I’ve been doing Keto and IF since about September and while researching about dreams while fasting I ran across this forum for the first time! So much good information and nice people who get it!
Back to my question, lol…I am on day 2 of an extended water only fast and I had the most bizarre, vividly intense dreams last night… does that happen to others out there? It only seems to happen to me when I’m fasting for some reason, and I’m curious if others experience this too?
I am getting close to 5 wk mark on Keto and have constantly had this issue since day two or three, praying it goes away soon as it has caused weird insomnia that results in daytime tiredness. Quality and quantity of sleep is in the toilet big time - I have never experienced this issue before.
I’ve been having really vivid dreams as well! Maybe something to do with our mitochondria working more effectively?
When I was first getting into ketosis and not quite fat adapted yet I had insomnia issues off and on. It seemed to get less frequent and then stop after about 2 months. If you’re anything like me, you’re almost there!
Maybe so! How long have you been fasting? Ever happened to you when fasting before? … this is my first EF.
I haven’t fasted. I’ve just noticed since starting keto (3months ago) that my dreams have been frequent and very vivid.
Oh man I hope so, my family is pretty entertained hearing about these dreams but they are way too disturbing for me lol!
Here’s my theory. According to the book “Why We Sleep” we do a lot of post-processing of our day.
So, it could just be the brain’s way of trying to work out why you went to sleep empty again.
I guess it could also be increased metabolism and hormonal changes that are telling you to get out of bed and kill something for breakfast. I think that could mess with sleep states - including leaving you in a dream state longer than usual.
I have noticed that I really have trouble with longer than a 5-day fast. Sleep hours per night goes low enough to make me feel like sleep deprivation is taking away any gains I’m getting from the fast anymore.
These Ketogenic forums are great. I really didn’t make the connection between Keto/Fasting and dreams until I saw the topic here. I have gone decades since the last time I could remember a dream when I woke up in the morning, but when I saw the topic here I thought about how in the last month (probably been fat adapted for about 2 months) I have woken up in the morning and remember a dream and very vividly. All kinds of interesting things going on when you get the right nutrition. Because people had mentioned it previously, I looked for and experienced better sleep. I am wondering if the deeper/more restful sleep is what is encouraging the vivid dreams or at least our ability to remember them in the morning.
I have difficulty eating enough nutrients most the time (I have little appetite is why, and am intolerant to many things) and I just shifted to an EF (with an occasional multi-V/M). I weaned myself off diuretics (for a heart issue) prior so I could do it without any drugs… hopefully. The D’s interfere with my sleep it seems and I’ve been sleep deprived for a long time.
Since I began (using the internet’s count-in-infant-hours method, that’s 60 hours ago) I’ve been sleeping about 12 hours (in 6/6 or 5/7 bouts) a day, more deeply than I recall sleeping in eons, and dreaming like a maniac. The sleep I could understand. The dreaming is new, though. The issue I’m sure is not dreaming but the fact that I’m remembering it. That part is nice.
I’ve always had memorable dreams but since keto some nights they are very vivid and like a movie playing out in technicolor. I even occasionally can smell in my dreams. It is usually food cooking. LOL.
This is so cool…who knew fasting would affect dreaming! Since starting CPAP at night I have been remembering dreams… but now they are so vivid. Happily only good dreams so far!