IF 18/6 less sleep and dragon keto breath

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #1

These are observations. Not sure I am asking for help or not.

Strict keto for >4 months. Feel great, some weight loss but the body shape is improving significantly. Intentionally gaining muscle which counters the scale dropping. I’ll be keto for life.

Been doing IF 18/6 the better part of the last two months. Probably averaging 5 to 6 days a week.

But recently the keto breath has gone off the charts. Especially at night but even some during the day. I have great dental hygiene (floss, brush, etc.). At night and early morning, keto breath is especially bad even after brushing. I drink a glass of water in the middle of the night because of thurst.

Sleep has been a problem for me long before keto as I have a bad back and bursitis in one hip (I’m 64) but I have worked that out mostly with different places to sleep at night.

Recently I have been waking up after 6 hours and I do usually get 7 to 7 1/2. The brain just turns on a little. I’m not thinking about problems just awake. I usually meditate in place for 20 mins which makes me feel better but I don’t go back to sleep.

I’ve adjusted sleep hygiene some but still have to get off the darn screens before bed. I’m an IT worker and am addicted to screens.

I used to take a nap at work (I have an office with a closed and locked door). Now, most days, I feel tired for a few minutes midday and then bam I’m back at it. Occasionally still take a 10 min nap but much less often.

This morning keto breath was really bad so I did the pee stick test and it was near off the charts.

Last two weeks I have recorded macros and they are in-line with keto. I don’t have a blood keto meter.

I’m planning to go IF OMAD and then 36 hours once I perfect OMAD.

Anyway, the benefits outweigh the breath and the 6 hours of sleep. I am going to start to meditate in the middle of the day more often.

Oh coffee in the am is my friend. Just black please.

(Trudy) #2

No help sorry but interested in the responses. I’m on leave from work the last week and still waking very early, Keto for 7 months…is this the new normal?

(Ella Darcy) #3

Are you getting enough electrolytes?

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #4

Yes I am certain my electrolytes are balanced and sufficient.

(Ella Darcy) #5

Okay. I am a few weeks into IF, and I too am sleeping less. I also have hip/ shoulder bursitis (although I’m much younger than you). What has worked for me is powdered ginger in a chai-type tea in the morning sometime before I break my fast at lunch, sometimes also turmeric.

This seems to bring down some of my inflammation and I have gained almost an hour of sleep at night. I’ve also been extremely proactive with my shoe choice the last few weeks, though. I haven’t had any breath issues, and I think the ginger might help if I did.

I’m a librarian/ web person for my library, so lots of screen time in my day, too. My answer has been audio books / podcasts / math puzzles the last hour before bed. If I wake up overnight, I’ll put on a “great courses” audio lecture. Thirty minutes of a history lecture, and I’m right back to sleep. My library has them through Hoopla.

Good luck!

(Eric - The patient needs to be patient!) #6

Thanks. What form of tumeric are you using? For that matter what powdered ginger are you using.

For interest my oldest is about to get her MLS and hopefully with become a full time librarian. She works half time right now for the local public library.

This last fast, last night, was better. But still my sleep could be better many nights.

(Ella Darcy) #7

Honestly, just whatever is in the spice aisle (my turmeric is from Costco, so I think I have a life time supply.) I’m putting it in Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice tea- I brew a double batch- without any milk or cream. The Bengal Spice has cinnamon oil in it, so not everyone likes it. I’ve drank it for years.

Good luck to your daughter- library has been a second career for me, and I love that I don’t dread going to work everyday!

(Todd Allen) #8

I had terrible sleep previous to keto. Had big improvements right away though it never got excellent. After the easy weight loss phase ended and I started IF and then other forms of fasting my sleep deteriorated. Since then I’ve found some things which have helped. Some nights my sleep is excellent but still not as often as I’d like. Most any form of stress, including fasting, can impact my sleep. Stresses seem to be additive and fasting when everything else is good is less of a problem for me.

Here are things that have improved my sleep:
Blackout curtains, especially helps in summer when day length here is very long.
I colored the lens of a night light with a red sharpie and put it in a switched outlet in our bathroom. I use this in the evening and if I use the bathroom in the middle of the night.
BreathRight nasal strips when congested. I’d use these more if they were less expensive, would like a cheaper alternative.
Shifted my schedule to early to bed, early to rise and reinforced it by eating an early substantial breakfast, eating dinner as early as possible and no food after dinner.
Minimize late night socializing and when socializing limit food and drink to early in the evening.
Shifted strenuous exercise to earlier in the day and a short walk (30-45 minutes) after dinner.
Limit screen time (computer, phone, videos, etc.) to early in the evening. Perhaps the most challenging thing for me at first, but fairly easy now due to the benefits.
Cut back on caffeine and only have it in the morning. In the evening only drink water or sleep compatible herbal teas like chamomile.
A consistent routine before bed including a very hot bath typically while listening to audiobooks, podcasts or mindful meditation to soft music.
If I awake early in the night and don’t expect to rapidly fall back to sleep I take melatonin.
Before going to bed on nights I expect trouble sleeping or want to insure better sleep I’ll use sleep aid supplements such as glycine and GABA. I also used to take melatonin before bed, but a hot bath usually gets me 5+ hours of solid sleep which is longer than the melatonin lasts for me.
If I awake early by an hour or less and don’t fall back to sleep quickly I get up.