My sleep patterns have frequently been an issue in my life. The most minute change can really disrupt my sleep on a fairly regular basis. I am noticing that this is also the case with this weight loss program. I have been an insomniac for years. And I am sure there are any number of reasons that can be tied to this problem. But, I have noticed that my sleep is less restful -- when I go to bed and something isn't quite right. I am usually pretty set in a pattern to make sure that I can sleep at night. But with this new weight loss, I seem to struggle with that pattern. Some nights I find that I need a snack before going to bed -- or I am up in the middle of the night -- hungry. Other nights I am just not interested at all.
I have never been one for eating in the middle of the night. When I am awake, I will more often than not grab a book and start reading. But I find -- like today -- that when I have had a bad night, it makes getting through that exercise the next day like torture. And I also find that following a night of disrupted sleep, I will have several days of exhaustion, where every little movement is a major effort. It just seems to take me longer to recover from a bad nights sleep since I have started this diet. I am not sure if that is because generally my body is feeling better while I eat the right foods, and get more exercise -- so I notice the fatigue more when it is present, or if it is something else.
I have done some looking into this, and there is some studies out there that lack of sleep can lead to weight gain. Two of the articles I found are located at
www.thedietchannel.com/Weight-Loss-and-Sleep.htm
and
www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/lose-weight-while-sleeping.
But I don't know how much validity to put on them, since they are not commonly mentioned in direct relation to weight loss.
I do know that for me, the fatigue can be quite debilitating. It is frustrating to try and push through it. And there is nothing worse than a bad night!
2 months ago
1 comments:
From Bob
Hmmmmm. Well, as for the hunger issue, I think if you are hungry before you go to bed, or its been 4 or more hours since you had your last meal, you should definitely have that snack before bed. Just make it a smart one. Something lower on sugar, carbs, and fat and higher on protein. Fry up a couple eggs minus yolks, or some veggies or something. Refer to list on nik's blog for some ideas.
As for the sleep problem in general, I'm not quite sure. If you wanted to try something, you could add your strength training exercises into the mix. I know for me, when I have worked my upper body and my muscles are worn out, I get really tired and have better sleep than usual. It might be the same for you. You could try it if you want. Sort of forcing your body to be tired and want sleep.
One other thought is to see waht your doc says about it.
You are on the right path though. If we can solve this sleep thing, you will be in a rhythm it sounds like.
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