Having trouble sleeping

[Mark142]

Hey guys,

I got about 40 or so pounds to loose. During the day I do fantastic, I eat right, I work out, yadda yadda yadda. However, at night I come to a huge problem. I just can't get to sleep when I am dieting.

Here is my pre bed ritual on a normal night. Usually at around 9 or 10 I have something small to eat, 250 calories or so. Then, I go to bed at 11-12 but can't get to bed until 1 or 2am. This leads me to do either one of two things. Toughing it out OR going to the kitchen and eating something terrible such as a bowl of cereal. After I eat that something terrible I end up going to bed in 15 minutes or less.

I bought some melatonin which helped me out for a week but after that I was back to my old self again.

Any suggestions that do not involve sleeping pills?

[phabphour20]

Hey guys,

I got about 40 or so pounds to loose. During the day I do fantastic, I eat right, I work out, yadda yadda yadda. However, at night I come to a huge problem. I just can't get to sleep when I am dieting.

Here is my pre bed ritual on a normal night. Usually at around 9 or 10 I have something small to eat, 250 calories or so. Then, I go to bed at 11-12 but can't get to bed until 1 or 2am. This leads me to do either one of two things. Toughing it out OR going to the kitchen and eating something terrible such as a bowl of cereal. After I eat that something terrible I end up going to bed in 15 minutes or less.

I bought some melatonin which helped me out for a week but after that I was back to my old self again.

Any suggestions that do not involve sleeping pills?

Are you taking any caffeine? Either in an EC stack or coffee, tea?

I find if I drink ANY caffeine at all after about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, I have trouble falling asleep. If I stop before then (I only really drink green tea), I am fine.

Just a thought.

[Mark142]

I drink coffee in the mornings. I rarely ever drink coffee after noon and if i do its decaf.

[EazyE15]

Diet Coke is bad for sleep as well.

[nithos]

Add 2-3 cups of fiberous veggies to your pre-bed meal.

[phabphour20]

I drink coffee in the mornings. I rarely ever drink coffee after noon and if i do its decaf.

OK, then I would take a look at environmental factors next. How is your bed? Lighting? Is it quiet where you sleep?

Also, have you started working out at night where you weren't before? If you have started exercising at night, this can get your energy levels up and make it difficult to get to sleep as well.

-PP

[Mitcheh]

Try having some "self time" if you know what I mean, works for me when I'm struggling to doze off

[jcosley]

I drink coffee in the mornings. I rarely ever drink coffee after noon and if i do its decaf.

Try not to eat any carbs that late..eat what everyone else seems to eat for their bedtime snack (cottage cheese and/or peanut butter). Try having a Big glass of milk right before you hit the hay...seems to help me.

[joshwilson1]

You might try valerian tea to calm your mind while dieting. I use it when I am wrapped up in work and cannot let go. It seems to work smooth like butta.

[Bronkko]

problems sleeping accompany a cut diet.

[mpipes]

Maybe you just need to really wind down a little while before bed. Maybe watch some TV or read a book, nothing too stimulating that's going to get your mind racing. If I browse the internet before bedtime I'll never fall asleep because I end up thinking about the things I was looking at.

If you're exercising late in the day that might be another cause.

I have found that if I lay down for bed between 9 and 10pm, even if I really don't feel tired, I will fall asleep quickly, and I mean within 5 minutes.
However, if I stay up til 10:30 or 11, I get a second wind and I'll lay in bed for hours trying to fall asleep. You might be the same way, see if laying down earlier helps.

Cottage cheese or milk right before bedtime helps get to sleep because of the tryptophan in the dairy product. There is also 5-HTP available at health food stores, just a pill form of tryptophan.