The One Thing I'm Concerned About Is Sleep

Hi again Kevin,
If you pop over to the RH forum, there is a thread, about vivid dreams.

At the height of summer, I sleep about 6-7 hours a night!
If I get eight hours, that's a real lie in! And they only happen in winter, when I've done a long shift!

This morning, after waking needing the loo, I looked at my clock and it read 6am.
So I gets up to get ready for work, so after putting the kettle on, a quick wash etc.
I turns the television on to find that it was only ten past five!
Must start taking my glasses with me to bed!

Don't feel tired, still got plenty of energy, doing the chores, and will probably sit down later for the footie!

Ho hum!

Indy51 said:

@kokhongw @KevinPotts

More on circadian rhythms - you might find this site of interest including the app if data recording is your thang

http://mycircadianclock.org/

Oh rats, seems to be a US only thing? at least the participating in the research seems to be.

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Thanks @Indy51 Yes had come across this. I'm a big fan of the Salk Institute FGF1 studies and Dr Satchin Panda's detailed studies on Circadian Rhythm.. we may actually see a cure for T2D within our lifetime...

lovinglife said:

If you feel happy, healthy and awake and able to cope with your day I wouldn't worry about it, IMHO we need less sleep than we think, you may have seen on some posts that I have mentioned I don't always get sleep because of my home circumstances, my sons consultant said to me as long as we get 5hrs then we are getting enough.

Think of it this way - many many moons ago we would rise with the sun and go to bed at sunset - so in the summer months are about 4.5 - 5 hours sleep - you may just be getting the sleep you need, if you start to feel you are suffering from lack of sleep you can look at it again and try to find something to help you

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Congratulations Kevin! Looks like you have done really well and I would not worry about the sleep. I have been a lifelong insomniac. Not much you can do except keep an arsenal of sleeping meds as my disapproving psychiatrist calls mine!
One thing to watch out for is regression. I also control T2 without meds but after a year of strict no carb/ regular exercise and weight loss I have found this so difficult to sustain that the self treatment has been compromised. Slow and steady on weight reduction and exercise is the key, I believe.

kokhongw said:

Thanks @Indy51 Yes had come across this. I'm a big fan of the Salk Institute FGF1 studies and Dr Satchin Panda's detailed studies on Circadian Rhythm.. we may actually see a cure for T2D within our lifetime...

Click to expand...

If you haven't already seen it, you might be interested in the recent video interview between Dr Panda and Rhonda Patrick - it's quite long but covers a lot of his research:

More on time restricted eating - in this interview relating to reduction of breast cancer:

I am actually reading an interesting book atm, "Relief from snoring and sleep apnoea" Tess Graham published by Viking
It talks about how we breathe has a direct correlation to not only our sleeping has its but also the potential to increase rates of disease.
It is definitely thought provoking as it has made me seriously take not of how I breathe and I actually slept through the whole night without my usual toilet stop but did wake up once in pain and pretty much put myself back to sleep again.
I am going to continue with the exercises and see how I go as well as finish reading it

KevinPotts said:

My signature says it all....happy days and moving in the right direction post diagnosis of T2 and Metabolic Syndrome on the 13 April 2016

Just one thing remains a current concern.....SLEEP!

The healthier I am becoming, the less sleep I seem to need and yet that is absolutely at odds with every single piece of advice I have read....and I've read a lot

I've always been an early riser - did a morning paper round from 10-18 years old arriving at the shop at 6AM, so that was my habit formation and I go to bed about 10pm and sleep soonish after, once I've read a little, no later than say 11pm.

But since starting my LCHF (20 g carbs per day) diet around 8 weeks ago, I've woken up between 4.45AM and 6AM, EVERY SINGLE MORNING....

And I am like Tigger....as bright as a button

Now I am aware of the great and the good that have apparently thrived on 3-4 hours sleep night, Mrs Thatcher et al....but I'm not convinced it's healthy.

Thoughts?


Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app

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I would have a stab in the dark that it could be your change in metabolism and sounds like quite an extreme change from having Metabolic Syndrome to being of a more healthy weight and healthier diet. It should balance out eventually but take in to account previous side effects of T2 like fatigue/tiredness disappear with better HbA1c's and daily BMs.

Thought I would bring this back to life, as I now find that I wake later than I had been. I wonder if my body has now adjusted to a 'new normal'?

KevinPotts said:

My signature says it all....happy days and moving in the right direction post diagnosis of T2 and Metabolic Syndrome on the 13 April 2016

Just one thing remains a current concern.....SLEEP!

The healthier I am becoming, the less sleep I seem to need and yet that is absolutely at odds with every single piece of advice I have read....and I've read a lot

I've always been an early riser - did a morning paper round from 10-18 years old arriving at the shop at 6AM, so that was my habit formation and I go to bed about 10pm and sleep soonish after, once I've read a little, no later than say 11pm.

But since starting my LCHF (20 g carbs per day) diet around 8 weeks ago, I've woken up between 4.45AM and 6AM, EVERY SINGLE MORNING....

And I am like Tigger....as bright as a button

Now I am aware of the great and the good that have apparently thrived on 3-4 hours sleep night, Mrs Thatcher et al....but I'm not convinced it's healthy.

Thoughts?


Sent from my iPad using DCUK Forum mobile app

Click to expand...

Sleep is hard to understand. I have experienced several periods of insomnia - the longest for 6 years with only 3 - 4 hours sleep a night. Indeed, I think this contributed to the onset of my T2. Sounds like you are not an insomniac. Insomniacs feel rough all day - what we call cement mixer or porridge brain. You may find if you are waking early your FBS is high as mine is. There is little I have discovered to remedy this. My FBS is regularly 7 - 8, sometimes more. It seems to adh=just during the day. I was diagnosed over a year ago and lost a lot of weight and went fitness crazy. The problem is that it is very hard to sustain this. I am still within the "normal" range HbC1a 6.1 but this has crept up from a proud 5.7.

A number of factors other than too little sleep increase BG. A major one is stress. Another is (sadly) sex. Both will spike your BG. You may be happy with your low carb diet and it is a god thing. I am on one for the long run - BUT I can almost guarantee that it is the exercise that is keeping your BG down. That is the habit I have lost - change of jobs and lifestyle et. I used to swim 90 lengths a week and could guarantee being between 4.5 - 6.5 all day. Now I am rarely down in the 5s and the lack of exercise is al that has changed.

Today, (with only a short 500 yard walk) I ate only one small samosa, two cups of coffee and a handful of almonds and my home from work BG is 7.5 Get the exercise... By the way I have tried every sleep med under the sun as a PhD in Insomnia. The best is good old Valium (Benzo - "Mothers little Helper"). Do not use generics. Get the real thing. No toxic side affects and don't worry about addiction. It's a myth. Alcohol, cigarettes, sex and gambling are all far more addictive

@kokhongw - You might be interested in this:

Another interview with Dr Rhonda Patrick and Dr Satchin Panda on Practical Implementation of Time-Restricted Eating & Shift Work Strategies:

Indy51 said:

@kokhongw - You might be interested in this:

Another interview with Dr Rhonda Patrick and Dr Satchin Panda on Practical Implementation of Time-Restricted Eating & Shift Work Strategies:

Click to expand...

Thx @Indy51 . That's a fairly long video. Will have to find time for this one

I'm having trouble sleeping again.
May be thyroid or just temperature change.
My eyes will be stinging on the school run, that's for sure.

KevinPotts said:

Just one thing remains a current concern.....SLEEP!

Click to expand...

Your stats are great. In my case low-carb was not associated with lack of sleep. I do have recurrent bouts of insomnia, but those started way before the T2 diagnosis and are clearly linked with (mainly professional, sometimes personal) stress.

I may have missed it but how much do you exercise? In my case this makes a huge difference. I am not an exercise fiend. Typically I go for a three-mile brisk walk daily. On the occasional days when I don't do this, my sleep can be affected.

Slept all the way through last night but my bgs were higher after trick or treat. Woke once to adjust quilt position. Definitely temperature related, for me.