Keto Transition Insomnia

[GMX]

Anyone else have horrible quality during the keto transition? I go to bed tired but wake up 3 hours later and all night wide awake. Anything to do about it or ride it out? This didn’t happen my first time doing keto.

[SuziK]

I’ve been waking up too early since I started IF and ADF. I just read that a magnesium supplement should help. I’m going to give it a try.

[clackley]

I had a really hard time with it and tried a bunch of things before settling on what worked for me. It might have been a case of waiting for it to settle out on it’s own but now, I feel I ‘require’ them.

1. supplement with magnesium citrate
2. a dark quiet room (use black out curtains or a sleeping mask and earplugs if necessary). Cover any artificial light including cell phones/clocks etc.
3. 5mg. sublingual melatonin
4. learn to do some relaxation techniques

I sleep very, very well now and have done so for years but it was a long stretch of learning what worked for me. I would also add that prior to keto, what I thought was long good sleep was likely more like a carb coma. I simply don’t need that much sleep on keto. I can and do get about 8 hours but when necessary, really do well with much less.

[FatBomb]

Yes! But I have adjusted my sleep schedule because I wake up too early if I go to bed too early.

[GMX]

I have melatonin, but haven’t been using it so I’ll try tonight. I’ve been taking magnesium citrate throughout the day, so instead I’ll try 300mg before bed. Thanks all.

[GMX]

Back to struggling with this!

[Saphire]

This was a recent response to someone concerned about stress

Body refuses ketosis in high stress work environment

I recently listed to this podcast. Some interesting points. While the whole thing is long you may want to listen at the highlighted points. Attia talks about Phosphatidylserine as something that will reduce cortisol levels, especially at night. I have not tried it but it might be something to consider. Try it before your busy season to make sure you have no adverse reaction https://www.ihmc.us/stemtalk/episode001/ 43:12: We’re evolved to deal with acute stress; chronic stress is a newer, mor…

Keto really messed with my sleep for about 4 months. Now I am back to normal but I am not sure if I am in ketosis since the cheap breathalyzer does not work for me. One thing that helps is I get cold at night so I usually have an extra blanket that I end up throwing off in the morning. When I did wake up in the middle of the night I usually have some diet book on my ipad (set to night mode) that I read a couple pages of and fall back asleep

[DiMo]

I take 500 mg of magnesium glycinate (for easier absorption) and 3000 mg of glycine about 1/2 hour before bed. Works like a charm, and are both supplements I need anyway (glycine because of an MTHFR mutation that limits my body’s ability to synthesize it). I sometimes add an herbal supplement with valerian root if I’m particularly stressed and it’s interfering with my sleep.

[Lovethyself]

i take kava and sometimes adenosine and magnesium, i also take astragalus for my nervous system

[LeCheffre]

Zinc-Magnesium-B6 sometimes with Theanine. Different dosing for men and women. Marketed at ZMA or ZMA+.

Aside from you should be supplementing Magnesium anyway, combined with Zinc and B6 produces amazingly deep sleep. the Theanine apparently helps you get down to sleep, while the ZMA helps you in stage 3 and 4 sleep. It does a lot of other good things for you, so it’s not really sold as a sleep aid.

[GMX]

I may have figured out my issue.

I tested my blood glucose this morning at 5am (up since 3:30am) and it was 65, ketones were .4. I started Monday and it’s now Friday. I’m guessing I’m just not fat adapted and my blood sugar drops super low while I’m trying to sleep.

So, if my blood sugar drops while I’m sleeping, adrenaline and cortisol increase to bring it back up. What happens if I take stuff that suppresses these hormones so I can stay asleep? For example, phenibut will definitely keep me asleep, but how low will my blood sugar drop if those hormones are suppressed? Or am I overthinking this and there’s nothing to worry about?

[Bigman]

Are you still keto and have your sleep issues resolved? I too have had restless sleep and think it might be due to blood glucose dropping low during the night.

[Luckymisslucy]

I have taken trazadone for years, but thats prescription, so an OTC like melatonin would be a more convenient aid. I also have to sleep with earbuds listening to sleep stories using the Calm app. The earbuds block out my husband’s snoring. I have to have the “right kind of noise” to fall asleep easily. There are lots of times I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t fall back asleep for hours and have had to repeat my bedtime routine to get the job done.

You could always try a before bed snack to see if that helps.

[GMX]

I just went back on keto 2 weeks ago and no, never figured out my sleep issue. But, it is unrelated to keto. It’s still driving me crazy too! 3mg time release melatonin with 2-4 grams taurine, 200-400mg theanine, 250mg Sensoril, and now experimenting with CBD oil, let’s me sleep 5 hours (I still wake 2-3 times in those 5 hours) and occasionally I fall asleep again for a grand total of 6 hours, but it’s just not enough with how hard I train and stressful life.

[Ketodaisy]

I go through phases of insomnia on keto. Sleep has always been literally the most important thing in my life lol (don’t tell my husband and kids…just kidding, they already know).

When I first started keto last year (I’ve started 3 times now lol), it was the strangest phenomenon. I would lie there completely awake, but completely calm. I would only get a couple hours of sleep, but would still get up completely rested.

The second time was similar. The third (and hopefully last) time, I couldn’t stay in bed. I had to get up and do stuff. I still felt ok in the morning though. Now I am finally starting to sleep better again (actually slept 4 hours straight, then another 4 hours straight last night, which is unheard of for me!!). I still have nights of sleeplessness, restlessness and everywhere in between, but that’s my normal lol

[Alex99]

Anyone else have horrible quality during the keto transition? I go to bed tired but wake up 3 hours later and all night wide awake. Anything to do about it or ride it out? This didn’t happen my first time doing keto

That happened to me for a couple of weeks. It seemed like it was going to be a major problem. But don’t worry about it, it’ll pass.

One time I got up at 3 or 4AM and I was the most awake I have been in my entire life. It was amazing, very surreal.

Now I know I have more energy than before, no more power outages and brain fog, but it isn’t a problem. Definitely have to watch caffeine levels though.

Hang in there, you’ll be right.

[Tallchick]

I’m having the same problems, it’s frustrating because I love my sleep! I’ve been waking up between 2-4 am several times a week. I hope it passes, I will see if a small snack before bed helps, but I certainly hope this goes away soon!

[Alex99]

I hope it passes, I will see if a small snack before bed helps, but I certainly hope this goes away soon!

Yes it will pass, not overnight, took about 2 weeks for me. I don’t think any snacks would help, or maybe I just haven’t found the right snack …

[jlohr]

How long did it take until you were sleeping well.

[Ketodaisy]

long did it take until you were sleeping well.

“Well” is a very relative term lol. 4 hours straight is well for me. I have been strict keto again since Christmas Day and last week was the first time I started sleeping 4 hours…so about 7 weeks I guess?