I wake up all the time since starting PP, but I just figured it was time to potty, so I just wander in and go. I never thought about if needing to go potty was why I woke up or not. Half the time I feel like I didn't really need to go. I do go back to sleep pretty easily though.

Nelson - Do you exercise?

Oh, lordy yes!!

Six days a week I do 25 min. of HIIT on the stationary bike, three days a week I add 35 min. of upper body weights, 2 days a week I add 55 min of yoga/pilates.

But I've been exercising like this for years, so I really think it's more likely to be diet related.

I've been reading about sleep and insulin and HGH and wondering if I should be doing something differently

Good evening everyone! My goodness, today was crazy for me. It seems that my little secret dating adventure may not be a secret too much longer. One of the teachers on my team came up to me today and said another teacher asked her if I was dating someone, and not just someone, but someone at our school. I confided that I was, b/c there didn't seem to be any point in keeping it from her any longer. So I imagine it's only a matter of time now....although it was like that anyway. Going to church each week in the district we teach in is certainly allowing others to see you, and kids certainly have. I just wish everyone at school wasn't so darn gossipy! Why wouldn't that person just have the decency to come ask me herself (I am pretty certain I know who it is, by the way).

Anyway, I wanted to comment that I, too, have experienced nightly wakeups since lowcarbing. Usually I wake up 2 times per night to go to the bathroom. I honestly cannot remember the last time I completely slept through the night, which frustrates me sometimes. I have noticed that my sleeping has significantly improved since starting CAD (due to the increase in carbs?). The other night I slept for 7 hours straight, but then got up to go to the bathroom, and fell asleep for another hour or so. I don't remember the last time I felt so rested!!!! I've often wondered if it is just a sign that maybe we don't need as much sleep as we used to or think we do??

Carrie, sorry about not having a journal. I do keep one, but I use the one on Fitday, out of habit. I will go see what you asked now and respond

Generally, when I wake up, I go to the bathroom, but I don't think that's what is waking me up. And I used to go right back to sleep any time I awoke during the night. Now I just toss and turn wishing I could get back to sleep. And I really don't feel rested when the alarm goes off.

Mind you, this doesn't happen every night, sometimes I do go right back to sleep, but it is happening more since I began lc. Half a Unisom at bedtime lets me sleep through the night, but that's not a long-term solution.

Is anyone else noticing that they wake about the same time every night? For me it is always about 5 hours after I go to bed.

I am on Phase II PP--about 55 g. of carb per day. I shoot for at least 25 g. protein each meal, usually more, and no more than 15 g. carbs per meal. Snacks are 0-10 carbs. I am thinking about eliminating snacks. More and more I realize that I am not hungry for them, they've just become a habit. I may try to eliminate snacks and stick to just the three meals, unless I am truly, physically hungry.

Nelson, that's almost as good as the time I wanted to put cinnamon in my cottage cheese and wound up with Chinese 5 Spice powder

Guys, I am signing off until after surgery. Be good (and if you can't be good be careful )
Elaine

Nelson, I have some thoughts on the sleep issue.

A couple years ago, I started having trouble sleeping through the night. I'd fall asleep ok, but then wake up a dozen times. It's been a problem ever since.

I talked with my doctor, and he prescribed a mild sleeping pill. He gave me a prescription for all of 7 pills. I hate taking pills like this, so it took me 6 months to get through the 7 pills.

So, last year I talked with him about it again. He put out the suggestion that maybe I'm getting too much sleep. Huh? How could I be getting too much sleep when I'm waking up a dozen times each night, and I'm so sleepy even driving to work in the morning that I'm afraid I'm going to fall asleep on the road.

He explained that when you stay in bed so long (I had been shooting for 8 hours a night, going to bed at 8:00 to wake up at 4:00), you end up never falling into that deep sleep you need.

He told me to stay up until 10:00 for the next week, and still get up at 4:00. I thought he was crazy, but I did it. Guess what. I was sleeping through the night and I was no longer in danger of falling asleep on the road or during business meetings (boy, isn't THAT embarassing!).

Moral of story: Maybe you, too, are trying to get too much sleep. Try working on your "sleep hygiene" (that's what he called it). See if it makes a difference.

When I look back on it, I started having severe fatigue when I started low-carb eating. What I see now is that I was really needing a whole lot less sleep, which is what was making me tired. Makes sense in a weird way.

Thanks! That sounds like an interesting experiment. I have been going to bed earlier and earlier to try and catch up. I start to get a little paranoid ("what if I don't sleep again tonight") and maybe I am trying too hard.

Bawdy - well that makes sense. Nelson, I'm so glad you asked the question! So Bawdy, do you still sleep from 10pm to 4am? I've normally go to bed around 11pm and sleep until 7am, but since PP I've been getting sleepy around 9pm or so. I've wondered if maybe I don't need as much sleep as I thought I did.