Exhausted in the morning...

[BethanyB]

I am on Day 17 of Whole30. I have been a semi-Paleo eater for years (which is probably not a Paleo eater at all, but I did away with grains and most dairy and some sugar about three years ago). I lost 50 pounds being semi-Paleo and then got way off track and gained 20 back. I want to lose those 20 and 50 more.  Of course, the motivator for losing weight is feeling better (and some vanity, but mostly feeling better). I do feel better when I eat Paleo. 

 

I am doing a Whole30 because I want to feel the magical effects of going all in.  I want the energy, the glowy skin, the Tiger Blood!

 

However, I have something I'm dealing with right now and I don't know if it is common. I am on Day 17 of Whole30, as prescribed, and I literally have to will myself out of bed in the morning. Sure, before I would hit the snooze once or twice, but it is taking an hour to two hours to wake-up. I feel like I'm in a fog for the first two hours. This is not like me. I am a morning person.  I didn't feel this going through the first week - it just came on about four days ago.  I feel ok once the fog passes, but not sure what this is. I want to jump out of bed! 

 

The only thing we changed was adding a probiotic (Culturelle) on Saturday.  However, I have done naturopathic cleanses and yeast kill offs and never had anything like this before. Has anyone else experienced this? 

 

I am trying to get pregnant and am on a really good pre-natal vitamin supplement and a pre-natal mineral supplement.  I am not pregnant, yet.  I am pretty sure it won't be this month because Whole30 seems to have given my husband's libido a nose dive.  He's getting better now, but it was concerning at first.  

 

I drink tons of water.  I am exercising by playing tennis, doing spin, or walking.  Nothing too strenuous.  My energy is GREAT during my work-outs. I am not flagging at all. 

 

so, would appreciate any insight. I have tried to search on the web, but didn't find anything definitive. 

[Physibeth]

Can you give us an idea of what you are eating typically? How much sleep are you getting? Have you double checked your supplements for off plan ingredients? How many starchy vegetables are you consuming?

 

Usually when I just can't get up it is because I have a sleep debt. Like this morning I shut the alarm and laid in bed for another hour because I had not enough sleep the night before, a good night the night before that, and about a week of not good enough sleep the week before.  

[BethanyB]

Sure. I usually sleep 8-9 hours a night. I am one of those "have to have at least 8 hours" to function people.  I am in bed by 9:30 or 10 at the latest and usually up by 6 or 7. I have some wiggle room to wake-up, so I go back to sleep if I have the time.  It's also the fact that I don't feel awake when I get up for a couple of hours. I usually get up and when I am up, I am UP! 

 

I did a blog to keep track of what I ate. It got a little spotty with daily recording in the last week, but it is pretty much the same as the first week...I did add a banana occasionally. I don't have sweet potatoes every day - maybe once ever couple of days.  We took out chicken sausages this week - even though they were Whole30 compliant, we thought maybe the fact they were processed wasn't great...www.experimentingwithpaleo.blogspot.com

 

I have been taking the vitamin/mineral supplement for about a year with no issues - not even any stomach upset when I take them on an empty stomach (which is rarely). 

 

Here is the prenatal vitamin ingredients:  Multiple vitamin support during and after pregnancy. Ingredients: Vitamin B-1 (thiamine hcl) 7.5mg, Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin) 5mg, Vitamin B-6 (pyroxidine) 5mg, Vitamin B-12 10mcg, Biotin 100mcg, Folic Acid 400 mcg, Pantothenic Acid 7.5mg, Vitamin A (natural fish liver oil) 500iu, Vitamin E (as natural succinate) 50iu, Vitamin C 150mg, Vitamin D 200iu, Iodine (as kelp) 75mcg, Also Contains: Beta Carotene 1500 units, Co-Enzymes; Pyrodoxal-5-Phosphate 2.5mg, Riboflavin-5-Phosphate 2.5mg, Choline 37.5mg, Inositol 37.5mg, Lemon Bioflavonoids 37.5mg, Niacinamide 7.5mg, Lactobacillus Acidophilus 2 million units, Lactobacillus Bulgaricus 2 million units, Lactobacillus Bifidus 2 million units, Black Currant Seed Oil 5mg, Cod Liver Oil 7.5mg, Flaxseed Meal 26.5mg, Lactase 7.5mg, Hydrolized Protein 250mg, Lipoic Acid (50% R form and 50% S form) 500mcg, Betaine HCL 5mg, Pepsin 5mg, Oxbile 5mg, Lutein 500mcg, Lycopene 500mcg, Red Raspberry (leaf) 7.5mg.

 

Prenatal mineral ingredients:

: Calcium (as carbonate/citrate/microcrystalline hydroxyapatite/chelate) 200.3mg, Magnesium (as citrite, chelate) 100mg, Zinc (as chelate) 8.34mg, Selenium (as chelate) 13.2mcg, Potassium (as chelate) 16.6mg, Manganese (as chelate) 1.66mg, Molybdenum (as chelate) 5mcg, Iron (as peptonate) 20mg, Chromium (as chelate) 16.8mcg, Betaine HCL 3.34mg. - See more at: http://www.pureformulas.com/prepost-natal-minerals-180-tablets-by-nutri-west.html?CA_6C15C=531827010#sthash.PAvkZKE8.dpuf

[Physibeth]

I would try having some starchy vegetables (sweet potato or squash) every day and see if that helps. It may even just be that some major healing is going on somewhere right now and your body is asking for extra energy to do that. 

 

Are you experiencing any other unusual stress?

[BethanyB]

I got married 8 months ago. My father passed away 4 months ago. A close friend died last week.  We have been trying to get pregnant, unsuccessfully, for 7 months. Yes, I have some stress. However, I've never had this crazy "I can't wake-up" feeling that I have been having for the past three days.  Thankfully, Proverbs 3:5 has carried me through a lot of the above and I have been able to cast my burdens on Him. 

 

It could really be healing. I am sure there's a lot going on in this body! I was just so looking forward to Tiger Blood!

[Renee Lee]

Bethany, I second the starchy carbs. I also think you could find a better prenatal. I'm anti-folic acid. folate's far superior. Obviously talk to your ob/gyn about that.

 

You could also look into Chris Kresser's Healthy Baby Code packet. There's a bunch of info in there about what could be misisng from your diet, how to fix it, etc.

 

Also, if you're stressed, that could absolutely be contributing to all of your issues. your body doesn't want to reproduce if the baby's going to be born into a time of stress. that usually meant death for everybody from an evolutionary perspective

[Karen]

Think it's the probiotic? Some have dairy and as I learned the hard way, they can make you feel awful if you're sensitive. If the timing coincides, consider doing without it for a few days.

[BethanyB]

Thank you, ladies. I am getting Chris' emails, but can't afford to purchase the book.  My OBGYn would just tell me to take an over the counter prenatal.  I wish I could find a naturopathic OBGYN...However, I am voraciously studying all of this on the internet.  Good thought about the probiotic. If I have this again in the morning, I will cut it out, again. 

[MrsStick]

I had a friend who had extreme exhaustion that was due to her prescribed pre-natal supplement. Perhaps you could stop taking it and see if that helps?

[Krista Billows Rodriguez]

Is there any chance you're suffering from sleep apnea?

[mary-t]

I went through a series of major life changes similar to yours (including the death of a parent) last year.  I was similarly tired (actually, exhausted) beyond all reason in the morning.  It would then go away once I got to work.  Looking back, I think it was totally due to psychological stress, even though I didn't feel like it was that bad.  My best suggestion:  sleep as much as you can and be kind to yourself.  

[BethanyB]

No sleep apnea, I don't even snore.  My husband doesn't snore. It isn't the prenatal because I have been taking those for over a year with no issue. It could be stress, but it is all of a sudden in the last week since starting Whole30. My husband usually is annoyed by how much energy I have in the morning (even if I don't sleep well). I felt a bit more energetic this morning - not as great as usual, but not as bad as the last few days. Maybe it was an anomaly. Thank you for all of the great feedback!

[bi0nicw0man]

It was right around day 15-17 that I hit the exhaustion wall during my W30 too.  I never could overcome the crazy tiredness I felt for the rest of the 30 days.  On Day 21 I even ended feeling downright blue and hollow.  I went to bed early, slept solid, ate extra starchy carbs, followed all of the advice I received here on the forum, but could never kick it.  I was so disappointed because I too was looking forward to all of the extra energy and Tigerblood everyone raves about, but sadly it never came.    I was very happy with all other results of W30, but that lack of energy just did me in. 

 

Since finishing and talking to friends about it, I've found another friend who had exactly the same experience.  I think some people just aren't cut out to go so low carb.  My intention is to do a 21 day Paleo challenge with less strict 'rules' than Whole30 to see if the extra sugars, etc help with the energy factor.

[Coffeeandshoes]

This sounds like me. Day 18, tired, (yesterday Day 17 I took a nap at 1 and woke up at 3, I slept like the dead. Then I lazed around and went back to bed at 10 and slept all night and don't wanna get up this am. But I woke myself up which is a tell I've had enough sleep. I'm just feeling moody, physically moody and down and blue. Like I could hibernate.

 

Maybe it's still detox cause I feel like I'm losing fat, I just want my energy back!