Insomnia started after the 2nd day of net 1260kcal/day diet

I started dieting and I'm on my 3rd day. I am losing weight, feel physically better overall, immediate effects I am feeling because I'm eating extremely healthy too. I do pay attention to my calorie count (really nothing misses, or I add the info myself) and I pay attention to nutritional intake. However, on the second day of my diet I started to experience extreme lack of sleep (to be clear I used to sleep 8 hours/day before diet but now sleeping 4.5 hours/day and wake up around 04:30 in the morning). Is it common and will it go away after some time? Because it makes me feel constantly tired (although I feel better), so tired that I don't want to do anything, I just want to sit or lay down, but when I lay down I can't manage to sleep. How can I end this does anybody have an idea?

Thank you in advance..

Replies

  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    I'd honestly see your doctor.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    My problem is this; same thing happened last year, I started diet one year ago (similar to the one I'm doing now) and I got the same insomnia effect, when I told this to my doctor at that time, he said there's nothing to worry that my body is shocked because of a sudden diet change, I should not sleep during the day and eventually it should go back to routine and then he prescribed me lorazepam. I really don't want to go through the same lorezapam issue, he will do the same and I won't take it. Full stop. Last year this lasted almost 3 months, eventually I stopped my diet in the end, and become fat again (at least I started sleeping good)..
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    What time of day are you exercising? Some people's sleep is disturbed if they work out late in the day or early evening. Try morning work outs.
    What drastic change have you made to the types of foods that you are eating?
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    I exercise during the day, mostly early in the morning or before lunch and even if I didn't do in the morning I do it after lunch but never after 17:00..
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    edited May 2016
    I was eating hi sugar, hi fat foods, unhealthy, like chips, chocolate, spaghetti, pizza, all junk, then I started eating veggies, limit my fat intake, and stopped using sugar (completely). I don't eat rice I replaced it with quinoa, I cut pizza spaghetti and all junk food because otherwise I can't match my net calories, then I looked my nutritional intake and adjusted my diet to have enough potassium, vitamins, etc. so it's a pretty drastic change..
  • Gamliela
    Gamliela Posts: 2,468 Member
    Like rodarose was saying, some people when they stop bread and fats it can make sleeplessness a problem.

    Maybe a gradual reduction of those foods would be better.

    Is it because you are hungry at night or are you restless and energized at bedtime instead of tired and relaxed?



  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    Because I can't sleep hungry I do eat an apple and a kiwi 1 hour before going to sleep (yesterday I did this) I don't have trouble going to sleep, but I do have trouble of waking up so early in the morning and feel restless and tired at the same time. Like I don't have the energy, but I do have the energy and I believe that's why I can't sleep, but I just don't understand the feeling tired at the same time :/
  • nicolecafarella
    nicolecafarella Posts: 5 Member
    If you have only had two bad nights of sleep so far I honestly wouldn't start worrying about it yet.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    edited May 2016
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    This is yesterday, and the day before wasn't much different.. But today is a failure because 4,5 hrs of sleep messed me up all day and at last in lunch I ate more than I should, more fat and carb, now I actually feel a bit better, maybe I should take my goal up to net 1360kcal/day (100 kcal more). Sorry about German!
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    I don't sleep well at all if my last meal is too light. Make sure you have plenty of good fat at your last meal, maybe 1/2 avocado.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    If you have only had two bad nights of sleep so far I honestly wouldn't start worrying about it yet.

    It just felt like how it happened 1 year ago, I had the same during a low fat hi protein diet, sleeplessness lasted 3 months, in the end I gave up diet, be fat and sleep good.. That's why I'm writing 1 year later as the same thing is happening or looks like happening. But for sure I'll try to fight on this as much as I can. But this time instead of getting lorezapam stuffed, I decided to try forums harder..
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    To me it sounds a little bit like wanting to do too much too fast. You're changing your entire nutrition in one go and your body is probably trying to tell you it doesn't like it.

    BTW, how tall are you? and how much are you looking to lose? How fast a weight loss are you looking at? Because at 33 years old, 1260cals seems awfully low as a starting point. 35 here, 170cm, 94kg and I eat 1550cals + exercise. When I stick to that I lose 0.5kg a week. Down from 104kg in January.

    Perhaps try first logging all the food you eat when you're NOT dieting. Then after 2-4 weeks, analyze what you have and then slowly start cutting until you reach a point where you're losing weight (slowly!) but still comfortable. Don't look at it as 'dieting' but as changing your eating habits to a new lifestyle that suits you. You need to learn to eat in a way that is sustainable for you for the rest of your life and not a quick fix that risks your physical and mental health.

    Anytime I tried the 'too much too fast approach' my body rebelled and I just felt sick.

    Best of luck on your journey!

    (oh and... greetings from a fellow swiss girl - if your diary entries are anything to go by :wink: )
  • 2011rocket3touring
    2011rocket3touring Posts: 1,346 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    I'd honestly see your doctor.

    In the meantime try exercise.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    To me it sounds a little bit like wanting to do too much too fast. You're changing your entire nutrition in one go and your body is probably trying to tell you it doesn't like it.

    BTW, how tall are you? and how much are you looking to lose? How fast a weight loss are you looking at? Because at 33 years old, 1260cals seems awfully low as a starting point. 35 here, 170cm, 94kg and I eat 1550cals + exercise. When I stick to that I lose 0.5kg a week. Down from 104kg in January.

    Perhaps try first logging all the food you eat when you're NOT dieting. Then after 2-4 weeks, analyze what you have and then slowly start cutting until you reach a point where you're losing weight (slowly!) but still comfortable. Don't look at it as 'dieting' but as changing your eating habits to a new lifestyle that suits you. You need to learn to eat in a way that is sustainable for you for the rest of your life and not a quick fix that risks your physical and mental health.

    Anytime I tried the 'too much too fast approach' my body rebelled and I just felt sick.

    Best of luck on your journey!

    (oh and... greetings from a fellow swiss girl - if your diary entries are anything to go by :wink: )


    I think you just busted me :) I might have done it extreme.. I used to take minimum net 2000kcal/day only eating junk food and now i changed in 1 day and having net 1200-1250 kcal/day through only healthy, whole, unprocessed sources (calculating grams of each food so I don't over eat and learn portion sizes) but I may have done it to the extreme..

    The problem is, I needed to cut it all at once otherwise I keep eating and eating and it won't stop :D

    I think I will keep it up not as strict as the last days, but not more than net 1350 kcal/day and do more exercise early in the morning with a little force to break this tiredness, and just wait a 1-2 weeks and see what happens..

    Because I think I really did it harsh, it's been only 3 days and I feel like my clothes got 1 size bigger :D but I put my age (33), gender (f), weight (77) and height (159cm, 5'3) this is what MyFitnessPal gave me to lose 0.5 kg/week, net 1260kcal/day.. Obviously everybody is different.. Thank you ladyreva :) regards from Basel!
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    :smile:

    Just keep an eye on both how you feel (is the situation improving or not) and how your weightloss is progressing. Make changes as needed. I.E: if you're feeling like crap, eat more/eat differently. If you're losing weight too quickly (more than 0.5kg a week) eat more. If your feeling great but not losing as you should, eat less and so forth. It's a game of trial and error until you find what you need.

    On days where you feel particularly bad, don't beat yourself up for eating more (closer to your maintenance level) until you get a grip with yourself again. I tend to do that 1-2 times a month (that particular time of the month) because other wise I just eat anything in sight (chocolate in particular. We have an artisan chocolatier not far from where I live... it's to die for :drool: )

    Greetings from (somewhere tiny near) Bern. :smile:
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    edited May 2016
    Yeah that day of the month is coming for me too. And right now I just did something that made me go up to net 1360kcal for today but I don't care..

    I ate spaghetti with parmesan (normal or even a bit less than 1 portion according to the package) and I feel I'm reborn! Like curtain from my eyes lifted. Like I am back in reality. No tiredness as the day ends.. Wow the effect was good I felt I really needed it :)

    Maybe I will sleep good tonight.. Let's see :) it's so amazing, people feel good after eating vegetables and I feel good with a spaghetti, such a fate for a body!

    Anyways I feel much better after limiting my calories, and as long as I care this and protein/carb/fat balance I think I will keep losing weight, it's just more slow and humane for me..

    I think this calorie counter is kinda wrong, because after all, even if you sit down you are burning calories or just because you're living you're burning calories and it doesn't count those calories effective maybe..so the calorie limit was wrong for me maybe.. Or it was my fault because I selected sedentary on my activity level, I should make it one step more.. I will find my carb/fat/protein balance and use net 1300kcal/day as my new limit :) for now..

    I will see how it goes and keep reporting here for others future references..thank you everyone who has replied and helped! I feel so good now :)
  • AlyM725
    AlyM725 Posts: 158 Member
    I had the same problem. When, two months ago, I first started eating better and exercising I had a hard time sleeping. When I did fall asleep I would sleep for 12 hours. I've lost 14 pounds, but it's only been the past few days that I've been sleeping better. I fall asleep quickly and wake up ready to go. I would give it some time, but if you're worried about it, you doctor might be able to pin point a problem if there is one
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
    When I tried Paleo, I couldn't sleep. Some people say due to lack of carbs. If I workout in the afternoon, I can't sleep that night. I think some people are just sensitive to changes.
  • DrifterBear
    DrifterBear Posts: 265 Member
    I don't sleep well when I'm not eating enough. I'd suggest keeping a regular schedule. No naps and try to do a morning workout routine. I find by the time I'm able to go to sleep, I can't wait to crawl into bed. However, even if I am exhausted at the end of the day, I can't sleep well if I'm not eating enough. Make sure your calories count. Consider a protein shake at the end of the day. I balance by diet, but I try to keep protein at the level I would have without a deficit and cut fat and carbs. I'm not on a low fat/carb diet, but that's where I restrict calories.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I was eating hi sugar, hi fat foods, unhealthy, like chips, chocolate, spaghetti, pizza, all junk, then I started eating veggies, limit my fat intake, and stopped using sugar (completely). I don't eat rice I replaced it with quinoa, I cut pizza spaghetti and all junk food because otherwise I can't match my net calories, then I looked my nutritional intake and adjusted my diet to have enough potassium, vitamins, etc. so it's a pretty drastic change..

    Certain carbs make me sleepy so I save higher carb meals for my bedtime snack. Spaghetti might be great for you to have for the last meal of the day :)

    Regular white flour bread makes me sleepy as well. During the day, I now use sprouted bread from brands like Food for Life/Ezekial or my new favorite, Alvarado St Bakery.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    Yes all so true.. I just realized on the first night that I started, I had a sudden low blood pressure and had to lay down put my feet up, then I slept.. These should all be signs that either I'm not eating enough (made it too strict) or that the change was so drastic on what I eat, my body just reacted, most possibly both together.

    I'm perfectly fine and tomorrow I'll start the day with exercise early in the morning :) I'll eat more carbs at the evening, and also keep it up with protein. I'm hoping for a good night sleep :)

    Thank you everyone! It helped me a lot hearing your thoughts and I think I'll solve this!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited May 2016
    Yes, give yourself more time because this is a huge adjustment for your body.
    Just so you know, rice and quinoa are almost exactly the same nutritionally.
    They are different botanically because rice is a grain while quiona is a berry. Eat the rice if you like it.

    Some people eat carbs at night because it helps them sleep.
    It is O.K. to go over on fat as long as you are under calories for the day. We need fat.
    And keep up your protein of course.
    Carbs do not matter one way or another -- it is o.k. to go very low or high -- they are a matter of preference.
  • heatherheyns
    heatherheyns Posts: 144 Member
    I can tell you that when I let my calories go too low, I have trouble sleeping. I have no idea why, it isn't that I am hungry, but it usually ques me in that I need more calories
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    Yes all so true.. I just realized on the first night that I started, I had a sudden low blood pressure and had to lay down put my feet up, then I slept.. These should all be signs that either I'm not eating enough (made it too strict) or that the change was so drastic on what I eat, my body just reacted, most possibly both together.

    I'm perfectly fine and tomorrow I'll start the day with exercise early in the morning :) I'll eat more carbs at the evening, and also keep it up with protein. I'm hoping for a good night sleep :)

    Thank you everyone! It helped me a lot hearing your thoughts and I think I'll solve this!

    Did you manage to sleep better with the plate of yummy spaghetti? :smile:

    I'm glad you realized you need to do what's good for your body and not what others think is good for it. If it means more carbs, then by all means, have more carbs!
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    Yess! Today I slept 6 hours! Slept much early yesterday evening and woke up around 05:00 for toilet and couldn't slept after that, but there's improvement because today I'm not feeling low like yesterday morning, I was able to exercise and don't have the tiredness feeling .. I believe I certainly need more carb, especially before bedtime :) thank you for asking and keeping it up ladyreva :) I wish you a good day (although it's rainy around here) :)

    Rodarose, thank you for the insight! I am eating around 70gr protein, I'm not much of a meat lover but I pay attention to not to take less than 65gr net protein and for fat no less than 50g and no more than 55g net, like this I take around 1300kcal/day net and now I think it's my way to go, and even a 50kcal, or 10-15 grams of carb makes such a difference on my mood and energy level, I'll try this new 1300kcal one week and see if I will need another adjustment, but so far so good since yesterday :)
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
    I think I read somewhere to eat cottage cheese as your last snack it helps with sleep. Also has protein if you can do dairy.
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    Yes I can, I'll keep this in mind too :) thank you
  • jackitherude
    jackitherude Posts: 13 Member
    Now several days passed, I think my body adjusted. Now I also have days with less movement and no excersize, I perfectly adjust my calorie intake accordingly without compromising on nutrition and macro sections :) sleep issue seems to be solved for good :) I think my body went through some kind of a shock after the big change.. This subject can be closed now. Thank you everyone for giving your time!