The FastDay Forum

There has been a lot of posts from members asking two questions 'when is the best time to eat on a fast day' & 'Does anyone else find they are having trouble sleeping'
Now I tend to save my 500 calories until teatime and just have a main meal. But Iam finding I now have trouble sleeping (feeling very alert at night)I wondered if I was eating too late so decided to look into it in greater depth I dug out some of my old course work on the digestive system and came across some work I did on the Autonomic system, now Im wondering 'Am I eating too early ? especially since a lot of what we have been led to believe has been debunked such as skipping breakfast will slow the metabolism ect.
So this is my question for you nerds out there,
If the parasympathetic nervous system is concerned with digestion,healing,rest and relaxation, does it not follow that eating later in the day will assist in better sleep & digestion rather than going to bed hungry in the sympathetic state? Is this not how the cavemen would have eaten?, prehaps we have it all the wrong way around.

Interesting question Shazzam. I look forward to reading a reply from a far more knowledgeable forum member than me

Yeah me too!!, I give myself a headache sometimes

I'm interested in this as well, as I have trouble sleeping nights after a fasting day. I was thinking it was caffeine, but lowering my caffeine intake during fast days doesn't really help falling asleep.

One thing you said regarding the survival benefits of Mr. Cave Man sleeping at night -- wouldn't it be advantageous to be alert and awake at night, when the big nocturnal predators are prowling about looking to eat you? That thought was one of several keeping me up last night... lol

@ BruceE, there you go !!

http://www.sleepwarrior.com/the-caveman ... lity-sleep

I always get sleepy after a meal. You need to lay around after eating so your body can digest your food.


http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 6010702141

"If you feel sleepy after eating, particularly after sweet or bakery products, you are normal. Eating sugary foods causes your brain to make large amounts of the neurotransmitter, serotonin, that makes people fall asleep naturally at night.

Eating sugary foods or those made from flour, such as bakery products or pastas, causes blood sugar to rise higher than normal. This causes your pancreas to release large amounts of insulin, which drives one of the protein building blocks called tryptophan from your bloodstream into your brain, where it is converted to serotonin that makes you feel sleepy

Many people can avoid feeling sleepy after eating by restricting foods high in sugar and flour. When it is important for you to be alert, eat foods that do not cause a high rise in blood sugar, such as vegetable salads, nuts, seeds, meat, fish and chicken."

I never go to bed hungry as it's just miserable. Even a small banana or glass of milk, helps with sleep.

I never go to bed hungry as it's just miserable. Even a small banana or glass of milk, helps with sleep.

Bananas are full of carbohydrate, making you sleepy, see above.