Sleep and sufficient calories?

[ganbare]

Is there a correlation between sleeplessness and undernourishment? I haven't been sleeping well lately, as in it takes me very long to fall asleep, I usually have to stay up until 2-3am, which is bad since I have to wake up at like 8am. I'm thinking it may have something to do with not ingesting enough calories; why would there be a correlation?

[RRM]

Is there a correlation between sleeplessness and undernourishment?

Yes, in various ways, see: www.13.waisays.com
Particularly fats, cholesterol and tryptophan play a major role, as does simply having enough sugars available right before you want to sleep.
Are you eating enough?
do you consume animal food?
Have you tried consuming something right before you go to bed?

[ganbare]

I eat about 5 yolks a day, I've tried more but I don't think it makes any difference for me in terms of sleep quality. I drink mainly juices throughout the day with OO, so I should be getting enough fat and sugars, the only possiblity I can think of is not drinking enough by the time I go t sleep. I think there are times I am about 2500 kcal for the day as opposed to 3k, I am a guy, 5'8'' 140 lbs.

Could it make that much of a difference if I don't ingest 3000kcal a day? I was also on antibiotics 3weeks ago, do you think that would have something to do with it?

[RRM]

the only possiblity I can think of is not drinking enough by the time I go t sleep.

Well, thats essential indeed.
I always sleep well, but I cant fall asleep if I dont adequately up my blood glucose first.

Could it make that much of a difference if I don't ingest 3000kcal a day?

Regarding sleep it doesnt, but how much energy is available for you before you go to sleep is essential.

I was also on antibiotics 3weeks ago, do you think that would have something to do with it?

Yes, bacteria in the colon produce factor S, inducing long-wave sleep. Antibiotics kill both bacteria causing diseases and bacteria producing factor S.
Did you have sleep issues before?

[ganbare]

Interesting, maybe my body will take longer to heal from the effects of the antibiotics. I think I've always have had problems sleeping, most of the time I think I just attributed it to stress and worrying; I am a light sleeper, in that I don't fall asleep easily and I wake up easily and often times when I try to go to sleep at a set time, I end up unable to fall asleep because I can't stop thinking about things etc. I usually try for an hr, then get up and start doing something like reading or writing, I also end up eating a bit more too; after two hours of this I usually end up falling asleep.

So physiologically, our bodies require a certain amount of energy to be stored away, or energy currently in the blood stream in order to fall asleep properly? How does the body know how much energy it may need? Is this just for maintenance and repair purposes? This is really fascinating, I've never made the correlation between not eating enough and not being able to fall asleep.

[RRM]

Interesting, maybe my body will take longer to heal from the effects of the antibiotics.

That may take a while, indeed.

So physiologically, our bodies require a certain amount of energy to be stored away, or energy currently in the blood stream in order to fall asleep properly?

In the blood stream. Its about the uptake of precurors (such as tryptophan) for the production of neurotransmitters (such as serotonin) in the brain. This requires adequate blood sugar levels.

How does the body know how much energy it may need?

Our blood glucose level is very tightly regulated through various receptors. And if the level is inadequate, you may not get the right level of neurotransmitter activity in the brain.

[sugarbarbie]

I never been a morning person. since childhood my clock just would get going until 10, 11 o'clock. I blamed it on my inability to sleep all these years. What i used to do if I had to wake up early in the morning for school was sleep in my car. The combination of the rising sun and all the military that lived in my complex stating up their cars to warm up woke me up at 5 in the morning no matter how late I stayed up cramming for my test or finishing a project. i would be full energy and life and would last all day without coffee or whatever. But now I live in a complex with underground parking and I just am not brave enough (or stupid) enough to sleep outside anymore. i once slept on my balcony in a hammock over night and that was the best sleep i ever had. Maybe it was all the bugs I must have eaten through out the night Any who I lately have began taking melatonin and it helps me get to sleep quickly. Which is great but no matter how early I go to sleep my clock doesn't want to start gearing up until around 10, 11 that's a total waste of day. My previous exp has gotten me to consider light therapy. I try to be outside with the rising sun but I can never wake up and get out there. I hate going outside during the day because i just hate outside during the day the sun makes me itch and I have to put bunch of sun block and bug spray on...and all that yuck (however I like hiking figure that one out). I make it to the park about 4 times a week because the kids. most of my chores I do at night...I'm very nocturnal..viva 24hr stores!. But today i ran across some light therapy products that I will be researching. If I can get products indoors that simulate the rising sun and is good enough to trick my body and have the same effect of sleeping outdoors long ago...I may just be cured of my vampire-ish behaviors.

[RRM]

lately have began taking melatonin and it helps me get to sleep quickly.

hmmm
Taking melatonin is like taking a sleeping pill... You are making the melatonin / serotonin system depend on the melatonin that you take. So that its not your own body that regulates sleep, but the pill, and you will increasingly depend on those pills.
Thats not what you want.