Does Fasting Cause Sleep Issues? (Part 1)

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Here is Part 2 of this series: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5a3pGyIjt6Ih6c

[@barbstevenson9907]

I am so excited for this series. I feel so much better since I started ADF, but my sleep is still an issue. Thank you so much for doing this for us doc!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

This means that you are exactly who I am making this series for :). Fasting is such a powerful to, but it is hard to get the full fasting experience if you are sleeping terribly. I am here to help remedy that for you :)

[@elelni123]

What’s Adf

[@elelni123]

I sleep like poo poo 💩

[@cuatrovientosmty]

After doing various fasting protocols (16:8/20:4 and OMAD) and lose 25 pounds, I decided to try something more challenging, so I read about this thing called ADF. That’s how I get here. 😅 I found the chanel and watched a bunch of videos in a row. Not only the videos, but also the coments of the viewers gave me a lot of confidence to start this protocol. Thanks for all the information, doc. Best regards from Monterrey, México.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I am so happy that you are hear and are excited to give ADF a try :). I am glad that you are confident. I hear from people every single day who are taking control of their health. I love seeing it. Reach out if you have any questions. I am here to help :)

[@jeanc.65]

I just started ADF 2 weeks ago and I am having issues with sleep. I am mainly waking up around 2 - 3am and being wide awake / full of energy. Thanks for doing this series. It’s nice to know that this effect should improve over time.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

You are very welcome :) It sounds like you are starting off about the exact same as me. 3 AM was the main time I would wake up. Hopefully it improves quicky for you. I will share a ton of tips in the next 2 weeks that I hope will give you the sleep that you need. Keep me posted

[@thetennisplayerdietitian]

He has a supplements for sleep video that is extremely helpful, I have the same issue of waking up at 4am and not being able to go back to sleep, for that he suggests glycine and valerian root

[@thetennisplayerdietitian]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/haq7hJp8pryYeq8si=4KfWjrNFJoh_kKJl

[@AzaleaBee]

Looking forward to this series. One of several things that helped me with sleep during extended fasts was to just stop worrying about not sleeping. 😅

[@GrowGrayMatter]

That is such an important point. This is one of the reasons that CBT-I (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia) is such a powerful tool. It is also why I tell people to hider their clock. Doing the sleep math in your head only makes it worse. I am happy to hear that you have found a strategy that has helped. Has anything else moved the needle for you?

[@AzaleaBee]

@@GrowGrayMatter Of the top of my head, other things that have helped: *Dry fasting at night 7 pm to 8 am *Movement/activity throughout the day *semi-strict low noise and low lights after 7:30 pm *doing quiet light chores/work in dim light before "second sleep" *No coffee after noon *sleeping near an open window as instead of running the air conditioner/heater if possible *staying aware of any naps or desire to nap.. accepting/scheduling it when necessary *long hot bath finished an hour or two before sleeping Generally it is not a problem for me anymore. But it used to be.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

It sounds like you have given this a lot of thought@@AzaleaBee. We should, because sleep is the foundation of our health. You have tried several of the things I will talk about in the sleep hygiene video next week :) I am happy to hear that you are doing great :)

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

Good point, Azalea! I found it was just about the time I decided to stop worrying about sleep (about a month in) that I began sleeping better. I do wish I'd been able to see this video when I first started fasting, though--I'm sure that just knowing this is a common issue will put many people's minds at ease.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I hope that is the case@@elizabethkoenig5185. It makes me sad whenever I hear from someone who gives up on ADF because of poor sleep. I think most of them were a week or two away from seeing their sleep recover

[@christinewilliam3550]

I suffered from sleeplessness for the first month of ADF. Two additional causes to what you mentioned that I experienced was feeling unusually cold and going to the loo a lot at night as I increased my water intake. Thank you for all the scientific knowledge and advice.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing, and for the kind words. I truly appreciate it :) I will cover both of these issues in part 2. I was never cold during fasting, but I have worked with lots of people who deal with that. But the restroom trips were a big part of my early sleep issues. I was getting up 3-4 times a night during that first week. Not fun at all. I am so happy to hear that you got past your sleep issues. I hope you are doing amazing now :)

[@jameserwin3734]

I really appreciate your scientific analysis about fasting and why it causes insomnia at least initially. I have been doing 4 days fasts once per week for about a month now and I have lost (at the lowest point) 20 pounds over the last 2 or 3 months. It averages 1.5 pounds per week. Last week, insomnia happened on the 3rd and 4th night. This week, I had insomnia 24 hours into the fast. I tell myself that it is the price I must pay at least temporarily to get down to 180 pounds (10 more to go). I fast on both water and tea. My Fitbit tracks the weekly average of my weight loss which is always at least 1.5 pounds weekly. I didn’t lose enough on OMAD. Once I reach my goal, I will fast only 2 days per week. Thanks again!

[@olympic-gradelurker]

I simply CANNOT sleep on a fast. Magnesium, melatonin, nothing works. I get itchy, twitchy and hot, yet I'm sooo tired, but my body won't shut down until I get a meal.

[@laurenj.3238]

SAME. So FRUSTRATING

[@ZoeFPV]

60lb down now :D Sleep is def my biggest struggle, thanks for making this video!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

You are always welcome. I don't remember if we have chatted about it, but have you taken my sleep course? If not, I would love to send you a link as my gift to you for being a supportive member of my work.

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

I had the same problem with poor sleep when I first started fasting--it took me forever to get to sleep--often several hours, then I often woke up one or more times during the night and had trouble getting back to sleep. Two things kept me from giving up: the more minor thing was that this didn't feel like stressed sleeplessness--I was often excited and making plans for the next day (although this didn't keep me from being tired the next day, of course). But the main thing was that I was so happy to be losing so much weight doing ADF that I would have put up with much worse than this. After a month my sleep problems were much less on average, and by the end of the second month I was generally sleeping *better* than I had before taking up intermittent fasting. I have now lost over 60 lbs in just under 4 months, and could not be happier! I also had to be careful not to drink too much too late in the day on fasting days or I would wake up for potty breaks. I have mostly got this under control now.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you so much for sharing. I am so happy to hear that you continue to make progress :) Your experience is pretty common. Most people go from sleeping poorly when they first start fasting, to sleeping about the same once they adapt, to actually sleeping better than ever once our bodies are leaner and less inflamed. That is exactly what happened with me as well. Keep up the amazing work!

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

@@GrowGrayMatter Thank you so much, Dr. O'Neill! I will be watching part 2.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I hope the tips help@@elizabethkoenig5185. They are the basis for my personal sleep hygiene routine:)

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

@@GrowGrayMatter Thank you, Dr. O. After 10 months I am now down 100 lbs.

[@ladylaterra]

Sleep story app to get to sleep with a “go back to sleep “ story or meditation set up to function with one tap.

[@sarahholt3994]

Thank you for doing this series! Sleep has been one of those things I have been struggling with for a while. So much great information on this video on the why! Thank you again for sharing and helping educate us on this.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

You are very welcome. I always try to understand a problem before I try to solve it. I am sorry to hear that sleep is an issue. Have you found anything that seems to help you? Next weeks video will have 15 science-backed sleep hygiene techniques that should be a big help. Then I will tackle the surprising amount of evidence about several sleep supplements in part 3. Stay tuned :)

[@Ddrews-nf4gq]

Sleeping is getting better since the last time i messaged you. Just a recap started carnivore 12/22 about 3-4 months into sleep started to taper off. From 7-8hrs down to 3-4hrs before id wake up wide awake. Id eventually fall back asleep with a total of 6 or more hours of poor quality sleep. Surprisingly i stopped snoring lost weight and fasting blood sugar improved. Lately sleeps been improving now its a restful continuous 6 to 7hrs most days. Hope it continues

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you so much for the update. It sounds like there was a bump in the road, but now everything is pointing in the right direction :) Your stretch of poor sleep sounds exactly like mine. I would sleep solidly, but then be wide awake. I would try to get back to sleep for about 20 minutes. If not, I would just get up and start my day. Hopefully things continue to improve for you. Keep up the great work!

[@cvwatch]

Love your concise and interesting delivery of information. I've always experienced the connection between fasting and sleep issues. It does eventually resolve with a little work. Magtein and camomile are very helpful.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for the kind words. I have been a teacher for 20 years. I truly enjoy nerding out on complex topics and then sharing what I have learned to help others. Both magtein and chamomile/apigenin will be highlighted in part 3 for sure :) I am happy to hear that you have found a sleep hygiene plan that is working for you. I think a lot of people will give up on fasting if they don't do the same. That is why this topic is so important to me :)

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Here is a video with 8 shocking stats that show you why sleep is super important for fat loss: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6jCdHuKnrNkgrc

[@rogeriosabino8854]

Very important topic to discuss... I need to lose 15 kilos and it seems impossible, I'm 44 and have tried almost everything, carnivore diet, intermittent fasting but nothing has worked. People used to say that in order to lose weight we should stop eating at night, however, in my case it's impossible cause during the day I'm okay, I'm not hungry during the day, but during night time I get starving, if I stop eating at 5pm it's impossible to sleep well 😢

[@AzaleaBee]

Night time eating was the hardest for me to conquer. It was also the first thing I focused on. Sleep can be affected so I hope you'll watch Dr. O'Neill's upcoming sleep series. For me a few things that helped. 1. Start with a doable time. I chose 9 pm to 6 am. Gradually and I do mean gradually.. extend the time. I've settled on 7:30 PM until 8 am at the absolute minimum. 2. Avoid processed foods and go low carb (gradually). 3. Shut down your kitchen. Go through a ritual of sanitizing the sink, sweeping the floor, and then stay out of it. 4. Retire to long hot baths followed by sleep. The hot bath not only helps with relaxation, but also makes it very inconvenient to even want to go near food. Be kind to yourself and accept that permanent change takes time. Edited: autocorrect

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing. The key is to find what works best for you. I could point to piles of research that show that eating within 2-3 hours of bed is a bad idea. I can also point to the research that shows that eating your calories earlier in the day is best. But we are all so unique that science can only point us in the right direction. The only way to know what really works best for us is trial and error. I would focus on shortening your eating window slowly. If you struggle to sleep without eating my guess is that you are either dealing with blood sugar swings or a late spike in cortisol. Hopefully the next 2 videos will offer tips that can assist you and allow you to find the eating time that works best for your body. What works for me is making sure that my last meal is filling. I focus on a meal that always has protein and usually has fiber. This keeps me from feeling that "crash" prior to going to sleep. Here are some recent videos about the importance of protein as well as how much you need: kzbin.info/www/bejne/en3EY5pqfLh0hZY kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5fYonyJpaiDr9E Reach out if you have any questions, or can share more information to allow me to offer better advice.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

You are crushing it today! I LOVE all of this advice. I will actually be talking about hot baths in next weeks video. The rise in temperature 30-90 minutes before bed causes your core temperature to drop as you prepare for sleep. This sets the stage for a better night's rest :) I brush my teeth if I am craving any food at night. I will never eat after my teeth are brushed :)

[@AzaleaBee]

@@GrowGrayMatter Thank you.. Aha. Teeth brushing. Yes. That was my routine right after shutting down the kitchen. Also, I have since edited your name in my comment. Autocorrect is not always helpful!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

No worries at all@@AzaleaBee. It happens to the best of us :)

[@Pinkdiamond12]

It has affected my sleep. Now I have to take Tylenol PM or Melatonin to fall asleep. I also had to scale back my fasting days.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I am sorry to hear this. I truly hope that the next 2 videos will help you find a way to get better sleep. I have worked with a lot of people that have had these same issues, and most of them can find relief. I pray that you are one of them. If not, part 4 in the series will talk about what to do if nothing works. A big part of that will be adjusting your fasting schedule. I hate when it needs to come to that, but sleep is the foundation of our health. Sometimes changing the fasting schedule is the smart move. Please keep me posted on if/how the next videos help you. I want to see you succeed

[@monikawashington1305]

I agree. With time, my sleep during 36hrs fasts gets easier and easier.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing :). I want people who are struggling to know that it really does get better for most of us. As I said, I went from sleeping terribly to actually sleeping better n my fasting days. Keep up the great work!

[@robmichael8136]

I hope so. My last 60 hour fast was brutal for sleep. Maybe I should do a shorter fast.

[@Millesolovely]

Notification bell ON! Excited for this series!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I am excited as well :). I want everyone to experience the full benefit of fasting. You can't do hat if you aren't sleeping. I truly hope that it helps

[@LTPottenger]

Another great video! When your liver is full of fat, the cortisol from fasting makes you shoot out sugar from the liver fat. This is a good thing overall, because it gets rid of the liver fat. But this also makes you more wakeful, which is also how the dawn effect occurs. Once this liver fat goes down a bit sleeping becomes much easier, you will have better sleep than ever.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Amen to this! I have the best sleep of my life, and my morning glucose readings have improved over time, as my fatty liver has healed. Well said, as always!

[@sebastianjung9190]

i feel like this is not always the case. otherwise after 3 months there should have been some changes for me, right?

[@LTPottenger]

It's a biological fact. After 3 months of eating what and fasting how much...? You won't get much from fasts shorter than 36h, if anything. And diet alone won't do much unless it's combined with fasting. @@sebastianjung9190

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I would say that I have learned that nothing is "always the case" when dealing with human health@@sebastianjung9190. We are all so unique. That is why I like to share a combination of what has worked for me with the science that supports it. But, even then, science tells us how the typical person would respond, but we will never really know for ourselves except for trial and error. The beauty, and frustration, of life is that it is all just one long science experiment :)

[@dlove5864]

On extended fasts, usually Day 1 and Day 2 are pretty good sleep. Typically, bad sleep is most likely to hit me on Day 3, 4, or 5. Then on Day 6 and beyond it becomes easy again. The key is you have to mentally and physically exhaust yourself throughout the day. Ofcourse, a good sleeping protocol is helpful but its not enough. You have to be pushing your mind and body in some form or you will fall into the insomnia trap.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Well said. The little things definitely become the big things during a fast, so sleep hygiene is a great place to start. But I agree that "earning" a good nights sleep with exercise and mentally taxing activities is huge. I always keep myself mentally busy, but I know that me sleep is exponentially better on days where I hit my step count goal and get an exercise session in.

[@MsLipsandLashes]

Yes I’ve been having trouble sleeping at night since I started dry fasting 23:1 - 6 days ago.

[@tessbear6904]

Before I was a carnivore, I would sleep 7 hours a night, but wake up 2-3 times a night. I started the Carnivore WOE just over a year ago and my sleep dropped to 6 hours a night, but didn't wake up in the middle. But when I fast, I sleet 4-5 hours a night. I am very interested in your series to learn how to get back to 6 hours a night and still fast.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing. I am going to cover this topic as well as I can because I want people to reap the full rewards from their diet and lifestyle changes. Carnivore can changes lives, but it is hard to get the most out of it if you aren't getting the sleep that your body needs. I will share 15 science-backed ways to get better sleep next week, and then cover the supplements that help the fasting brain calm down in two weeks. Stay tuned :)

[@kratos146261]

Thank you so much for this Doc! Can’t wait for part 2 and more 😊 I plan to start ADF next week, could you give me a few pointers and tips to start on my journey? Thank you very much and keep up the good work, Doc!

[@AzaleaBee]

I'm not the doctor but he (or others) could probably give you specific help if you'd give a little more detail. Such as your goals, reason for choosing ADF, history with eating, general diet,.. My advice. Extend your fasting window gradually. Stay hydrated. Eat well (whole foods and plenty of them) on eating days and above all be kind to yourself.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for the kind words. I pour my heart and soul into this stuff because I want to make a difference :). I am planning on making a very important video (or series) about getting started with ADF. It isa very important topic. I will admit that I dove right in. I am the kind of person who likes to get tough things over with. It worked for me, but I was also pretty miserable for the first couple of weeks. This is a smarter way for most people to do things. I would completely focus on your eating and ADDING things to your diet right now rather than taking things away. 1. Make sure you are eating enough protein: Aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight. You don't have to get there, but aim for that. 2. Make sure you are drinking a lot of water and are hydrated with electrolytes: It is hard to say how much you need, but you should be going to the bathroom every 2-3 hours, and your urine should be pale yellow. Here are my 2 videos about hydration: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZq4aYeMbrympJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/e369nn2YgdmXf7M 3. Make sure you are eating 25-30 grams of fiber per day, or even slightly more: This one is optional compared to the other two, but many people find that fiber helps to keep them full. If you do those 3 things for a while, you should naturally start to crowd out some of the things in your diet that are causing you issues. The next thing I would do once your body has adapted is to try time-restricted feeding. You don't even need to worry about what you are eating in the beginning. Just focus on WHEN you are eating. Start by cutting out snacking after your last meal. Then slowly move your first meal back a bit. Try to get to a place where you eat all of your calories in an 8-hour window. No food or liquid calories outside those windows. I think you will be shocked at how things start to change if you try those steps. Then, you are ready to make the leap to ADF. Here is the video were I talked about how I ate in case you haven't seen it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGm8i36opKZ6g9E On top of this, now is the perfect time to start to dial in your sleep and increase physical activity. Sleep and movement will both help you make progress in very powerful ways. Here is a video with some general sleep tips. I will share a lot more with this sleep series as well: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g3XHmp-bd5V7qbc I hope this helps. Reach out if you have any other questions. We are all in this together :)

[@GrowGrayMatter]

This is PERFECT advice! Thank you for sharing. I love that you added the kindness piece. That is so true. We are trying to change the trajectory of our life. There are going to be bumps in the road. Progress over perfection. Do your best and never give up :)

[@jackiefox7326]

Thank you so much for your fantastic information- explained so the lay person can understand 😊 I’m so happy I found your channel 😊. Love your calm presentation 😊

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you so much for the kind words. It means a lot to me. I am glad that you are here :) I just love this stuff, and I enjoy finding ways to help other people love it too :) Reach out if you have any questions. It is always my pleasure to help

[@TheCaryHenriquez]

DR. O, THANKS FOR THE LINK TO THIS VIDEO. I GOT IT NOW!!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Great. I am happy to hear that. Reach out if you have any other questions

[@sebastianjung9190]

this video series gonna be awesome. I do ADF since 3 months and i am down from 230 pounds to 200 now. the lenth or the quality of my sleep was never damaged but i have problems to go to sleep on my fasting day. It can take sometimes hours till i sleep( 2 times even after sun came up) I really hope that in your series are some tips how to solve that issue . Meditation is not really working. Some drugs help but i dont really wanna push my self into a depency ... again.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing. I will pour my heart and soul into sharing strategies that are backed by science as well as supported by my personal experience. If they work for you as well as they have for me you should be golden :). I will cover the sleep hygiene tips next week, and sleep supplements the following week. I will specifically look at things that help you fall asleep, stay asleep, or do both. This way you will know what you should try first since staying asleep isn't your issue. I truly hope that I can help you get the sleep of your dreams!!!

[@gracielagibson1]

Your videos are awesome!!! To the point. Super clear. Amazing. Thank you!!!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for the kind words. I love teaching, and I pour my heart and soul into them because I want them to make a difference. Reach out if you have any questions. I am here to help :)

[@goyetherefore603]

Working out a few hours before going to bed has help me sleep 😴 I feel like I just fall asleep fast I do some reading too so maybe that helps w just getting your body sleepy.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Spoiler alert for next week, but exercise is one of the best ways to improve your sleep. Study after study shows the same thing (as long as it isn't too intense or to close to bedtime). Reading is another pro tip as well. I do think it relaxes most people. It also gets us away from stimulating technology before bed. I am happy to hear that you have found what works well for you :)

[@meridiangpsllc5110]

Greatly enjoy your channel! You have so many series it is difficult to track what order to view videos (Fastest ng, Cengage Whit, Med Term,etc) please consider adding a series-video number to the beginning of the name (eg 012-10 or AB-09), anything that will allow me to search a specific series video set. thank you for the great work!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for reaching out and for the kind words. It means a lot. I totally understand that my channel is messy. It serves multiple purposes since it has all of my teaching videos (for my work) as well as my weight loss and health videos. I would have started a sperate channel if I ever had any idea that it would start to grow like it has. I have tried to organize things on the channel home page. If you go there, you will see a list of playlists on the top (Fat Loss Sweet-Spot Series, Intermittent Fasting Series, Sleep Vides, etc). Those 6 playlists will be all of the videos you would want to watch. The rest (Cengage, Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology) are all videos for my students. The only reason you would want to go back and watch those old videos is to see how different I look now that I have lost the weight :) I hope this helps. Reach out if you have any questions. I am here to help

[@LeśnyPrzygłup]

Greetings from Poland...

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Greeting right back at you from South Dakota in the United States. Be blessed :)

[@annadambrosio5628]

Just found you (you're AMAZING AND love your videos) and have been doing ADF for 2 weeks now ... have to work on my electrolytes and weighing myself after fast days and not every day lol. Question: can occasional use of edibles or smoking pot help during ADF or are they detrimental?

[@Migster0611]

I actually have the best sleep on fast days 😮 deeper and with less wake ups during the night. But i get really sleepy at night when i fast so i go earlier and then i am awake early thats my only problem😅. But on eat days my sleep is terrible 😒 don't know why 🤷🏻‍♀️ thank you for your great video's! Looking foward to the other parts! 👍🏻

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I am happy to hear that fasting doesn't impact your sleep, but it sounds like feeding does :(. I am sure that a lot of the tips that I share in the next 2 videos will help you even though your problems are not caused by fasting. Do you have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or both on your eating days? Is there a major difference in caffeine, exercise, etc? Do you go to sleep a lot later, or just a bit?

[@angelojoseph6900]

Just picked up an additional job working 4 consecutive 12 Hour Shifts. I work literally every other day at the other job. According to various research and studies, it appears possible to utilize ADF for wakefulness and alertness on my busier days. If I’m able to time my 90 minute naps, I should be able to utilize this strategy to my advantage. Maybe?!?

[@EatBeefBeHealthy]

I'm 67 female. I do the 48 to 72 hr fasts. My problem is my blood pressure increases by the time I hit 48 hrs. If I eat, it quickly returns to normal. I'm assuming it's the norepinephrine effecting it. Normally systolic 110s to 120s and when fasting 140s and sometimes 150s.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear this. It does sound like your body's stress response system is kicking in. Hopefully the tips that I share in part of this series (on Tuesday) will help you to calm your body and your mind during your fasts. Another thing to consider is to make sure you are well hydrated. Dehydration can lead to s stress response. Low sodium levels have also been shown to increase norepinephrine. Make sure you aren't adding fuel to the fire: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZq4aYeMbrympJI I hope this helps. I would love to hear if anything works for you

[@EatBeefBeHealthy]

@@GrowGrayMatter ...I don't drink a lot of liquids (I wait until I'm thirsty), so maybe I will make it a point to increase my water during my fasts. And I will make sure that I'm taking in electrolytes. Thanks for responding. I'll let you know how this works. I'm 22 hrs into my fast BP 137/77 P 57 and asymptomatic.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Please do keep me posted@@EatBeefBeHealthy. I hope it helps :)

[@Snowsea-gs4wu]

Fasting wrecks my sleep after the second day, worst the third and if I ever make it to the fourth I am convinced of quitting! Lol!

[@sebastianjung9190]

@GrowGrayMatter Hi Frank, tryed out your aura ring link but there is no reducing of the bill happening. Was it a time restricted offer?

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank for letting me know. I reached out to them and was told that the link should always lead to a discount. It is currently a 30-100$ discount based on which ring you choose ouraring.com/ggm I think it is currently different (rather than $40 off) because they are in the middle of their Black Friday sale. My guess is that they don't "stack" Let me know if you are still not seeing a discount. I like saving wherever I can, and I am sure that you do as well :)

[@sij809]

are there any cognitive issues during ADF. brain fog and things like that. Difficulty concentrating and such. I'd rather not experience that. Thanks for any answers

[@ruthketo3167]

Nutritional yeast was a genuine help for me on keto. I took up to 6T a day and 2T on maintenance.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

It is a great way to go. Where you using it for the B-vitamins?

[@ruthketo3167]

@@GrowGrayMatter YES! Not sure why but my body needs a lot of B vitamins and nothing in a capsule seems to work the same. The heels of my feet are now soft, I sleep great, I can drive in traffic, no more anxiety, there are just too many benefits to name. When I eat carbs I have to really load up on the Bs. Wish I understood why they seem to get depleted so easily?

[@GrowGrayMatter]

It is amazing how unique each of us is@@ruthketo3167. We are really all loving one big science experiment. The research is great at telling us how the typical person will respond, but trying things until we find what works is the only way to go. Have you ever been tested for MTHFR mutations? www.healthline.com/health/mthfr-gene

[@ruthketo3167]

@@GrowGrayMatter I am aware of the mutation, but have not been tested for it. I figured I’d just buy the methylated B vitamins and pretend like I was positive. I am very interested in seeing if I have elevated homocysteine levels. Will check to see if walk-in labs offers a test for it. I do have a very high CRP >10 that I think is related to my reintroduction of carbs. Since I have a CAC score of zero as does my mom, I’ve tried not to worry about it too much. By the way I am hispanic, female, post menopausal, and 55. 🫣. Do you know of a trusted genetics lab maybe I’ll have it done just for more information? My son is on the spectrum and I’ve been giving him all the aminos I can think of and he seems much calmer. Even old memories are coming back. Going to try the Lemon Balm suggestion to see if I can fix his sleep schedule. Thank you.

[@emyywolf]

Eveyrytime I fast I can’t sleeeep

[@bobcat8654]

I would break my fast so i can sleep

[@josephlarsen]

i just have to listen to hypnosis, especially after 5 days in a row

[@Lillie.h]

Hi Dr. Frank, what do you think about fasting during pregnancy?

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thanks for reaching out. I would not recommend fasting during pregnancy. The focus during pregnancy should be growth and nourishment. Focus on a healthy diet and smart exercise during pregnancy. Save fasting for the next season of your life :)

[@Aline-lk7ob]

I’m the opposite 😂. I sleep well fasted. When I eat at night is terrible.

[@captainmark2401]

Where is the discount code for the ring?

[@GrowGrayMatter]

It is in the video description. Here it is as well: ouraring.com/ggm According to what Oura told me today it should save you between 30-100$ depending on the ring as part of their Black Friday sale. I wish I would have had it when I bought my own :)

[@Starchaser63]

Perhaps we're just different. For me, Fasting is so wonderful and contributes to quality sleep 😴

[@GrowGrayMatter]

You are definitely not alone. Fasting has led to unbelievable improvements in my sleep. It is hard to quantify, but I would say that I typically sleep about 20% better on a fasting day than a feeding day. I honestly had no idea how many people struggled to sleep during fasting until I started seeing conversations about it on social media (as well as questions from students in my fasting course). I am happy to hear that you are sleeping well. Sleep is the foundation of our health :)

[@Starchaser63]

@@GrowGrayMatter excellent 👌

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Keep up the great work :)@@Starchaser63

[@habbott4868]

I am considering ADF but how will I leave it without getting weight back.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

This is actually a really important question. I will do a video in the coming weeks about whether or not ADF is sustainable, but the short answer is no. This isn't a bad thing. It is actually great news. It means that you can transition to less aggressive approaches as you reach your goal weight. I talk about how I change my diet during maintenance phases at the end of this video about what I ate to lose 165 pounds: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGm8i36opKZ6g9E And here are videos that show how you can transition away from ADF to find a maintenance plan. This is the 5:2 plan that I have currently been using. This video also talks about how you can take short breaks from your "diet" and still lose fat: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fIWupKRtl5x6rNU And here is a Modified ADF plan where you eat around 500 calories on your "fasting" days. This is a great way to go if you get too lean for 0-calorie fasts: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmKUeJ-piLZlY6s I hope that this helps. It is always nice to think about your long-term plan. Begin with the end in mind :)

[@User-2cents]

Insomnia. Concealer for life.😢 I should be dead. Believe people

[@NextLevelMeNow]

Hello Doc, Just found your channel. I have been having trouble sleeping , and staying asleep. This started during pregnancy, and postpartum 2 years now. It’s definitely worse as I started IF. I’m also very sensitive to caffeine and sleep aids like Benadryl or sleep gummies / melatonin- it makes me very drowsy and also very moody. I do help itll get better. Only very rigorous exercise will help me tire out enough to sleep, which I don’t do hardly at all (mostly light exercise). I am still new to IF, and as someone who has a strong sugar, carb and snacking habits, the OMAD or short eating window works best for me to curb my needless snacking and overeating as a stay at home mom. My problem right now is that I am moody/irritable, and often the mornings I find I am not productive, and not able to handle a lot and not getting things done due to maybe being hungry and distracted. I naturally am a procrastinator, but it’s as though I don’t have the energy to complete even basic tasks. Since I started the 20:4 , I also saw I am exercising less. I know from YT (lol) there are plenty of people working out (even hard) on complete fast days and get so much done. I can’t have coffee or tea, etc anything with caffeine as it will further sabotage my sleep, and also makes me short tempered and aggressive towards anyone near me. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I would love to be at a productive functioning level where I can be efficient at home getting tasks done while fasting . My typical meals that I had this week might be a sandwich with whole wheat sliced bread (about 350-400kcal); tofu, Kimchee, beef, spicy cucumbers; 2 slices of whole wheat toast buttered and 2 eggs. Snacks may be and orange or apple, or a serving of chocolate Trufru strawberries. I usually have a few other calories in there but playing right now with eating at about 1200 calories to dropping it in the 650-800 range ideally, but am probably closer to 1100-1200 still. Thank you!

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for sharing. I am sorry to hear about your sleep issues. It is a vicious cycle. Poor sleep makes fasting, physical activity, and exercise more difficult. This definitely slows down your progress. Here is a video that shows just how hard weight loss can be if you aren't getting good sleep: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6jCdHuKnrNkgrc Hopefully part 2 of this series will give you some tips that will help: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b5a3pGyIjt6Ih6c Part 3 will be out next Tuesday. I will cover a long list of sleep-enhancing supplements. Some of them may be very useful for you because they reduce anxiety without leading to drowsiness. My best advice right now is to keep your calories a bit higher until your body gets more adapted to fasting. Going into an even steeper calorie deficit may just make things worse. Give it a few more weeks before slowly lowering your calories. And be sure that you are focusing on protein-rich meals since you are limiting the number of meals that you eat. Here is why: kzbin.info/www/bejne/en3EY5pqfLh0hZY And here is how to determine your protein needs: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r5fYonyJpaiDr9E I hope that these resources help. Reach out if you have any other questions. I am here to help

[@dinosemr8141]

❤️💖🙏💖❤️

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Thank you for the love and blessings. I will talk all that I can get. Be blessed! Reach out if you ever have any questions. I am here to help :)

[@taranamahbuba8234]

I sleep better when I’m fasted 😂

[@GrowGrayMatter]

Same here :). I actually think this is the case for a lot of people as long as they can get over the hump in the beginning. Was your fasted sleep good right away, or did you struggle like I did in the beginning?

[@coybi]

What I don't exactly understand about all of these evolutionary theories is the following: If all living beings on earth adapted to their surroundings and developed accordingly etc etc - why on earth would our bodies still think that we could get killed by predators when we haven't been hunting and gathering for God knows how long? I don't quite get how it makes sense to always say that evolution is about adapting and developing but then all of a sudden statements are made that our bodies are basically dumb and still living in 392010191 BC

[@accordiongeorge7886]

When you fast you don't need more than 3-4 hours.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

This is definitely the case for some people. They seem to do really well with less sleep while fasting. But I have worked with dozens of people who are/were feeling terrible because of their short sleep while fasting. I also work with just as many people who actually get more sleep while fasting. Everyone seems to respond differently. I personally can do fine with less sleep than normal (5-6 hours) while fasting, but I start to feel it if I dip any lower than that.

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

George, I always need about 8 hours sleep, fasting or not. When I was first doing ADF and not sleeping well on fast days I was *definitely* feeling sleep deprived the next day. I'm sure this is not true for everyone, but it is quite common. I'm now sleeping through the night most nights, whether a fasting or feeding day, and feel much better.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

@@elizabethkoenig5185 There are certainly a few outliers, but the huge majority of people do best somewhere between 6-9 hours per night

[@elizabethkoenig5185]

@@GrowGrayMatter Agreed. Most people need this much sleep.

[@shad885]

$$$$$$$$$$

[@AutisticCuriosity]

Is this man a Medical doctor? Or fake - using chiropractic qualifications to present to be a medical doctor?

[@azsunburns]

Being sleep deprived in ketosis & fasting, while on medical marijuana, put me in severe psychosis. The story is long & ugly. Three years later, I'm still reminding my brain it is loved. I still might go 18 hrs, but sleep comes first, period.

[@GrowGrayMatter]

I am so sorry to hear this. I am happy to hear that you are doing better now and making your health the top priority. I actually agree with you 100%. I am going to cover my best tips and supplements to help people sleep in the next 2 videos. But part 4 will be about what to do if they don't help. My best advice will be to modify your fasting until you get the sleep that you need. As you said, sleep needs to come first if we want to maximize our health.