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Trouble With Sleep
tuscaroragirl
Posts: 21 Member
Does anyone else have trouble falling asleep on low carb? I find that anytime I go below 30 carbs a day, I am wide awake half the night. The extra energy is a very nice perk when chasing my 3 year old son around😁 however, I have trouble winding down in the evenings. I need all the sleep I can being that I have to get up at 5am in the mornings for work! Any advice anyone? Thanks so much!
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I would suggest giving it a little more time to see if your body adjusts. If not, add back minimum amounts of carbs until you reach your sweet spot.1
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Maybe try some magnesium, either topically like an epsom salt bath or mag oil spray...or orally if you don't mind swallowing capsules.
The water loss associated with LC eating can cause you to lose magnesium since it's a water soluble vitamin, and your body can't uptake melatonin without sufficient magnesium. Melatonin is produced as part of your natural circadian rhythm, so levels increase at night to help you wind down and sleep, but having plenty of melatonin doesn't matter if it isn't bioavailable due to magnesium deficiency.
Just guessing at a probable cause here, but it's an educated guess, and magnesium is safe even in higher quantities because your body will just flush the extra and you will spend quality time in the restroom...(so now you also know a nice easy way to treat constipation)...it's not like iron where you need to worry about having too much.8 -
I had problems sleeping initially but now that I’m fat adapted and my electrolytes are in order, I am sleeping much better. It took about 3 months for my body to get used to the changes.1
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I too found sleep challenging in the beginning, it's part of the bodies adjustment. Cutting out cheese all together, coffee and tea after noon. A hot shower and doing stretches helped.
My body did adjust and now the only reason I wake up is to pee.1 -
Are you getting enough sodium?2
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I get to sleep no problem but waken at 2.30, 3 or 4, then can’t get back to sleep😴1
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tuscaroragirl wrote: »Does anyone else have trouble falling asleep on low carb? I find that anytime I go below 30 carbs a day, I am wide awake half the night. The extra energy is a very nice perk when chasing my 3 year old son around😁 however, I have trouble winding down in the evenings. I need all the sleep I can being that I have to get up at 5am in the mornings for work! Any advice anyone? Thanks so much!
What time is your last coffee? I used to drink coffee all day but on low carb I can’t have it past 2-3 or I’m up all hours. Have you tried relaxing teas at night? Turning off lights when the sun goes down and keeping the house pretty dark at night? No screens after a certain hour? I’ve done all these with some success. Especially the light one. It seems to help my body adjust. I want through a bit where I only used candles at ight I was so desperate! But I’ve found it’s the coffee.
True story I went to buy relaxong tea and accidentally got a mate tea. I had no idea what it was. I’d drink it at 9:00 each night and couldn’t figure out why I was so amped! Lol.1 -
Ecosse2018 wrote: »I get to sleep no problem but waken at 2.30, 3 or 4, then can’t get back to sleep😴
Same here. Been like that for years. I finally asked my doctor about it and prescribed a med that helps. Usually sleep until 5 now.1 -
Also wake up at 2 or 3 am each evening, no matter what time I actually go to bed. Sometimes I can get back to sleep, other times I just watch tv0
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I have "always" had problems with staying sleep, so it is not a function of LC. I have gone through some periods of very strange and vivid dreams that I do think may have been because of the diet. In general I think I am sleeping better now than I was 10 years ago. My primary issue is that if I have slept more than 4 or 5 hours, almost anything will wake me up, and once I am awake, I stay that way. FWIW, going to sleep is not a problem. My head hits the pillow initially, and I am out.0
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I have had chronic insomnia for a little while now but the start didn't match up with when I started keto/LC. I'm not sure if it's contributed to it. I did start taking magnesium at night and i do think that helps. I also still take a benadryl before bed every night.0
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