jackria736 Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Hello all- I am hoping you can help me. My hubby and I are on Whole 30 day 22, and have been feeling great, but all of this week I have been suffering with horrible insomnia. Once asleep I am able to stay asleep, it's that I can't fall asleep. I get myself into bed around 10:00 PM and lie there awake, tossing and turning, until 2:00 or 3:00 AM, and have to get up by 7:00, so I am running on a week's worth of 3-4 hours of sleep each night. I have done some preliminary research and it sounds like ketosis can put some people into insomnia, is that accurate? I certainly have not been trying to be in ketosis, I am nursing my 13 month old, so if anything I am probably overdoing fruits and starchy veggies, at least I thought. I usually have eggs and meat and fruit for breakfast, a snack of nuts somewhere in the late morning, lunch of last night's dinner leftovers (meat and veggies and usually a type of squash, potatoes, or sweet potatoes), snack later of an apple or orange, and a dinner like the lunch, meat and veggies and a tuber. I do drink coffee in the morning, usually 2-3 cups. I am willing to drop this if necessary but it has never affected my sleep before, and I don't have any caffeine past noon, ever. I am not in this to lose weight, like I said I am nursing so I try to keep myself full and happy, but the insomnia is causing me to think about quitting. I feel generally "keyed up," all day and especially as I lie awake in bed, like I have had too much caffeine or am stressed (which I am generally with having four kids and a full time job, but no more so than usual). The other weird thing is I am not waking up in the morning exhausted despite the lack of sleep. I still have energy, which makes me wonder, maybe my body is telling me it doesn't need as much sleep? Anyway, any insight or recommendations are welcome. I am going nuts here and don't want to throw in the towel having made it this far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I completely understand how you feel as I have struggled with this on and off as well my entire adult life. Some thoughts on your food. As a nursing mother I would suggest you have 4 meals a day rather than 3 meals and 2 snacks. You want to eat these on the higher end of the template. So 2 palms of protein and increased fat. Make sure you have vegetables with every meal and don't let fruit push them off your plate. I've heard a few people say that nuts disrupt their sleep so you might want to not snack on them and see if that helps. We also don't recommend snacking on fruit by itself either. You don't mention exercise...are you adding that right now? If so when? If you feel keyed up at night you can do a few things to start creating a sleep routine that should help your body wind down. Take a hot shower or bath about 1.5 hours before bedtime with epson salts if you can - added magnesium can help with sleep. You can try supplementing with natural calm as well. Make sure your bedroom is dark and cool and quiet. Stop using all backlit screens at least an hour before bed. If you don't fall alseep within 20 minutes of lying down try getting up and doing something for 5-10 minutes before trying again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackria736 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Physibeth, thank you! I am sorry to hear that you have struggled with insomnia all your life- I have too, on and off, so I get you. Thats why this is especially frustrating to me, because generally cleaning up my diet and being more mindful of my health has worked in my favor. To answer your question, yes- I am a yoga instructor in my spare time and I have a daily yoga practice, so I am spending time moving my body everyday as well as breathing and de-stressing. I have been taking a magnesium supplement in the evenings when I am having trouble and it generally helps, but it hasn't touched this. I will look into the Natural Calm as well. Would a small snack of say, a banana or a Lara bar (something carb-heavy) right before bed help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlaccini Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Hi There, I read recently (I forget where) that you want to eat something more carby at least an hour before bed. It gives it a chance to get into your system. I am one of those people who nuts seriously disrupt my sleep. And yes "keyed up" is a good way to describe it. So yes I second Physibeth's recommendation of avoiding nuts. Larabars - I avoid them like the plague - they contain nuts, and a very high sweetness content. Banana is better but not ideal. I do well with a hit of a carby veg and fat before bed. So things like pumpkin puree with coconut milk (I eat this with a little bit of guilt as it almost seems desserty), or a few cubes of roasted sweet potato and a couple of spoonfuls of coconut butter, or some olives even. Natural Calm works well most times, but not always. Celestial Seasonings has a Sleepy Time tea that I like that helps with feeling relaxed. I have a very busy mind so I find it helps with the relaxing part. It is part of my winding down before bed ritual now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackria736 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 That's super interesting about the nuts- I had never heard that before (and have been having a lot of nuts.) i will avoid them and see if that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asjdklfjlsd Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 To answer your question, yes- I am a yoga instructor in my spare time and I have a daily yoga practice, so I am spending time moving my body everyday as well as breathing and de-stressing. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 Part of the reason I asked about your activity is because I teach group fitness classes and its harder for me to unwind when I teach my classes at night. I also try to take in some additional carbs about an hour before bed. I've found the epson salt bath to be the thing that works best as it also relaxes my muscles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackria736 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 I love epsom salt baths! I take a couple a week. And I hear ya on teaching in the evenings, honestly anytime I am out of the house in the evening I have to spend some extra time decompressing after I get home. And often that involves my own gentle yoga practice before bed (yoga after yoga, lol). Anyway, this is definitely something with what I am eating (or not eating). I am gonna try a carby snack (not nuts!) tonight before bed and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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