trouble staying a sleep

I am obese and almost 50 years old. doctor has put me on high blood pressure pills about three weeks ago. I started watching what I eat at 375lbs. this morning I was at 345lbs. I started eating less about two weeks before I went to dr. I have been eating between 1000-1500 calories per day. Dr. told me to lower sodium to 2g per day which I have done and lose lbs. which I had already started. When I was at dr. office was 363 20 days ago today and today like I said 345. Eating this way has been no problem at all and will be able to keep doing it. My problem is sleep. I can fall a sleep like normal but sometimes wake up in a hour or so and trouble going back to sleep. when I wake up it is like wide awake in middle of the day. If I up the amount of calories would my sleep patterns get back to what they were? I know the amount of calories I have cut back on is a crazy amount but can calorie intake so drastically affect sleep? I have to go to dr. Thursday but some nights I might sleep 6 hours but drinking so much water get up twice and those 6 hours night able to go back to sleep. but some nites like last night slept an hour and then did not go back to sleep until 2 hours later. so total last night last slept 4 hours which is not enough for me. But when I went back to sleep eventually was out like a light until alarm went off for work.

Replies

  • rockyhi512
    rockyhi512 Posts: 42 Member
    It is hard to lose weight when you are not getting enough sleep. At the weight you are I think that you are not eating enough. You will still get fantastic results if you eat a minimum of 1500 to 1920 cal. You are waking up hungry. I had the same problem and I would have to make myself a snack in the middle of the night. I am eating about 1800 calories a day and I started at 262 in November and am currently at 235. I am in the same age category. You should avoid fluids at least 2 hrs before going to sleep. It takes about that amount of time for our kidneys to process the fluids. It is our stomachs pressing against our bladder, minimizing its capacity. Have the doctor to check if you have sleep apnea. That could be waking you up. Good luck with your loss. I hope you are feeling fantastic for the results your are achieving.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    First of all, we all wake up quite a few times every night, up to 20-30 times. But usually we don't notice and sleep on. That's completely normal. An unhealthy sleeping pattern might develop if we worry too much about waking up and not falling asleep anymore. Been there, done that. I know it's not easy, but if you wake up try to take your mind off being awake. Train your head to think of something nice or interesting. Having played Flight Simulator ages ago excessively I usually think of being responsible for a plane all of a sudden. That keeps my mind busy, I don't think of being awake anymore, and then fall asleep again.
  • breamking1
    breamking1 Posts: 3 Member
    edited January 2018
    yeah man I feel much better and getting around like ten years ago. I am not hungry though I have not been hungry. I have been eating mostly bland food no sodium so maybe it is just because it all taste like crap. lol. it has been a major difference from before to now with calories and as to what I eat. I will try to add some calories today and see if that helps.
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    Definitely ask your doctor about it Thursday. Good sleep is a lot about habit and you have been changing things up, but best to make sure there's nothing medical. I do think your calories are too low, though. What does MFP say you should eat to lose 2lbs a week? I bet it's a lot more than you are aiming for. Under 1200 and you can and will compromise your health and wellbeing over time simply because it's hard to fit adequate nutrients into less cals.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    breamking1 wrote: »
    I am obese and almost 50 years old. doctor has put me on high blood pressure pills about three weeks ago. I started watching what I eat at 375lbs. this morning I was at 345lbs. I started eating less about two weeks before I went to dr. I have been eating between 1000-1500 calories per day. Dr. told me to lower sodium to 2g per day which I have done and lose lbs. which I had already started. When I was at dr. office was 363 20 days ago today and today like I said 345. Eating this way has been no problem at all and will be able to keep doing it. My problem is sleep. I can fall a sleep like normal but sometimes wake up in a hour or so and trouble going back to sleep. when I wake up it is like wide awake in middle of the day. If I up the amount of calories would my sleep patterns get back to what they were? I know the amount of calories I have cut back on is a crazy amount but can calorie intake so drastically affect sleep? I have to go to dr. Thursday but some nights I might sleep 6 hours but drinking so much water get up twice and those 6 hours night able to go back to sleep. but some nites like last night slept an hour and then did not go back to sleep until 2 hours later. so total last night last slept 4 hours which is not enough for me. But when I went back to sleep eventually was out like a light until alarm went off for work.

    Did your doctor give you that calorie goal or did you choose it? It's quite possible that you are waking up because you are really hungry and your body needs fuel. In general, losing 1 lb per day is very stressful on the body. I'm not a doctor, so I don't know which is more of a health concern, being at your current weight or losing weight at such a drastically aggressive pace. Definitely bring all this up with your doctor, but it couldn't hurt to eat a bit more over the next couple of days and see if it helps your sleep issue so you have some data for the doctor. Your body needs calories, protein, fat, and micronutrients from food to do all the things it needs to do all day (and night) so maybe print out your recent food logs and bring it with you to the doctor.
  • I can't speak to your calorie intake since I'm not a doctor, and i wouldn't presume to tell you that you're "waking up hungry". However, I have read that it can take a good 3-4 weeks to settle into a new sleeping pattern after a change in routine. On January 4th I completely stopped alcohol consumption, started exercising, watching what I ate, drinking way more water and going to bed at 10 (instead of anywhere from 11-1) AND I radically changed my job to reduce stress. What you are saying was completely familiar to me. I felt like i was awake more than i was asleep so what was the point?! I was still waking up exhausted so what was the difference?! Despite being tired from feeling like a lack of sleep, I stayed with it every day and knew it would settle itself and I would feel better. 20 days in, I still wake up 2-3 times a night, but am falling back to sleep faster. I've reduced liquids after 7pm and thats helping too. I've stuck with all of my goals and that helps if/when I feel tired. You've set your body into a certain routine over the years, so it only makes sense that it may be a little confused! Great job on your beginning.... don't get discouraged! As you lie awake, try to get your brain to gently drift through what you've accomplished and where you want to get to. It might not be sleep, but it is a nice time to think of it as positive reinforcement time! Good luck!
  • RaeBeeBaby
    RaeBeeBaby Posts: 4,246 Member
    Good advice to talk to your doctor about it if you feel it's a big concern. He/she might put you on a mild sleep aid or recommend something over-the-counter. There are some herbal remedies that can help - melatonin, valerian root, Celestial Seasonings Sleepy-time tea is also good. Because of your weight you could also be experience sleep apnea, which can wake you up in the night. Your doctor might recommend a sleep study to get to the bottom of it.

    Because you said you are 50, I have to throw this out there. It could just be part of the natural aging process and have nothing to do with your diet. It happens to both women and men. As a woman, I've had this experience starting with peri-menopause - hot flashes and insomnia being part of the lovely package. But, men's sleep patterns also can change with age. My husband does not sleep through the night anymore. We're both up and down to the bathroom and tossing, turning. Whenever I do sleep a full 6-7 hours straight I wake up feeling pretty glorious, but those days are few and far between now. I make up for it by getting a short nap mid-afternoon. Such is life. :)
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    How much water are you drinking? You might not need as much as you think you do, especially if it is interfering with your sleep.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    Much water = much waking ;) Could also be compounded by hormones as well...that age! Welcome to your 50's!
  • SeptemberFeyre
    SeptemberFeyre Posts: 178 Member
    When did the sleep issues it start? Did they coincide with starting the new blood pressure medicine? Some medicines have side effects that can cause this. You might also ask your doctor about sleep apnea which can cause you to wake up more than usual.
  • breamking1
    breamking1 Posts: 3 Member
    issues started when I changed my diet. well really changed my lifestyle. which was about 5 weeks ago. I am gonna add some calories try to get to 2k but really never realized how much coke and sweat tea I used to drink. I was having over 1000 calories a day in that stuff. now kinda tough to get to that especially watching salt. the blood pressure medicine is a water pill. It has worked great in just 20 days this morning was 122/82 it has been as low as 115/76. thanks for everybody responses next day or so gonna try to eat 2k calories and see if that fixes it. I see dr. on Thursday kinda looking forward to the scales this time. I want him to know I am serious about it and 22lbs in 20 days hopefully will convince him of that. have a nice night everybody and thanks for the info today.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Despite your profile name, I see you are a woman.
    If you are going to the doc's this week get a check for menopause, hormones, and sleep apnea.
    If you sleep on your back, sometimes just changing sleeping position, as well as weight loss, will help.

    Most, not all, women have sleep disruptions during all menopause phases.

    You may have to learn new sleep strategies.
    I had to sleep with minimum covers, and nicely explain to SO that we couldn't cuddle the whole night. I over heated and would be awake for quite a while with that too.
    Eating close to bed time can help with uninterrupted sleep for some, hinder it for others. Have you changed when you eat?

    Also, the water thing. If you are drinking large amounts thinking it is healthy and will help you lose weight, revisit how much you really need. All liquids, including those in food, excluding alcohol, count towards your water intake- you need enough so your pee is pale straw coloured.

    Too much water can cause problems too. With your drop in salt intake, and increase in water your electrolytes could be out of balance.

    Your calories are way too low. Please eat the amount MFP assigns you to lose 2lbs a week, or after talking it over with your doctor, and with her and a RD's guidance, a little more.

    Cheers, h.
  • johnvarner1
    johnvarner1 Posts: 2 Member
    ok this is my profile now. I guess I signed up for this a long time and did not even pay attention to profile no longer breamking1. moving forward I am this name and did not even know until someone thought I was a women. did not even realize I just clicked next and will not use that profile anymore. thanks guys and enjoy the night.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    ok this is my profile now. I guess I signed up for this a long time and did not even pay attention to profile no longer breamking1. moving forward I am this name and did not even know until someone thought I was a women. did not even realize I just clicked next and will not use that profile anymore. thanks guys and enjoy the night.

    Well that is a surprise. B)

    Disregard my menopause advice. The other stuff about water, change of meal timing, etc, could still apply.

    Cheers, h.
  • staraly
    staraly Posts: 54 Member
    I'm guessing that you have slashed your evening carb consumption. Evening carbs help the body to produce serotonin which is necessary for good quality sleep, especially staying asleep. Although counter to the practice of avoiding carbs after a certain time of day, you could try having some of your daily carb quota in your evening meal. Maybe every second evening if you are nervous about it. Also, have turkey in your evening meal as well as kiwifruit for an evening snack about an hour before bed. This will also boost serotonin production at the correct time of day.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    I also have trouble staying asleep. I don't think it's anything to do with the weight I have lost or the weight I still want to lose or the how I'm going about trying to lose. My doctor suggested Benadryl. I'm not even sure it helps.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    the water pill is probably affecting you. i get up at least once, sometimes twice (im not on medications though). i dont open my eyes, i try not to think about anything, i go, pee, get back in bed, and go back to sleep. after 3 or 4 am its hit or miss if i do, but 4 is my usual wake up time anyways.
  • johnvarner1
    johnvarner1 Posts: 2 Member
    update on last night.

    I eat about 2000 calories last night and slept like a baby. even if I did get up to use bathroom do not remember it. lol. gonna stick to eating more and hopefully that will do the trick. thanks so much for everybody advice.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    edited January 2018
    2000 calories for someone your weight (assuming you're sedentary) should give you about a 2lb loss per week:

    http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=50&csex=m&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=10&cpound=375&cheightmeter=180&ckg=60&cactivity=1.2&printit=0&x=72&y=15

    Note that the number of calories needed to lose a pound of weight changes as your weight changes - I'm 16lb from my goal and if I lose a half a pound a week, it's a good week.

    At 50, you're about the age when BPH typically kicks in - which means more nightly bathroom trips. I have to stop liquid intake by 9pm and caffeine by about 5pm or I'll be in and out of the bathroom all night.

    This might be helpful:

    https://www.sleepassociation.org/patients-general-public/insomnia/sleep-hygiene-tips/

    Alcohol in particular can screw up your sleep - it's not a good sleep aid - see:

    https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/12/141210162326.htm
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    Another vote for check the meds.