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Almoshposh
Almoshposh Posts: 139 Member
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I have battled insomnia all my adult life. I'm usually in bed by 10 but can't stay asleep past 2am. However since I started keto six weeks ago I'm sleeping through out the night. Even if I wake up to go to the bathroom (which is often coz of all the water I'm drinking) I don't have any problems falling right back to sleep. I even have to take a nap in the afternoon sometimes. Now as much as I am enjoying all this zzzz time, I'm still curious as to the science behind it. Does anyone have a scientific explanation for this?

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  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Good question! I had sleep issues, and now I sleep normally. Not sure if it's LC, exercise, or the blue light software filters I put on all my devices/computers.

    A lot of people complain about poor sleep due to too-low-carb and cortisol issues.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,439 Member
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    I don't have any scientific evidence, but just wanted to congratulate you on this excellent side effect for you. I'm finding that LCHF is good for just about anything that ails you!
  • SRJennings
    SRJennings Posts: 126 Member
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    I hope some of the knowledgeable posters will respond to your question. I am having a similar experience with the sleepiness. I also suffered from insomnia for 10 years but that was cured when I went gluten-free two years ago. Now, I am trying to get back into ketostis (after a rice binge this weekend) and I am falling down sleepy. Is this a side effect of getting out of ketostis? A mini keto flu?
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
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    Ketosis does have brain effects. Might be the same way it benefits epileptics. Less "excitement." A lot of insomnia is just high brain activity, right?
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I used to have a sleep problem when I ate high carb. I was falling asleep during the day about 3-4 times. Every day without fail! It hasn't happened since.

    I guess there is something about low carb that can help regulate that sorr of thing?
  • FitnFierceJamie
    FitnFierceJamie Posts: 4 Member
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    If you haven't read Wheat Belly yet, I highly recommend it. Wheat and sugar can be extremely disruptive to sleep patterns. I sleep much better when I'm restricting carbs than I do "off the wagon." The part that really fascinates me, though, is how much more vivid and memorable my dreams are.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
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    Carb coma:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence
  • glossbones
    glossbones Posts: 1,064 Member
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    My husband has been an insomniac for as long as I've known him. He has been sleeping well, falling asleep faster, and staying asleep through the night since a few days after he switched to LCHF. He is also waking up earlier and feeling more alert.
  • mongoosealamode
    mongoosealamode Posts: 112 Member
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    I have had a harder time falling asleep since starting keto. I do still have sleepy moments during the day but it's mostly because I am home with kids all day and get exhausted mentally.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    wabmester wrote: »
    Carb coma:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence

    Oh my gods above and below. THIS IS ME. This is what I was jokingly calling my "food narcolepsy." Going back to read and reread this WHOLE ARTICLE. *flipping out a bit* No one knew what this was or really believed me...
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,104 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    wabmester wrote: »
    Carb coma:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence

    Oh my gods above and below. THIS IS ME. This is what I was jokingly calling my "food narcolepsy." Going back to read and reread this WHOLE ARTICLE. *flipping out a bit* No one knew what this was or really believed me...

    It looks like for me, before I changed my WOE, it was this + INSULIN RESISTANCE + possible LEPTIN RESISTANCE + unknown factors.

    Does anyone know what blood work is done to diagnose leptin resistance? I'm hoping whatever it is is in that massive blood panel I just did... This could explain so much and make me feel so much less insane and utterly crazy for made up problems....

    @Dragonwolf Is this something you've studied?
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    KnitOrMiss wrote: »
    wabmester wrote: »
    Carb coma:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postprandial_somnolence

    Oh my gods above and below. THIS IS ME. This is what I was jokingly calling my "food narcolepsy." Going back to read and reread this WHOLE ARTICLE. *flipping out a bit* No one knew what this was or really believed me...

    It looks like for me, before I changed my WOE, it was this + INSULIN RESISTANCE + possible LEPTIN RESISTANCE + unknown factors.

    Does anyone know what blood work is done to diagnose leptin resistance? I'm hoping whatever it is is in that massive blood panel I just did... This could explain so much and make me feel so much less insane and utterly crazy for made up problems....

    @Dragonwolf Is this something you've studied?

    I don't know any details on that one, unfortunately. You might want to peruse Chris Kresser's and Chris Masterjohn's works, though. I think one of them has talked about it before.
  • wabmester
    wabmester Posts: 2,748 Member
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    Pretty much by definition, if you're overweight, you're leptin resistant. As you lose weight leptin drops. In terms of inflammation, this is a Good Thing. In terms of hunger, not so much.

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