Stll Can't Sleep

[Dominik]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm on day 17 of the Whole 30. I feel great and once I wake up, I have a constant stream of energy and am always in a good mood. Here's the thing, I still have trouble sleeping. Could it be that I'm having dinner late on certain days? On Tuesday and Thursdays I usually don't get home until 10:00pm due to class. Of course, I need to clean up the apartment, shower and eat and most often, I'm not ready to go to bed until midnight. By then, I'm still a bit wired. I just don't want to sleep.

 

I've always had trouble sleeping. My body just isn't tired. And believe me, I work out every other day to try to exhaust myself. Usually I need to take a non-prescription sleep aid to go to bed. I'm trying to only take melatonin at night but sometimes i need something to knock me out so I can get up in the morning and go to the office.

 

Do you think that perhaps if I try to alter my eating habits, such as eating right before going to class at the office (around 5:00pm) and then going straight to bed when I get home that could help? I'm committed to the Whole 30 and have been following every other guideline set for the program and I love it. I don't miss anything that I used to eat and actually am going onto the Whole 60 then my guilty pleasure will be organic red wine here and there. But, I just want to get back on a natural sleep cycle. I haven't been able to go to bed naturally for years now. Other than that, the Whole 30 has thus far healed many ailments and is getting me in the bes shape of my life.

 

Anyone else is in the same boat as me? Or was?

 

Thanks,

Dominik

[Carlaccini]

If I excersise at night - Recently I've joined an 8pm Boot camp class a couple times a week - I'm generally very wired for a couple hours afterwards.  I will let myself be wired for about an hour and try to burn excess energy by either doing cleanup, cook up etc.  Then once my body starts sending me tired signals I will start going through my wind down routine - taking a shower / bath, make a peppermint tea, do some reading. By doing these things I am telling my body that I am getting ready for bed.  The peppermint tea generally helps with the wind down as well.

 

I used to take Natural Calm magnesium citrate powder to help me sleep (and it helped immensely in that department) But I was having other side effects so I stopped taking it.  But you might consider taking it if you are struggling in the sleep department.

[Guest]

Many of us use a magnesium supplement to help us sleep.  Most people take Natural Calm.  Some do epsom salt baths (which might help you calm down after the late arrival home) and some use it topically in another form.  I take a capsule form of chelated magnesium after much trial and error.

 

Yesterday, Physibeth shared this awesome sleep article with me.  Maybe a few things there will help with you: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-manufacture-the-best-night-of-sleep-in-your-life/#axzz2rcCZ8EBN

 

I hope you get some rest soon, but know that you are not alone.  Oh, and a pre-W30 tip I got was not to stay in bed while not sleeping.  Get up for about 15 minutes and do something quiet (no screens), then try again.