Restless at Night as you Burn Fat?

LarStar
LarStar Posts: 102 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

Thank you for any insight!
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Replies

  • LarStar
    LarStar Posts: 102 Member
    Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

    Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

    Thank you for any insight!
  • LarStar
    LarStar Posts: 102 Member
    Am I the only one experiencing this??
  • recoiljpr
    recoiljpr Posts: 292
    I have always had problems going to sleep, so i'm afraid i'm not much use on this. But, i'll offer you a bump.
  • needamulligan
    needamulligan Posts: 558 Member
    Can't say that I've experienced restlessness. Are you exercising too close to bedtime? I typically have a period where I get really exhausted and sleepy in the first few weeks. Then I feel renewed and and energetic!
  • LarStar
    LarStar Posts: 102 Member
    @ recoiljpr - Thank You :)

    @needamulligan - I don't think it's exercising too close to bed, but I might just be getting a boost of energy instead of feeling sluggish; something I'm not too used to. I can tell that my body is tired and I want to be sleeping, but another part of me is like, "Heck no! Let's get up and move!!" I'm looking forward to very sleepy nights :) Thank you for your message!
  • j5thomas3
    j5thomas3 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm with you! The first couple months of working out I would lay in bed and fall asleep almost instantly... and I'm talking between 9 and 10 pm and I would wake up around 6:30-7am and work out. The past few weeks I've been laying down at 10pm and not being able to fall asleep until close to midnight then I wake up at 6:30-7am feeling tired but I can't fall back asleep so I get up and work out. I'm thinking part of it is from the heat lately but I'm not sure. I have the same where my heart slows way down and then I jolt. I'm assuming it's close to what sleep apnea is like, but I actually wake up and feel my heart racing and slow back down. It's weird. I'm hoping that it's just a phase because my body is finally realizing that my workout/diet is not just a joke and it's throwing me "NOOOO"! :) Sorry I can't be of help, but you are not the only one feeling this way.
  • melx123
    melx123 Posts: 39 Member
    hey girl! I can't say i felt the same way as you when i first started BUT i did feel so uncomfortable the first week or two. My stomach would hurt a lot and couldn't really lay on my stomach because it felt weird. Maybe my body was just getting used to it? But afterwards it went away and now it's all fine. I hope its the same for you, and eventually stop. Good luck hun!
  • meganld
    meganld Posts: 71 Member
    I started running a few weeks ago and on days when I run I have a hard time falling asleep. It doesn't matter what time of day I run. I don't know if you've been exercising but that has been my experience.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    kind of. i think my body wasn't used to so many endorphins running amok in my body because the first two weeks i started working out i had heart palpitations lol. i had to cut the caffeine completely to calm my dang heart! but yeah i'm a late night exerciser (it just seems to happen that way) and i find myself having to really focus on trying to sleep because i have so much energy.
  • TXBlueEyes
    TXBlueEyes Posts: 9
    I have something similar happening to me. Perhaps it is caused by my late workouts (after the baby is put to bed), but I don't have a problem getting to sleep. Every time i go through a sleep cycle, instead of just drifting into the next cycle I'll fully wake up and the only thing I can do to get back to sleep is flip from one side to the other in bed. Practically every hour last night from 2am to 6am.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    @needamulligan - I don't think it's exercising too close to bed, but I might just be getting a boost of energy instead of feeling sluggish; something I'm not too used to. I can tell that my body is tired and I want to be sleeping, but another part of me is like, "Heck no! Let's get up and move!!" I'm looking forward to very sleepy nights :) Thank you for your message!

    My sleep has actually gotten a little better since I joined MFP and got my diet under more control.

    But, you know, there's ALWAYS room for a workout. If you're that energetic, do a few planks and some squats to calm you down AND benefit your core. All you need for those is a little floorspace.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    My sleeping issues are extremely similar to this and completely unrelated to weight loss / healthy lifestyles.
  • Jessica1274
    Jessica1274 Posts: 363 Member
    Hi Everyone! I've been sticking to MFP for a week now and find that as I am burning fat, I am really restless at night. I'm usually really good with getting an early night's sleep and getting up early, but in the past week, since I have been losing weight, I find that I am kind of jumpy at night. When I lay down, I feel as though I've got too much energy running through me and my legs and arms jolt a bit or my skin starts to crawl.

    Has anyone else found that they are a little jumpy when they go to sleep or that you were when you first started losing weight? I have lost a lot of weight before, but often did it by cutting out carbs completely. Now that I'm incorporating all foods and losing at a healthy pace, I am having really strange feelings. Of course I'll go to the Dr if it persist, but I'm wondering if any of you have had similar feelings as you take the weight off, since this has only just started in the past week?

    Thank you for any insight!


    What you're describing sounds a lot like Restless Leg Syndrome. Make sure you are getting enough potassium. I suggest taking magnesium right before bed. Also, some medicines, such as Benadryl, can make it a lot worse. I will take some ibuprofen and magnesium when I get that way, and it usually helps.
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    Gee, I have RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome) and you might want to check that out, cause the symptoms are exactly the same.
  • katejkelley
    katejkelley Posts: 839 Member
    I've had some trouble falling and staying asleep, even though I'm dead tired. I thought it may be drinking water with Mio in the evenings, so have quit adding that after dinner. But I still drink A LOT of water, so am up several times to go to the bathroom. I could really use a solid night's sleep with no interruptions!
  • lilylight
    lilylight Posts: 128 Member
    This has happened to me a few times... For me, I think it's from getting more exercise now, whereas before I was much more sedentary. If your legs have a creepy crawly feeling, that's restless leg syndrome. I get that sometimes, and I find that rubbing aloe Vera gel on my legs helps a lot! It's cooling and soothing. Also see the thread titled "legs won't stop".
  • Guitarjon
    Guitarjon Posts: 204 Member
    I am the opposite. I always struggled getting to sleep, now I can sleep much easier and I don't need to wait for my body to feel tired it sort of does automatically now. Much happier that I can sleep airliner and wake earlier.
  • JennieAL
    JennieAL Posts: 1,726 Member
    Yes, I've experienced this and I think it may have to do with later workouts. I have had a vague crawly sensation in the legs, but I looked up Restless Leg Syndrome and don't think it's that... or if it is, it's very very mild and doesn't happen often.

    I think it may be adrenaline or other chemical reactions going on after a hard workout. It happens to me when I lift weights late, not so much after walking or cardio... just a heavy lifting session.
  • LarStar
    LarStar Posts: 102 Member
    Hey All, Thank you SO MUCH!

    I looked at my daily intake of iron and potassium and both are down; which are both associated with restless leg syndrome. I usually take an iron and magnesium as supplements, but haven't been too good about taking my vitamins and making a point of eating banana for the potassium. Thank you Jessica1274 & Pimpmonkey

    I'm going to keep in mind to watch how I sleep on nights when I do work out and nights that I don't. I went swimming last night and fill asleep easily without that creepy crawly feeling. It will be important for me to leave a few hrs between working out and sleeping so that I can come down from the natural high and drift into sleep; thank you everyone who mentioned sleep & exercise/lack of exercise!

    This info helps me a lot!

    Thank you all again <3
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
    The exact same thing happens to me. I think it's just because I workout so close to bedtime. I'm usually fine once I finally fall asleep!

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