The FastDay Forum

[Tracieknits]

I especially love it on fast nights, when really, I just want to fall asleep so I can wake up and have breakfast. But no. Sleep eludes me.

I generally get about four or five great nights of sleep a week, which is a huge improvement for me.

Anyone else?

I have this problem on fast nights and on choir practice nights. They coincide on Mondays. I figure that's two sleepless nights for the price of one! In case you're wondering, choir practice leaves one with too much adrenalin and music circling in the brain. There is no escape if the music is actually going in to the memory. Such is life.

[Tracieknits]

Oh I get it! I studied voice for years and love singing

YES!! I have struggled with this most of my life however. I did find it was related to menopause. So I took HRT for a few years and that moderated the problem. Then I went off HRT and got past that phase in my life and discovered something that I wish I had known before: if I walk for about 40 -50 minutes a day, I sleep. I have proved it hundreds of times. You know, you get a cold, you get out of the walking habit, then it's back: the insomnia. I get back to the walking habit: I sleep all night.

I'm a dreadful sleeper. Been awake since before 5 this morning - yuck.

Sallyo - I'll go for a walk this evening after work, and test your theory, thanks !

It may not work with one walk. You have to build up a habit. Do it for a week and see if you get a result. It also takes a while after you stop before you stop sleeping. There is lag time.

OK, will report back. Thanks

I don't sleep well , last night was not good ,I was awake at 3.30 for about an hour then wide awake at 6.30 so I did my usual weigh in an lost another pound ,very pleased as now I am within healthy BMI only just I have started walking a little each day it does help I think

Me too! Dreadful night sleep last night. Woke up at midnight and have been awake ever since. Now have to go to work It was really bad when I started fasting and then seemed to ease a little. But the last two weeks both my husband (who is fasting too) and I have had restless, sleepless nights fast nights. Its so frustrating because apart from this I love the "fasting effects". Oh well, you can't have it all I suppose. One thing I don't want to do is start taking sleeping tablets.

Yes I get some nights where I can't sleep, not all thankfully. I find on fast days I do tend to get sleepier earlier in the evening, so have tried to follow my body and just turn in earlier, and this has meant I get a great night,s sleep. If I resist and go on very late, it's then I find I can't get to sleep ...

But do find waking earlier in the mornings atm - but this could be just because it's summer, and I have an east facing bedroom ...

Yes. I am a night owl, turned insomniac. It seems to come and go in waves and has gotten worse with age and this WOE, IMO. Walking doesn't really help much with sleeping for me. I have had my Fitbit for over a year and tried that for a while. It does help some people; just not me. Yoga, breathing and meditation does usually work for me, though. One restorative yoga pose in particular, called legs up the wall is the best thing I have found so far. I do it late at night, right before going to bed. I have worked up from 5-10 minutes to now doing it 20-30 minutes.

I have been struggling with insomnia for a few years and 5:2 has made it worse. I read a few weeks ago about magnesium deficiency and poor sleep. After some research I picked a magnesium supplement with various sources of magnesium (not oxide). After 2 nights of taking it my sleep settled and I have slept well ever since even on fast nights.

I have not been sleeping well since starting 5:2 last April. Funny thing is, though, I am not more tired during the day. Seems like I just don't need as much sleep now. Do you other insomniacs find you are more tired during the day if you don't get much sleep?

[Tracieknits]

Well I got a grand total of four hours, 30 minutes last night, which isn't terrible for me. And surprisingly I feel pretty good!

Thanks for the tips about walking, yoga and magnesium and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one

OMG Tracie,last night was the first time I didn't sleep in I don't know how long, with the result that I am anxious, nauseous and generally feel rotten today!!

Just posted a thingy about it.