Can't sleep when fasting?

[LisaDS88]

Does anyone have this problem? I don't sleep very well anyway, but when I'm fasting I can NEVER go to sleep. I'm sooooo tired and weak, but I just lie in bed tossing and turning all night. I'm sure the "moving" toxins in my body are irritating me and have something to do with with why I can't relax. But it's awful! I'm fasting now and am so tired. I barely slept 3 hours last night and just lay down a few minutes ago to try to sleep tonight. Needless to say that didn't work because here I am typing this thread! uhguhguhguhgh I feel like a nervous wreck!

[karenisraw]

I am not fasting, but when I went raw, the beginning within the first 24 hours, I have not been able to fall asleep. It's been 5 weeks and I have been wide awake till 3 or 4 in the morning. Today was the very first day that I felt tired since I have started raw and I also had body aches so I believe I must be detoxing. I just cut down on my fats withing the last 24 hours, so I believe my body is utilizing my stored fats, thus an increase in the release of toxins. I believe the excess energy is both from eating raw and the coconut oil that I take daily.


k

:p :p :p

[michigan roman]

it was pretty funny when i just woke up at 3 am and was lying there and wondering why i wasnt sleepy when i had just went to bed 3 hours earlier and it dawned on me "thats right im on a fast , i never need alot of sleep when im fasting ", then i got up to play on computer and first thing i saw was lisas post . i guess thats how much energy we use every day digesting what we eat , so when your fasting your stomach doesnt have to keep churning and churning that food up to feed your blood fuel and your blood just starts feeding off your supply of fats which is a less energy consuming process so you have that excess energy to do other things with . at least thats what i gather from reading more knowledgable people than i . but this is my like 10th fast in past 14 months or so and on every one i never need much sleep , and when i get up and do somehouse work or something in middle of night til i get sleepy the resulting shorter period of sleep than normal doesnt make me tired next day . so its like i get bonus energy to use , its just a hard thing to believe but i bet if you keep fasting youll find out its one of the benefits of fasting and wont worry about sleeping less . plus this is my 6th month raw and it already has become apparent to me that without cooked slush in my guts bogging my cell fires down i dont need as much sleep that i did on cooked . well just thought ide chip that in so you arent worrying about loosing sleep like i used to . take care

[jenjenn]

I'm on 21 day fast and I'm on day 5. I just had that problem yesterday actually I was going in sane. On Thursday night I only had 2 hours of sleep, so when I got home I was sooo tired needless to say. So I made a juice and lyed down at 6pm I wass so tired,but I couldn't fall asleep it was so frustrating. So I thought how can I fall asleep. Usually when I'm sleepy and can't fall asleep I just eat a whole bunch of bread and carbs and I fall asleep shortly after that. So I just made another juice drink and I didn't fall asleep until 12 in the morning. So hopefully tonight will be better :)

[lavendarJ]

I am on day 25 of a MC... During the 1st week, I had a lot of trouble falling asleep, tossed and turned a lot, I didn't have any discomfort per se, but I just could not fall asleep; I figured it was my body adjusting to the fast and the detox since the MC is somewhat of a "shock" to the body - at least, mine which was used to a bunch of starches and other junk.... after those first few days, I could sleep again and haven't had any problems falling asleep...I decided to do another 21 days because I am noticing that at the end of this first fast the cravings are stronger than ever, I expected it to be more challenging in the beginning....

[JennaBoBenna]

Gosh! The part about fasting that I dislike the most! Not being able to get to sleep is the biggest pain ever for me. I recently did a fast and every night was a struggle. The weird part was that I was still sooo tired during the day. Usually on a fast you only need a few hours sleep and you're good, but I was so tired the entire length of my fast (ten days). It was annoying :( :mad: especially because I had to deal with school and such

[Broken]

Are you in ketosis? Whenever my body has switched from burning primarily carbohydrates as fuel to burning fat, I've had trouble sleeping, weird dreams, frequent waking, etc. The brain does get used to it...but unfortunately for me it usually takes maybe two weeks. That's one of the reasons I prefer to "fast" in a manner that gives me enough carbohydrates to function, i.e. drinking juices, or eating a simple mono diet. I'm a heavy sleeper, and lack of sleep makes me a pretty awful person to deal with. I also have a health issue that pretty much requires that I sleep in quantity and quality.

How long are you planning to fast?

[greeninlosangeles]

Yes, that is always a problem for me too. Not a bad one - I just don't sleep good, wake up often, toss and turn. That's why for regular thing I fast just 24 hours a week(from dinner to dinner.)

[octav28]

Most supervised fasts allow a tylenol or a benadryl even though you're not eating solids. If you aren't comfortable with this I have found that a bath using very hot water and dead sea salt (or epsom salt which is available at any drugstore) is really helpful. I've found since my mind and my senses are so much more alert that a lavender eye pillow helps block out light and keeping the room nice and warm throughout the night also helps. If all else fails try this: Roll a towel or blanket so that it makes a fairly large square. Place it in front of your belly button and lay face down with your head resting on your folded hands. You should begin to feel a pulse somewhere around your abdomen. Breathe into this spot and feel your stomach relax into the towel. Stay in this pose for 10 minutes and then bend back into your yoga child's pose. This feels great and helps relax your stomach!

[misslinda]

The liver "wakes up" from 1-3 am. Alot of work is being done during this time.

I would suggest hours before, do a nice hot detox bath and drink some fresh water. I fyou are juice fasting, it helps to have more greens.

Are you doing enemas in your program? That may help rid osme of the toxins that are irritatating you.


Keep us posted how you are doing.... :)

[bootzey]

Ornithine may help you sleep. I agree with the hot bath/shower. You can get ornithine at the health food store.

Why not just go with the flow? If your body doesn't want to rest, don't.

[HappyCat]

I've been having the same problem! It's never happend before this on my previous fasts. So is it just toxins? Should I take this as a 'good' thing meaning my body is working on ridding itself of something really nasty?

[lavendarJ]

I think that detoxing is probably a large part of it Happy Cat...I think this is day 8 of the master cleanse for me....I did it in January of this year also...but whenever I do any time for fast that extends past a few days I also find that the first 1 to 2 weeks I am more restless than usual but then after that I guess my body accepts the fact that I am detoxing and begins to get used to not having the foods it is used to. Last night I considered counting sheep :D

[lavendarJ]

You know what else I was thinking about Happy Cat.... I was just thinking that maybe my restlessness can also be contributed to the weight loss. This is day 8 and I have lost a lot of weight rather quickly. This past Sunday the scale reflected that I went from 225 to 215. Today is Wednesday, I wanted to weigh myself today since I started the cleanse last Wednesday and the scale said that I am at 208 (I had to go out and buy bateries after I saw this just to make sure) and I think that is a big adjustment for my body and maybe that's why I am restless. Who knows????

[misslinda]

the peak hours for the LIVER to deal with all those toxins is 1-3 ish. It's big job and during fsating it's even greater. As our body toxins level out and adjust to the changes, you will sleep better and even less.

Are any of you doing anything before you sleep to stumlate blood flow and such.............deep breathing exercises,detox baths, skin brushing, etc?

:)

[lavendarJ]

i like to do dry skin brushing in the morning. at night i just try to "turn off" all the thoughts of the day and relax and breathe slowly....

[FirstLady??]

I am soooo depressed.. I'm super exhausted:(.. But I just can't fall asleep..
I've been in bed for 7hours now and I am literally tossing and turning!!
Cannot believe this.. Its only my 3rd day and I'm on a 21 day. I just keep telling
Myself that it is all worth it.. What can I do?? When I can't sleep I'll normally just eat something andfall asleep in 5 minutes but now not even juice is helping.. Help?

[Raw Angel Mom]

Does anyone have this problem? I don't sleep very well anyway, but when I'm fasting I can NEVER go to sleep. I'm sooooo tired and weak, but I just lie in bed tossing and turning all night. I'm sure the "moving" toxins in my body are irritating me and have something to do with with why I can't relax. But it's awful! I'm fasting now and am so tired. I barely slept 3 hours last night and just lay down a few minutes ago to try to sleep tonight. Needless to say that didn't work because here I am typing this thread! uhguhguhguhgh I feel like a nervous wreck!

Just a thought, perhaps you should take a good B12 (Methylcobalamin). One symptom of lack of sleep could be due to a drop of B12. When you fast, unless you take chlorella with it or nutritional yeast or mushroom or a leafy greens that wasn't wash from your garden (buying from market and unwashed could be harmful because you have no idea who touched it but your garden or a known farmer is safe)..

I finally sleep much better at night. So simple solution, this B12.

Maca also help to heal your endocrine system.

All the best with your journey!

[MysticTree]

I find when I fast - and I don't do it very often - that I sleep much more lightly.

My mind detoxes when I fast and my thoughts go at a million miles an hour. It is disquieting until you realise what is going on. I use meditation and find that works well. I also think I need less sleep when I fast anyway so try to follow when the body feeling is tired or refreshed rather than going by the clock.

[adobegirl]

Kind of neat that this was the top post in here today. Last night was horrible in terms of sleeping for me. Woke up and while I was exhausted, I just could not get back to sleep. :/

[blotsm]

I am having the same experience with sleep. I am on a juice fast of indefinite length, at least for seven days, more if I feel inspired to go on at 7. I'm at day 5. Woke up at 6:00 AM yesterday, worked all day, came home, and tried to go to sleep at 10:00, but couldn't. I ended up lying in bed for 2 hours and then walking up and down the street outside until I felt ready.

I am considering switching to only green and vegetable juices at night. Also, allowing more time for my body to finish using the energy the juices give in the evening. It makes sense to me that sweet juices anywhere near bed time would keep the brain wide awake.

[MysticTree]

I think meditation might help.

[Lady Green Jeans]

Agree with blotsm--I was hungry later in the eveining one day earlier in the week and juiced a couple oranges about an hour before bedtime. Could not fall asleep for a couple hours--was feeling way too energized. Definately was the sweet juice.