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Keto issues (self.keto)

submitted by sandypurplecat

I posted a bit ago about not being able to sleep on keto. I wake up multiple times a night and it's not just an adjustment thing that goes away. It lasts for months till am so frustrated I give up, although keto works well for weight loss and keeping my cravings in check. People suggested electrolytes,making sure I get magnesium too, some said melatonin, which I use already. I didn't want to get into buying high-priced supplements so went with some of the online recipes like lemon and adding in the extras. All I can say is yuck, I can't almost bear to swallow it. Did it for a couple days with no improvement to my sleep. Any one have any other ideas how to get electrolytes each day in a better way? Also, how much and/or how many times a day? What if electrolytes don't help my sleep, is there anything else I can do?

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[–]aalfo1234m | 5'10 | sw: 240lb | cw: 160lb | omad+keto for prediabetes 5 points6 points  (1 child)

Get more sunlight during the day

[–][deleted] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This is a big one.

Our bodies are very complicated and hormones play a big role. When you get up and go outside and you get natural sunlight your body starts a cool process.

Your pineal gland will produce serotonin during the day with the help of natural light. Serotonin is great, it's a stabilizer and it'll make you feel awake. Anxiety and anti-depression medication are often SSRI's that help your brain produce more serotonin.

But when lights go out and it's bedtime your pineal gland will begin to produce melatonin. This is your sleepy time hormone. The thing is in order to do this effectively your pineal gland needs serotonin. Seems silly but it's part of the process!

Natural light plays into all of this, which is why people can often wake up better in the summer, and struggle in the winter.

I live very north, in Canada, and in the winter we get sun from 10am-4pm max. In the summer we get sun from 4am-11pm. I can be awake at 4am in the summer feeling great and going all day (with proper nutrition) because of my serotonin and melatonin.

[–]FiberFanatic07F52 5'3" SD 8/24/20 SW257 CW205 GW140 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Magnesium glycinate is a fairly standard staple in the Keto Electrolytes game, and definitely not in the category of "high priced supplements". If you are not supplementing magnesium, then there's probably good reason that you are having problems.

[–]sandypurplecat[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I have supplemented magnesium along with the rest but still doesn't seem to help. I meant the supplements such as LMNT etc etc, which are almost $1 a shot and I don't want to pay that for an all in one electrolyte supplement.

[–]FiberFanatic07F52 5'3" SD 8/24/20 SW257 CW205 GW140 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok, cool. And yes, agree about those supplements. The magnesium along with Morton's lite salt and pink salt is usually sufficient to meet most people's needs.

[–]CBbeMe 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I take a magnesium glycinate tablet at night. No taste.

For sodium and potassium I supplement w Morton's Lite Salt mixed in water. First few times you can taste the saltiness but like most other things after a bit you get used to it and don't even notice it.

[–]More-Nobody69 1 point2 points  (0 children)

for your consideration..Keep your caffeine dose under 400 mg a day and remember that caffeine can last six to eight hours in the body. Also, check out sleep hygiene principles. Also, consider a bedtime snack of an egg or a tablespoon of butter. Best of luck to you. https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-hygiene#exercise

[–]ElectronicAddress611 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Insomnia is a bitch. Keto made it worse in the very beginning but Now I’m back to normal. I take melatonin 20mg and Benadryl 50mg on top of my magnesium before bed. Works well most of the time. I’m working on cutting out the Benadryl…

[–]ABagOfMostlyWater-Hyperphagia is an epiphenomenon of calories lost to adipocytes. 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Stop chasing electrolytes, that is not your problem. Increase your carbs to 50g per day and see what happens or go to 70g and see.

And please don't go into the insanity cycle that has gripped apparently 90% of people here of drinking insane amounts of water/fluid for some reason and then stuffing themselves with electrolytes 5 times per day to be in an never ending cycle of low energy, insomnia, diarrhea/constipation.

People make it so complicated for no reason.

[–]sandypurplecat[S] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

It has seemed strange that if I eat non keto, I have no issue sleeping, however if I go too low in carbs, everyone says to supplement with any number of a bunch of things.

[–]ABagOfMostlyWater-Hyperphagia is an epiphenomenon of calories lost to adipocytes. -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Just go to whoever many carbs you need to sleep. I'm guessing its not gonna be more than 50 or 60 per day. And yes your still make ketones and do just fine. Just you know get them from actual food and not some crap fruit juice or something. You will find that electrolytes are not a problem at just a bit more carbs. Drink water when thirsty not to reach some goal. Also if you go too low calories you will sleep poorly that is just your brain saying "go hunt, don't sleep, we need calories" :D

Good luck

[–]apocalypsegalF/66/5' 2.5"/CW 215/GW 140 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Carbs make me sleep. Going low carb helps me sleep better (I've had terrible insomnia for decades, it's better on low carb). It does give me vivid dreams though. Not nightmares, just like the best movies you'll ever see, inside my head all night long. But, I'm rested. :)

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Following. My sleep has been disrupted more than usual lately as well. My youngest typically wakes up to nurse at around 3-4am, and I’ve had a hard time going back to sleep after. My husband shared a link to how keto affects sleep, I probably need to go read it. It think he was saying that your body actually needs less sleep on keto, but I like my sleep. 🤔

[–]dima054 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Can you post that link?

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

https://www.insider.com/going-keto-can-affect-your-sleep-2018-7?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=topbar

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s an insider article, so I’d have to do a little more research to call it fact, but after reading it the logic seems sound.

[–]johninbigdM/50 5'10" SW 283 / CW 280 / GW 200 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've been having sleep issues lately with keto, as well. For me, it doesn't seem to depend on my electrolyte levels, and I get plenty of magnesium (four different types, including glycinate). I watched a video from Thomas Delauer and he suggested that for some, the problem is that our brains aren't getting enough tryptophan on keto, at least in the beginning.

He offered three ideas:

  • Take a tryptophan supplement
  • Take a half teaspoon of MCT oil before bed, which allows more tryptophan to cross into the brain
  • Eat most of your daily allotment of carbs closer to bedtime

https://youtu.be/A9V8EAeyYBc

[–]pigailspinafores 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have been waking up at 4:00 and not able to get back to sleep - It seems to be because 1/ I am having really bad leg cramps and/or 2/ I'm hungry!

I used to stop eating at 7:00 - I've realized I need to eat protein before bed- last night 15 gm cheddar and 33 gm fish (left over snapper that I had earlier for supper). My calorie limit is 1200 and I realized I had had only about 1050.

The cramps are due to low electrolyte and/or water. I have sorted this out better: each day in 4 cups of water: .75 tsp lite salt; .25 tsp salt and a few drops of MIO flavouring with stevia. Then 3x200 magnesium biglycinate at night. I set aside another 1.5 tsp salt for putting on food to make up the sodium. I don't eat any processed / packaged food and so I want to keep my sodium up. (My blood pressure is good!)