out. Since I started doing that I generally fall asleep around 9pm instead of 12- 1am.
  • Iron_Duchess
    Iron_Duchess Posts: 429 Member
    It could be over training. Are you exercising every day? For how long? Are you taking appropriate rest days? Eating enough?

    Some of the causes of over training are:

    • Generalized fatigue
    • Depression
    • Muscle pain
    • Joint pain
    • Loss of appetite
    • Insomnia <
    • Mood change
    • A decrease in performance
    • Lack of motivation
    • Difficulty in concentration
    • Increases susceptibility to illness
  • SilentTigress
    SilentTigress Posts: 14
    Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate your help! I will take your advice and switch things up a bit.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Eat back your exercise calories and have a healthy snack before bed
  • arains89
    arains89 Posts: 442 Member
    Weird. I sleep better when I exercise...

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