Can't Sleep...!

[Lux]

So I've been gluten/dairy/soy free for one month now...and, for some reason, my sleep appears to be completely affected by it (it, or something else??) I lay awake for hours, and when I finally do drift off, have been having the most intense, disturbing dreams for which I have no real explanation...the weird thing is, I haven't had probs with sleep for years. Since going gluten-free, my GI problems have been clearing up nicely, and I'm not even that tired during the day (oddly).

In terms of diet, yesterday I had:

Breakfast - banana, blueberries, dates, peppermint tea.

Mid-morning - black coffee.

Lunch - steamed brussel sprouts, beans, broccoli, tuna, 1 Tbs flaxseed oil.

Dinner - Steamed pumpkin, carrots, courgette, spinach, flaxseed oil, garlic.

Snack - raisins, banana.

At first, I thought maybe it's the coffee? But I've been sleeping like this for the past few days and the day before yest I didn't have any (coffee, that is). Plus, I've been a fairly regular coffee drinker over the past few months and the problem has only just started this past week (since I cut out grains, interestingly).

Any suggestions would be gratefull received! Thanks ya'll! :-)

[YoloGx]

So I've been gluten/dairy/soy free for one month now...and, for some reason, my sleep appears to be completely affected by it (it, or something else??) I lay awake for hours, and when I finally do drift off, have been having the most intense, disturbing dreams for which I have no real explanation...the weird thing is, I haven't had probs with sleep for years. Since going gluten-free, my GI problems have been clearing up nicely, and I'm not even that tired during the day (oddly).

In terms of diet, yesterday I had:

Breakfast - banana, blueberries, dates, peppermint tea.

Mid-morning - black coffee.

Lunch - steamed brussel sprouts, beans, broccoli, tuna, 1 Tbs flaxseed oil.

Dinner - Steamed pumpkin, carrots, courgette, spinach, flaxseed oil, garlic.

Snack - raisins, banana.

At first, I thought maybe it's the coffee? But I've been sleeping like this for the past few days and the day before yest I didn't have any (coffee, that is). Plus, I've been a fairly regular coffee drinker over the past few months and the problem has only just started this past week (since I cut out grains, interestingly).

Any suggestions would be gratefull received! Thanks ya'll! :-)

Its possible that the dried fruit might be causing a problem. For me it stimulates a fungal reaction. If this is the case you might want to cut down on the amount of fruit you are eating.

It also may be your body is in part detoxing. The coffee too might now be a little more of a problem since it is very stimulating. Instead you could try detox teas such as roasted chicory/dandelion root. It tastes good while helping out your liver rather than stressing it.

I take it you are a vegetarian. However it may be you need a little more protein than what you are getting. Can you eat beans without them bothering you? Or would you consider eating small amounts of meat like chicken or fish? It could be very balancing. Sometimes cooking the chicken with the beans balances the two. A slow cooker works great. Then add a bunch of vegies.

Are you also reactive to all grains? If not you might want to introduce some (washed) quinoa, corn, teff, amaranth etc. and maybe some rice occasionally. You also might need to eat more starchy vegetables.

You might too need to be taking some supplements. Usually with the celiac we need vitamin D (I like the cod liver oil but you can get a tablet instead), a good B complex, sometimes magnesium (this last can help with sleep and settle the nervous system but don't take too much or you will get D!), a good form of calcium and some liquid sea minerals, maybe some kelp.

Valerian, chamomile and mint can also help one sleep at night.

[Lux]

Tbankyou so much for this!! I'm definitely taking your advice on board...can I ask, how do you know if you are experiencing a fungal reaction...? What are the symptoms, and how do they differ from the usual Celiac problems?

Thanks again!!

xo :-)

[mftnchn]

Insomnia seems a common issue for celiac disease. If you search the forum for insomnia, you'll get lots of posts with ideas.

I agree with the ideas offered. I'd eliminate the caffeine first. Also you could have your vitamin, minerals, etc checked.

I tried L-tryptophan, and other similar things like HTP5 or whatever it is called. Tried melatonin. Tried cortisol. Went on hormones (HRT). The last helped somewhat, but I still was dependent on Ambien to sleep a lot of the time.

Recently I started something that is really helping though. It is a neurotransmitter support supplement. Since starting that I haven't taken Ambien.

Insomnia is also a common issue with lyme disease which I also have. Hopefully yours will be easier to find the solution!

[itchygirl]

Some people also find that the fatty acids in flax make them sleepless. I switched to Expecta for that reason. If you want endless discussions (and knock down drag out fights) over the various Omega 3's possibly keeping you awake (or even potentiating mania) search for that topic on crazymeds. I'm warning you though, its a lot like the wheat glucose, vinegar issue in this universe

[YoloGx]

Tbankyou so much for this!! I'm definitely taking your advice on board...can I ask, how do you know if you are experiencing a fungal reaction...? What are the symptoms, and how do they differ from the usual Celiac problems?

Thanks again!!

xo :-)

Well, for me I get a white coating on my tongue which is obvious in the morning before I brush my teeth. It also can cause a lot of farting and bloating--despite being on the gluten free diet. Sometimes my fecal material has white mucousy junk on it. All signs of a fungal infection. Sometimes too one can get jock rot or nail fungus. I have found fungus/candida contributes to excessive tiredness and inflammation in general.

If I avoid eating much fruit and do anti fungals it really helps. Dried fruit is really a no no since it has a lot of yeast already in it and seems to stimulate a fungal response in the body.

If you can handle having a couple of cloves of raw garlic each day that helps, or you can take the capsules etc. The ones that are enterically coated are best, however you have to make sure they have no gluten. Pao de arco helps a lot for keeping the infection down; it also helps a little with regularity. Taking caps I hear is more effective than the tea though I do both. If you make the tea slow boil it for 15 minutes. Black walnut is a good idea as is Baberry. Barberry in fact is very anti candida specifically. Can only take these for 10 days max at a time however and then a week off--otherwise there is a toxic build up. I would alternate black walnut with barberry and then let a few days go in between unless the fungus (if you have it) is bad. With them I would get powdered barberry. You can then just pour boiling water over a half teaspoon and drink. Or take caps. With the black walnut usually you get the leaf. So you pour boiling water over it and let sit 15 minutes.

For those that can handle it (which I can't since I am sensitive to citrus) 3 to 5 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract will really go a long ways to killing of fungal infections etc. Do this twice a day in plenty of water. Its very bitter. Also taking oregano caps regularly helps keep the fungus down too. You could alternate this with the grapefruit extract, say a week on and a week off for each.

Just eating lots of vegies really helps--and less in the way of carbohydrates which does include fruit. I find one needs a certain amount of carbs. to be OK--so its best if you use ones that are slower to digest or low on the carb. index. So certain roots and squashes are a little better in moderation though with potatoes you need to not get overly carried away since they convert to sugar fairly quickly. However I have found them balancing for the celiac, so go figure? And whole grains are better than ground up flours. You get the picture.

Teff however seems to digest pretty slowly for a grain however in case you want to make some pancakes or something... I make them half and half with quinoa or amaranth flour (i.e., one cup each), half a cup of tapioca and half a cup of amaranth flour or gluten free cornmeal, a tablespoon of potato flour, sift in two teaspoons of baking soda and a teaspoon of salt, and then add mixed 1/2 cup oil and 2 cups water, mix in between one and two cups of already cooked quinoa. This makes enough to last a few days. You may need to add a little more water. I use a little butter in the frying pan so the pancakes won't stick. I often make an extra pancake to have around for later in the day.

Quinoa by the way needs to be washed before cooking (I use a small meshed sieve) since it has some kind of growth inhibitor on its uncooked surface that is harmful to us humans.

[Lux]

Well, for me I get a white coating on my tongue which is obvious in the morning before I brush my teeth. It also can cause a lot of farting and bloating--despite being on the gluten free diet. Sometimes my fecal material has white mucousy junk on it. All signs of a fungal infection. Sometimes too one can get jock rot or nail fungus. I have found fungus/candida contributes to excessive tiredness and inflammation in general.

If I avoid eating much fruit and do anti fungals it really helps. Dried fruit is really a no no since it has a lot of yeast already in it and seems to stimulate a fungal response in the body.

If you can handle having a couple of cloves of raw garlic each day that helps, or you can take the capsules etc. The ones that are enterically coated are best, however you have to make sure they have no gluten. Pao de arco helps a lot for keeping the infection down; it also helps a little with regularity. Taking caps I hear is more effective than the tea though I do both. If you make the tea slow boil it for 15 minutes. Black walnut is a good idea as is Baberry. Barberry in fact is very anti candida specifically. Can only take these for 10 days max at a time however and then a week off--otherwise there is a toxic build up. I would alternate black walnut with barberry and then let a few days go in between unless the fungus (if you have it) is bad. With them I would get powdered barberry. You can then just pour boiling water over a half teaspoon and drink. Or take caps. With the black walnut usually you get the leaf. So you pour boiling water over it and let sit 15 minutes.

For those that can handle it (which I can't since I am sensitive to citrus) 3 to 5 drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract will really go a long ways to killing of fungal infections etc. Do this twice a day in plenty of water. Its very bitter. Also taking oregano caps regularly helps keep the fungus down too. You could alternate this with the grapefruit extract, say a week on and a week off for each.

Just eating lots of vegies really helps--and less in the way of carbohydrates which does include fruit. I find one needs a certain amount of carbs. to be OK--so its best if you use ones that are slower to digest or low on the carb. index. So certain roots and squashes are a little better in moderation though with potatoes you need to not get overly carried away since they convert to sugar fairly quickly. However I have found them balancing for the celiac, so go figure? And whole grains are better than ground up flours. You get the picture.

Thank ya'll for your advice! I'm digesting (hehe) it all, and will keep you posted on how it all goes.

I must admit, I have developed quite the obsession with dried fruit and had, in the past, suspected I may be suffering from Candida. I will take out the caffeine and the fruit and see what happens...I would never have considered the flax oil, the so-called "wonderfood" could be responsible for sleeplessness! Sigh.

One odd thing I often experience (which I haven't yet known anyone else in this forum to report) is a tummy tightness after I go to the bathroom (number 2 ;-))...I find this quite strange, because most people I know that talk about GI/C probs will claim for the discomfort to ease after they've gone, as opposed to worsening. What could possibly be the explanation for this? Perhaps I should start a new thread to ask this question??

Thankyou all again for your wonderfulness!!

xo

[sickchick]

I either am like you and lay awake all night and then crash about 8 or 9 am 'or'

I sleep HARD for about 14 hours straight.

A meteor could land outside my bedroom and I still wouldn't wake up.

Sleeping every day until AT LEAST 12 pm

drives me bonkers!

good luck!

[Lux]

I found a glass of red wine has a certain...lulling effect

[YoloGx]

Thank ya'll for your advice! I'm digesting (hehe) it all, and will keep you posted on how it all goes.

I must admit, I have developed quite the obsession with dried fruit and had, in the past, suspected I may be suffering from Candida. I will take out the caffeine and the fruit and see what happens...I would never have considered the flax oil, the so-called "wonderfood" could be responsible for sleeplessness! Sigh.

One odd thing I often experience (which I haven't yet known anyone else in this forum to report) is a tummy tightness after I go to the bathroom (number 2 ;-))...I find this quite strange, because most people I know that talk about GI/C probs will claim for the discomfort to ease after they've gone, as opposed to worsening. What could possibly be the explanation for this? Perhaps I should start a new thread to ask this question??

Thankyou all again for your wonderfulness!!

xo

Well everybody is different concerning flax. I find it helps me sleep though I need to limit it to 1 tablespoon a day freshly ground usually at night. I also use cod liver oil in the AM. Maybe these help balance each other?

[Lux]

What are the benefits of cod liver oil, yolo?

[Lux]

I either am like you and lay awake all night and then crash about 8 or 9 am 'or'

I sleep HARD for about 14 hours straight.

A meteor could land outside my bedroom and I still wouldn't wake up.

Sleeping every day until AT LEAST 12 pm

drives me bonkers!

good luck!

What do you attribute your insomnia to, sickchick? How long have you experienced it, and do you think that whatever sleeping pattern you fall into for any one night is a result of something you've eaten?

Thanks!!!!!

[AliB]

I was just thinking about the tightness you experience after the toilet - I wonder if it might be your bowel going into spasm? How long does it last? Perhaps it is still inflamed a bit and reacts when you have a motion.

As for the sleep, how long have you been gluten-free? I have been sleeping better since I went gluten-free/DF in January and latterly SCD two weeks ago although I am still tired at the moment. I suspect my body is still detoxing and it could be a few weeks before I see any real result, although my stomach has settled a lot and I am not reacting to nearly so many foods now as I was. I think dropping so much food and going back to basics is really helping my gut to heal quicker.

I didn't just drop the gluten and dairy, but also most carbs and sugars also. Within a few days I stopped getting the restless and aching legs which were very contributory to my poor sleep. Interestingly my husband is doing this with me although he is still having some dairy. We usually sleep in separate rooms as between his snoring and my thrashing we were keeping each other awake all the time! On Sunday we had to travel for a funeral service and stayed in a guest house overnight. We slept in the same room and I didn't hear him snore once! Wow!

[YoloGx]

What are the benefits of cod liver oil, yolo?

Cod liver oil has both very absorpable vitamin D and A as well as Omega 3's. If you are of Scandanavian descent its particularly apropos since its kind of hard wired in--since our ancestors relied on it.

Some people have difficulty digesting it however due to lack of enough stomach acid. If so, try taking some HCL with it. There are also some (expensive) capsules you can take that deal with this digestive difficulty. Or you could just take the (cheaper) concentrated fish oil vitamin D & A capsules and again rely on flax seed more for your Omega 3's.

However my thinking is that if its that hard on you, you could also just take 1000 IU of the vitamin D tablets and rely more on fresh ground flax seed for your Omega 3's--maybe take 2 tablespoons of the stuff each day rather than one.

Again using 1/4 teaspoon of the powdered apple pectin put in with the flax seed before the grind makes a nice soothing bulking mixture --gives you lots of fiber as well as Omega 3's.

My theory why some people experience sleep difficulties with it at first is that it is pulling out a lot of toxins in the intestines which their bodies are not used to. If this is happening use some of the detox herbs perhaps (dandelion or milk thistle, oregon grape root or yellow dock or burdock--not in alcohol tinctures however!), exercise if you can, drink lots of water and eat lots of vegetables and use valerian and skullcap to help you sleep at night with maybe additions of melissa, lavender and rosemary.

If its still not working, then go off the flax. And hope the cod liver oil in some form or other works for you.

[Beagle]

I have celiac disease and had a problem waking up 2-3 times a night. Have not narrowed it down to any food yet, but I have found a fabulous solution - melatonin. I take 2-3 mg before I go to bed and get wonderful sleep! My husband takes the same amount, but his daughter takes 6mg, so everyone is different. It is a natural hormone & anti-oxtidant (no other hormone in a persons body is both) produced in the pineal gland, located in your brain. The fact that it is also an anti-oxident means it helps build the immune system, not just aid in sleeping. Some people produce less of this hormone than others, therefore getting less sleep. I don't know if this low production is caused by celiac/gluten intolerance problems, but I do know it helps me sleep.

My husband went without melatonin for two nights in a row and realized it was because he had forgotten to take melatonin. He hasn't forgotten since. I buy it at my local health food store, but it is available at grocery stores as well. I buy 1mg tablets (it also comes in 3mg & 5mg) and for 120 it costs me just under $7.00. I believe it would be well worth the money, considering how much time and effort it takes to narrow down what it causing it. It may just be a low melatonin production due to our problem and not any food item at all, but I am not ruling out the food option either.

Please read the book, "Your Body's Natural Wonder Drug - Melatonin" by Russell J. Reiter Ph.D. and Jo Robinson. It retails for about $23. A friend of mine, who is a fellow celiac, suggested it to me and I will be forever grateful.

Please consider these options. You will notice a difference the very first night. Some people require more than others, so exiperiment on what works for you. Oh yeah, there is no toxic amount of melatonin, so don't worry about how much you have to take.

Good luck & sweet dreams!

[Soonerman]

Celiacs are commonly low and/or deficient in a few vitamins/minerals, such as B12, D, K, Magnesium... Having low magnesium levels can severely disturb sleep. I have been taking Magnesium Citrate pills for my magnesium levels and the sleep is amazing. This was mentioned above and is a big problem that is never really dealt with, especially since there aren't really accurate tests for magnesium levels. It can't hurt to take magnesium supplements, as the extra is excreted through urine, and it would help many of us not only with sleep, but also with relaxation and energy. Good luck and hopefully goodnight!

[Joni63]

Soonerman,

I'm curious how much magnesium you have to take to sleep better? Do you balance that out with calcium supplementation?

Thanks!

[YoloGx]

I have celiac disease and had a problem waking up 2-3 times a night. Have not narrowed it down to any food yet, but I have found a fabulous solution - melatonin. I take 2-3 mg before I go to bed and get wonderful sleep! My husband takes the same amount, but his daughter takes 6mg, so everyone is different. It is a natural hormone & anti-oxtidant (no other hormone in a persons body is both) produced in the pineal gland, located in your brain. The fact that it is also an anti-oxident means it helps build the immune system, not just aid in sleeping. Some people produce less of this hormone than others, therefore getting less sleep. I don't know if this low production is caused by celiac/gluten intolerance problems, but I do know it helps me sleep.

My husband went without melatonin for two nights in a row and realized it was because he had forgotten to take melatonin. He hasn't forgotten since. I buy it at my local health food store, but it is available at grocery stores as well. I buy 1mg tablets (it also comes in 3mg & 5mg) and for 120 it costs me just under $7.00. I believe it would be well worth the money, considering how much time and effort it takes to narrow down what it causing it. It may just be a low melatonin production due to our problem and not any food item at all, but I am not ruling out the food option either.

Please read the book, "Your Body's Natural Wonder Drug - Melatonin" by Russell J. Reiter Ph.D. and Jo Robinson. It retails for about $23. A friend of mine, who is a fellow celiac, suggested it to me and I will be forever grateful.

Please consider these options. You will notice a difference the very first night. Some people require more than others, so exiperiment on what works for you. Oh yeah, there is no toxic amount of melatonin, so don't worry about how much you have to take.

Good luck & sweet dreams!

Sounds like I great idea. I will go get some today since sleep problems have resurrected themselves for me. I notice now that taking the co-enzyme B vitamins helps me sleep--but I must take them before I go to bed rather than just after...though I also seem to need the nerve building herb skullcap and the relaxing herb valerian.