Gluten Alergy+asthma+gastritis+ Stress=bad Nights Sleep

[artc98]

I just became a member today and soon thereafter read your post. Its like you were describing MY own history of sleeping issues. I have always been a light sleeper since I was a kid. As long as I can remember, I would wake up 2 or 3 times a night. But I had no problem falling back asleep. At least one of those times, I would have to pee. I have always drank a lot of fluids since I was a kid also.

In the last 18 months, I have been under a lot of stress, professionally and personally, and during this time had 3 badly infected teeth! (no real dental problems for 45 years, then 3 in 6 months!) Plus I had 2 sinus infections during this time! I was on antibiotics on and off for 6 months! Shortly after all this mental and physical stress, I began waking up 6-7 times some nights, and now experiencing problems falling back asleep. Or I would have a night here and there where it seemed like I was waking up every 10 or 15 minutes. (probably wasn't, but sure felt like it) Again I've always been a light sleeper, so almost every sound in the house, or feeling the matress or covers move from my wife moving around in her sleep, would wake me up. But this was too much.

I finally went to my GP. After a couple visits, discovered I was alergic to Gluten. This of course gave me some serious indigestion, which interrupted my sleep. But the alergic reaction to the gluton would trigger my asthma. This certainly hurt my sleep patterns. Plus I was diagnosed with gastritis about 5 years ago, explaining a lot of my indigestion, which also would trigger my asthma.

Of course I gave up the gluten, and it has helped. However I still have some bad night here and there, and if I have 2 in a row, I'm really messed up. My doctor said that my long period stress was afftecting my adrenal glands?, and that one needs sleep to help repair th body from stress damage. However the catch was that because I was experiencing more mental and physical stress, I was waking up more and sleeping less. This was a major catch 22. Plus he said stress can trigger asthma, making it harder to sleep..

He first gave me Lunesta, but after a couple months, it didn't seem as effective.

He tehn gave-Alprozalin, to try to unravel this mess...It seemd like Lunesta, great at first, but less effective later...

After months of this, I realized that what I ate or drank, and when I ate or drank it, seemed to negate the effects of the sleeping meds. If I eat too late, or too heavy of a meal, I would wake up with indigestion, making it harder to fall back asleep. Or if I had more than a glass or 2 of wine in the evening, I would have no problem falling asleep, but a couple hours after falling asleep, I would wake up, and be in and out for the rest of the night...Dr said alcohol may intensify initial effect of sleep med., but after a couple hours, negate the sleeping property of the med?!

I guess all this i just common sense, but after years of a certain lifestyle no bothering me, suddenly you throw food alergies, asthma and stress into the mix, and you can really get your sleep patterns messed up.

I guess I have to be more discilplined and never eat or drink after 7, and don't have more than 2 drinks a day, and nothing after 7.....This won't be easy with work and kids....

[mn farm gal]

I had some otf these same issues. Before gluten free I would get about 20-30 minutes of sleep every 2 hours, this was so bad it was affecting my job. Brain fog got so bad that I had to tell them at work about my health problems. In the meantime I was checked for celiac, went gluten free and now I sleep like a baby. Have been gluten free since mid july. At first I accually required more sleep for about the first 3 months. Now I am on a pretty regular schedule as far as sleep goes, which I think is important. Also just to mention I was on 3-4 different medications in the time I was trying to get this figured out. I would be so tired I would almost fall asleep driving. Get home lay down to take a nap and never fall asleep. So frustating.

Good luck to you.