help....This is the main problem i have when eating raw....I just can't go to sleep before 2 or 3 in the morning, then i feel tired all day long, not because of what i'm eating, only because i'm just not having enough sleep!!!!

I drink camomille teas in the evening, somethimes it works, but sometimes not....Nothing makes me sleepy!!!!

Right. Learning to regulate new found energy is a great challenge....and insomnia is quite normal. The first thing to do is not stress over it and ACCEPT the current situation (even though you don't agree with it). There ARE practical things you can do:

1) Regulate your raw food energy level by eating by eating heavier raw foods (avocado, coconut, root veggies, nuts, etc.)....or eating healthier transitional foods...if you still do. Lower your overall % of raw foods....if you transitioned too high...too quickly (under 6 months).

2) Get in a good amount of cardio & weight exercise during the day. You WILL sleep at night after pushing a lawn mower all day....BELIEVE me.

3) Do not eat after dark.

4) Avoid caffeine, nicotene, medications or other stimulants.

5) Some people chew valerian root....although I have not tried this.

6) Assign a room that is completely empty except for a bed and soothing sleep promotors (music, art, etc.). Make sure there is nothing else you do in this room (watch TV or other distractor). Train yourself....and you'll get sleepy the minute you enter this room (yessir....us humans CAN be trained!).

-Just some tips that I hope are helpful. If you don't sleep....don't stress. Just use the time to read....or plan your glorious future!

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Hi Mira, you are not the only one!!!!

DM is right when he stated that learning to regulate new found energy is a great challenge!

I went for days without sleeping and became mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted. It took me several months, but eventually settled.

I suggest you experiment with different foods at varying times of the day. It may be worth keeping a diary.
I had to cut out all spicy foods, especially ginger and chilli. im ok with herbs, but spices are off limits for me.

Get plenty of exercise to help burn off the excess and stay away from the computer for at least a couple of hours before bed!

Meditation also helped. I used a simple 'following the breath' technique.(Dont alter it, just watch/ follow it) This all helped me.
Like DM said, accept it as part of the journey.

Dont fight it, make friends with it!
It makes life so much easier and enjoyable.
Enjoy
Lorretta

Quote

Posted by: Lorretta -- Date: September 04, 2008


Meditation also helped. I used a simple 'following the breath' technique.(Dont alter it, just watch/ follow it)

I really like the 'following the breath' technique for a quick way to achieve a calm relaxed feeling. I can blank out my thought mechanism for just a few seconds and follow my breath and get an instant effect. I find the more I focus on being "blank" while passively "following" the better it works. A quiet room with some low volume instrumental background music helps to reduce the tight tension facial muscles around the temples of the forehead.

mira Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> help....This is the main problem i have when
> eating raw....I just can't go to sleep before 2 or
> 3 in the morning, then i feel tired all day long,
> not because of what i'm eating, only because i'm
> just not having enough sleep!!!!
>
> I drink camomille teas in the evening, somethimes
> it works, but sometimes not....Nothing makes me
> sleepy!!!!

If you are tired because of insomnia its not an energy issue as such. Some people like Anne Wigmore for instance, hardly ever slept and had plenty of energy.
Some of it is mental approach. I suggest getting Dave Allen's book, "Getting Things Done". This will help you learn how to put things out of your mind i.e. cope with the "monkey mind" that keeps you going late at night

. You don't have the soporific effects of milk and many other cooked foods. Like an addict without his fix, your mind doesn't have the crutches. You may need to do some mental/psychological work to deal with whatever your are "running" from. Make sure you are getting adequate nutrition because deficiencies can cause mental symptoms. this page on Dr Bass' site discusses some of the issues: [drbass.com]

mira Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> help....This is the main problem i have when
> eating raw....I just can't go to sleep before 2 or
> 3 in the morning, then i feel tired all day long,
> not because of what i'm eating, only because i'm
> just not having enough sleep!!!!
>
..Nothing makes me
> sleepy!!!!

If you are tired because of insomnia, its not an excess energy issue. Some people, like Anne Wigmore for instance, hardly ever slept and had plenty of energy.
Some of it is mental approach. I suggest getting Dave Allen's book, "Getting Things Done". This will help you learn how to organize your life and put things out of your mind that is, cope with the "monkey mind" that keeps you going late at night

You don't have the soporific effects of milk and many other cooked foods. Like an addict without his fix, your mind doesn't have the crutches. You may need to do some mental/psychological work to deal with whatever your are "running" from.

Make sure you are getting a balanced diet, because deficiencies can cause mental symptoms. Its not uncommon for people to focus too much on particular foods and skip things they need. I've seen it many times.
This page on Dr Bass' site discusses some of the issues: [drbass.com]

TruthHunter

David, thanks for your helpfull reply. I am obviously doing wrong things, but overall, i'm following your ideas...!

1.) I don't eat transitionnal foods anymore, and never did anyway. I do eat heavier raw foods everyday, my fat intake must be around 20-30% now. I tried to follow the 80-10-10, but i just could'nt. I really need more fat in my diet to feel good and happy and healthy.

2.) I exercise almost every day! First thing i do in the morning is running for AT LEAST 35 minutes, that can reach 1 hour...! And I walk alot through the day, and i'm always standing up and moving around at work.

3.) haha....Well, I do eat after dark... I'm always hungrier in the evening, and since i'm raw, i have troubles going to sleep with an empty tummy.

4.) I still drink coffee and tea... But NEVER after 3-4 PM.

5.) I sometimes drink valerian herbal teas in the evening, it does calm me down, but it does'nt make me very sleepy.

6.)My bedroom is relax and peacefull, but i have my studying desk...With my computer, always open... I' always on the computer after like 7PM, until i go to
sleep...!


Loretta, you suggest cutting out spicy foods and all...I do eat ALOT of spices, hot peppers... May be part of the problem. I should meditate through the day, and especially before going to sleep. I'll try that tonight!


TruthHunter, thank you for the link,there seems to be alot of good articles on possible issues that we can go through. I'm a bit disappointed that one of them suggests eating raw dairy, but overall, it looks very interesting!

Thanks everybody!

Quote

Posted by: mira -- Date: September 05, 2008


3.) haha....Well, I do eat after dark... I'm always hungrier in the evening, and since i'm raw, i have troubles going to sleep with an empty tummy.

I also find it distracting to go to bed hungry. My attention seems to focus on the empty feeling and stay there. Heavier raw foods works best for me before going to bed. Fruit is better in the morning and during the day and salads and wraps and seeds etc in the evening works for me.

I hear you guys. It's a balance. Eat 'heavily' after dark......or eat processed....or spicy...or heavily mixed foods. Oils and salts.....any of these things can potentially keep you up at night. It might be beneficial to TRY reversing that pattern for 2 weeks and eat SO MUCH during the day....that you are just not that hungry after nightfall! And to harp on the same thing: avoid all caffeine and nicotine before trying other solutions. Just my experiences - which were often similar.

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

Exercise seems to really be helping me getting a great, deep REM filled night's sleep lately. And eliminating all stimulants. I used to love the raw chocolate desserts, but the cacao was impacting me negatively so I no longer use it.

Are you exercising? Even a brisk 30-60 minute walk will probably knock you out at night. :-)

Oh yeah and what time are you going to bed? I only need 4-5 hours sleep now and if I got to bed before 10 or 11pm I'm wide awake at 2 and 3 am! It could just be your body is finding it's circadian rhythym.

Best wishes.

i usually run for at least 35 minutes everyday, but it can reach and hour.

I think i need at least 8 hours of sleep. the problem is that i just can fall asleep before 1,2 or 3 am, and that, most of the time, i have to wake up between 6 or 8...So I'm tired in the morning, and hype in the evening! grrr

I have had the same problem as you mira... too much energy to fall asleep.
the only thing that has really helped is exercising more. I don't mean to be critical but i don't think that 35 minutes a day of exercise is adequate on rawfoods. A month ago i was doing the same thing.. exercised for maybe thirty minutes to an hour and could not fall asleep for anything. Now I "exercise" at least four hours a day... mostly walking and running outside. I go to school, and have an after school job and sometimes don't get home until 11 pm, but i still have energy and want to go out and run (on those nights i usually don't sleep very well bc i am still somewhat wired) I now have to stop myself from going overboard, because i want to keep "working out", running outside (it's more like playing for me)...
also like david said, eating the bulk of your food in the morning really helps vs. eating fatty foods late at night. maybe you could try eating alot of fruit throughout the morning (and i mean fill yourself up! i usually eat half a watermelon in the morning and then more fruit in the afternoon) for a couple of days and see what happens... this also helped me.
one day you may get to the point where four or five hours of sleep is sufficient enough, and the question will be.."what do i do with all this time?..."
the answer is do all the things you always wanted to do before, but couldn't because of the lack of time you had in your day.
anyway, i wish you the best of luck! this is definitely a transitional thing and with time, it to will pass :]

I had horrible insomnia - For me it was nutrient and vitamin deficiency.