Clean eating = trouble sleeping??
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snowflake954 wrote: »margotlovesyou wrote: »That happened to me too - it’s because you’re hungry when you go to bed. I was waking up 4 times a night and it was driving me mad! Our brains are a lot more alert when we’re hungry, so it doesn’t let you sleep. Save some calories so you can eat half a banana before bed. I sleep just fine once I figured that out!
I never go to bed hungry. Usually have something containing protein before bedtime. Could be just a coincidence that it's happened after I've cleaned up my diet!
Easy to prove. Start eating "junk" again within your calorie goals and see if your sleeplessness goes away. That way you'll know.
I second this. It could be a byproduct of diet induced stress as some people have bad sleep when something changes, but it could be something totally unrelated. Try going back to junk for a week, and if that doesn't change things you'll know it's not about your diet.1 -
Are you actually tired but still can't sleep? I'm thinking it could be that you're actually just having real energy for the first time after cutting out junk food, and for that reason you just don't need as much sleep as you did before. You could also be getting better quality sleep when you do finally fall asleep.2
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Pump up your workout. If you are more tired you'll sleep. How old are you? If mid 40s that's peri-menopause.0
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I suspect it's unrelated to the diet, but if you are eating the same calories and have just cut out the "junk," everything else can't have stayed the same, as you'd have to make up the calories elsewhere. So are you eating more at meals (can't tell if the "junk" was between meals), eating more of something else, what?
Also, it seems like the issue is not being able to fall asleep -- not feeling tired, feeling too tired, mind racing, feeling stressed? Any other changes? Have you tried the normal sleep hygiene stuff: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips0 -
lucerorojo wrote: »Pump up your workout. If you are more tired you'll sleep. How old are you? If mid 40s that's peri-menopause.
I'm already doing a high training load in the pool and gym, and my programme is set by a former Olympics coach so not keen to mess with it. Believe me the sessions do not need pumping up lol1 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I suspect it's unrelated to the diet, but if you are eating the same calories and have just cut out the "junk," everything else can't have stayed the same, as you'd have to make up the calories elsewhere. So are you eating more at meals (can't tell if the "junk" was between meals), eating more of something else, what?
Also, it seems like the issue is not being able to fall asleep -- not feeling tired, feeling too tired, mind racing, feeling stressed? Any other changes? Have you tried the normal sleep hygiene stuff: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
Oops when I said nothing has changed well yes obviously I have replaced the empty calories from junk with more protein and vegetables and good nutritional food. Yes I use sleep hygiene as a matter of course.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »I suspect it's unrelated to the diet, but if you are eating the same calories and have just cut out the "junk," everything else can't have stayed the same, as you'd have to make up the calories elsewhere. So are you eating more at meals (can't tell if the "junk" was between meals), eating more of something else, what?
Also, it seems like the issue is not being able to fall asleep -- not feeling tired, feeling too tired, mind racing, feeling stressed? Any other changes? Have you tried the normal sleep hygiene stuff: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
Oops when I said nothing has changed well yes obviously I have replaced the empty calories from junk with more protein and vegetables and good nutritional food. Yes I use sleep hygiene as a matter of course.
If you've replaced some foods with other foods, then things have changed.
But honestly, our minds have a tendency to associate changes that happened at the same time with each other even if there is no real link. It's possible that something else is going on with your sleep and your dietary changes just happened around the same time.2 -
I suspect I will get my first woo from this but it might or might not be diet related. I suspect your body needs less sleep to repair itself from the toxins you used to consume with highly processed foods. If the lack of sleep does not leave you feeling tired, this is probably the case.
If you’re feeling tired from your lack of sleep, it’s something unrelated to diet. Remove all electronic devices from your bedroom. Including your cell phone. Charge it in the kitchen. Get a wind up alarm clock. Seriously. Radio and Bluetooth waves can mess with our brainwaves and inhibit sleep. Sometimes a red night light works (why I don’t know). I’ve found total darkness and quiet help.
It’s important to understand that there are things other than diet that affect our need for sleep. Personally, I sleep less when I get direct sunlight. That means I sleep more during winter months than summer months. I suggest you do a few experiments for yourself and let us know what the cause was.9 -
CaptainJoy wrote: »I suspect I will get my first woo from this but it might or might not be diet related. I suspect your body needs less sleep to repair itself from the toxins you used to consume with highly processed foods. If the lack of sleep does not leave you feeling tired, this is probably the case.
If you’re feeling tired from your lack of sleep, it’s something unrelated to diet. Remove all electronic devices from your bedroom. Including your cell phone. Charge it in the kitchen. Get a wind up alarm clock. Seriously. Radio and Bluetooth waves can mess with our brainwaves and inhibit sleep. Sometimes a red night light works (why I don’t know). I’ve found total darkness and quiet help.
It’s important to understand that there are things other than diet that affect our need for sleep. Personally, I sleep less when I get direct sunlight. That means I sleep more during winter months than summer months. I suggest you do a few experiments for yourself and let us know what the cause was.
Which toxins in foods make you require more sleep for repair?4 -
Pump up your workout. If you are more tired you'll sleep.
Sometimes lots of exercise actually interferes with sleep. I can't do any cardio after 6:30pm or so or I have trouble sleeping.3 -
janejellyroll wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »I suspect it's unrelated to the diet, but if you are eating the same calories and have just cut out the "junk," everything else can't have stayed the same, as you'd have to make up the calories elsewhere. So are you eating more at meals (can't tell if the "junk" was between meals), eating more of something else, what?
Also, it seems like the issue is not being able to fall asleep -- not feeling tired, feeling too tired, mind racing, feeling stressed? Any other changes? Have you tried the normal sleep hygiene stuff: http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips
Oops when I said nothing has changed well yes obviously I have replaced the empty calories from junk with more protein and vegetables and good nutritional food. Yes I use sleep hygiene as a matter of course.
If you've replaced some foods with other foods, then things have changed.
Yes, this is exactly what I was getting at. OP, you are apparently eating more fiber and protein. Look at the specific foods added/increased in volume.But honestly, our minds have a tendency to associate changes that happened at the same time with each other even if there is no real link. It's possible that something else is going on with your sleep and your dietary changes just happened around the same time.
This is what I think is most likely unless there is some greater reason to associate it with food that is not being revealed.1 -
snowflake954 wrote: »margotlovesyou wrote: »That happened to me too - it’s because you’re hungry when you go to bed. I was waking up 4 times a night and it was driving me mad! Our brains are a lot more alert when we’re hungry, so it doesn’t let you sleep. Save some calories so you can eat half a banana before bed. I sleep just fine once I figured that out!
I never go to bed hungry. Usually have something containing protein before bedtime. Could be just a coincidence that it's happened after I've cleaned up my diet!
Easy to prove. Start eating "junk" again within your calorie goals and see if your sleeplessness goes away. That way you'll know.
^^ agreed
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snowflake954 wrote: »margotlovesyou wrote: »That happened to me too - it’s because you’re hungry when you go to bed. I was waking up 4 times a night and it was driving me mad! Our brains are a lot more alert when we’re hungry, so it doesn’t let you sleep. Save some calories so you can eat half a banana before bed. I sleep just fine once I figured that out!
I never go to bed hungry. Usually have something containing protein before bedtime. Could be just a coincidence that it's happened after I've cleaned up my diet!
Easy to prove. Start eating "junk" again within your calorie goals and see if your sleeplessness goes away. That way you'll know.
I don't think that would be a very good test, given that it isn't blinded at all...3 -
Has the balance of your macros throughout the day changed at all? I'm wondering, if you cut out what you perceive to be 'junk' food (hard to tell what you mean by this, so just assuming), maybe WHEN you eat certain macros is influencing how you're feeling. Might be worth seeing if you previously had most of your fats in the evening (or something of that ilk), and seeing if replicating that balance helps at all.0
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Sorry this makes you mad. There are chemicles in most foods. That’s what I meant.5
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You haven’t suddenly started drinking green tea too? That has caffeine in that could be affecting your sleep?0
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sarabushby wrote: »You haven’t suddenly started drinking green tea too? That has caffeine in that could be affecting your sleep?
Eww no lol. I have a pretty low caffeine intake due to a heart arrhythmia which is well controlled by a very tiny dose beta blocker 0 -
CaptainJoy wrote: »Sorry this makes you mad. There are chemicles in most foods. That’s what I meant.
Chemicals =/= toxins. Try again. Also if you truly have toxins in your body, you have a bigger problem than electronic devices and junk food and should probably go to the hospital asap.3 -
wow, this is the second time sleep problems have come up. I'm glad to read this because I almost dread going to bed since I've changed my eating. I almost fall asleep then "wake" up & get restless. This happens untill about 3:30 am when I finally sleep till around 8 or so. Before I had no problem falling asleep in 20min & only woke up to go potty. I take a benedryl most nights but not always. I've changed my diet mostly by cutting out rice (I have it once in a while). I used to eat it almost every day. I also cut out potato chips, cream cheese & oil for sauteeing on a regular basis. I never put the two together that it may be my diet. I eat a lot of veggies & about the same amount of protein as before & alot more variety of foods like yogurt & eggs that I hardly ever ate before1
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I save calories for night because I sleep better full.0
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