The FastDay Forum

I'm only three fasting days into this diet over the last a week and a half. I've not had a full nights sleep in years but OMG, on fast days, when I go to bed I am unconscious. I sleep like a log and have slept through my alarm everytime. I cannot find anything negative about this diet at all.
a) you only fast two days a week, and non-consecutive either!
b) you don't feel hungry whilst fasting;
c) you sleep like a log
d) you can eat normally the other five days.

How come nobody has come up with this before?

[carorees]

My sleep is (very) slowly improving. I used to wake every two hours through the night, now I go 4 hours then 2 hours. Hoping to progress to 4 + 4 (and eventually 8 I hope)!

I've long been a bad sleeper. Go off like a log but wake early and usually don't sleep again. I haven't noticed any difference (good or bad) after a fast day but will watch out for it now...

For wahtever reason I don't seem to get as tired as I used to and am operating on less sleep !

I've been sleeping much better too, I normally no matter what time I nod off sleep for 6 hours, I had a good 8 the other night, which is brilliant for me and even if I only have my normal 6 hours it feels like a better sleep....if you know what I mean.

I've been finding I've been sleeping like a log too - little things that might have woken me up don't now and I get to bed a lot earlier on fasting days, which can be no bad thing!

My sleep has improved greatly too. I was taking herbal sleeping tablets before which I don't need at all now.
I've been going to bed earlier and up bright and breezy in the morning rearing to go!

I'm the opposite to you all! I've never had problems sleeping, fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and don't wake up til the alarm. Now I'm finding on a fast day I just can't get off to sleep and lie awake for hours. When I do sleep I tend to wake in the night which is new to me. I found a bottle of roll on essential oils which my mother in law gave me a while ago which is supposed to aid sleep. I've been rolling it on the pulse spots of my wrists when I go to bed and find it has helped a bit.
I'm hoping my body will get used to going to bed on an empty stomach and allow me to fall
asleep quickly again.

The first 2 weeks I slept badly after fasting, woke up with muscle tension and headaches. This in spite of being knackered by the end of the day. That being said, I do have occasional tension headaches like that, but it really seemed to follow fasting. I don't know why, but now, 3 weeks into the 5:2, I sleep better. I also feel better on fast days and postfasting days, less light headed or tired, no headaches anymore. This in spite of eating nearly nothing on the fast days (easier to just cut out food than thinking about it and restricting it). However, I do take a small yoghurt before bedtime, to take the edge off.

I think having your total calories in the evening helps sleep.
I've always had trouble sleeping when following ww for example. If I'm hungry I can't sleep, and I think the majority of people are the same.
A salad for dinner doesn't really cut it for me either I'm afraid.

Well my first week is nearly over, I have done my 2 fasts, and found that they went well, apart from sleeping that is. I've never had a normal sleep pattern it tends to go in fits and starts, but after starting 5.2 it's a lot worse. I'm finding it very difficult to get to sleep and when i drop off I have very graphic dreams and wake early. Obviously my body is going through a major change and I can only hope that once I'm used to the new regime my sleeping will get easier.

[Debs]

Unfortunately mine is always worse as I end up having to go to the loo several times, when normally I wouldn't. I always drink a lot but fast days seem to be worse for some reason!

I agree that having all my daily calories in one evening meal probably contributes to me getting a really good nights sleep. Would find it really difficult to sleep with a gnawing hunger in my belly!

I also make sure i stop drinking water about an hour or two before i go to bed to help avoid those night time trips to the loo. Sometimes that means i wake up with a bit od a dry mouth or a thick head but i then make sure i drink lots on waking and feel fine pretty soon.

[Debs]

I generally stop 2 or three hours before bed, but I suspect it is a result of the big salad I generally have for dinner on a fast day. Thank goodness I am in a little en suite room for work so it is only 6 paces to the loo!!!

I tried WW last year and, Boy, was it boring doing all the working out which meals you can have, how many points? All those VERY expensive ready made snacks, etc. Having to walk around Tesco with that little points calculator!! Reading the backs of all the packets. What were we thinking about. God Bless Michael Mosley.