hmm okay so it has been about 4 1/2 weeks 100% raw...given the one day i had 2 cups of pasta sauce that turned out to not really be raw......and it seems like i can't get enough sleep...like all my body wants to do this whole time is sleep...i work,go to the gym,eat a little and sleep it seems like.....and i am tired...what is the deal....i have always been one of those people who can live on 2-3 hours a day and go a few days without sleep now since going raw it seems like my body ONLY wants to sleep....please help i read all these posts about everyone feeling so good and full of energy and not needing much sleep but that is not my case what do i need...thank you!!
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

Sachelle,

You have what I call a sleep debt: you got it from all that time of getting just 2-3 hours a day of sleep, and sleepless days and nights. Now that you've stopped the stimulating effect of all those toxins in food, you get to really feel your body, your body gets to show you what it needs. And if you're smart, you'll give in and sleep, sleep, sleep until you're not tired anymore. Be patient with it. It may take time.

I've gone through the same thing and also witnessed it with others. When I'm not raw, one of my vices is coffee, just a cup a day. Coffee doesn't just wake me up during the day but severely impairs my sleep, makes me wake up way before I'm rested. So when I drink it, even though I don't feel it at the time, I get a sleep debt. Then when I stop the coffee, it takes several weeks of zombitude before I've caught up on my sleep enough to feel human.

Another example comes to mind of a person who learned to meditate and immediately started marathon sleeping. After her first meditation instruction she slept almost 36 hours. Then, for a period of 6 months she settled into a routine of sleeping between 14-20 hours a day.

After the first few days, she went to her meditation instructor in some alarm about the amount of sleep she needed all of a sudden. Upon questioning, he found out that she had spent many years of getting very little sleep. She had something like 14 kids, one every year or so, and for years and years she never got to sleep through the night. He determined that her body just needed to catch up.

Fortunately for her, her situation allowed her to just give in to it and sleep when she was tired. It lasted about 6 months and then suddenly she had no more fatigue. She slept a normal amount each night and woke up refreshed, feeling better than she had in many years.

So hang in there and let go of the worries. Your body is finally getting the rest that it needs, and once it does you will not believe how different you feel.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/27/2007 08:01AM by greenie.

wow thank you sooooo much...i was worried something was going on...i thought a little extra sleep was probably my body wanting to heal but yeah i am getting like 14 hours a day..or so..on the weekends i practically sleep them away...well at least i know this is okay and tha ti will eventually get over it...i am trying to let my body sleep as much as it needs...thank you !!
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

u know me sachelle-how is your blood sugar levels??signed mrs.worrywart.

[img10.mytextgraphics.com]

I agree with the above great posts. Completely accept it and go ahead and sleep as much as you like for 30 days at least. Check in periodically and let us know how you feel! No worries - eh?

-David Z. Mason

One thing that may help you sleep better is to not eat any spices or condiments for a while until you've caught up on your sleep. This means avoiding salt, pepper, vinegar, spices, garlic, onion, miso, fermented foods, etc. In fact, if you can just eat fresh fruit and vegetables only, without any added flavorings, this will allow you to avoid these stimulating substances. Of course, if you are taking any other stimulants, like coffee, chocolate, etc, or medications, these need to be also avoided to get more rest.

I'm experiencing the same thing, Sachelle. I was raw several years ago and my sleep needs diminished quite a bit. This time is different, however. I had horrible insomnia for the past year and was dependent on sleeping pills to get a few good nights a week. Since going raw about a month ago, I no longer need sleeping pills. Everytime I go into the prone position, I'm out! If there's a pillow within 10 feet, I'm there! It feels good and I'm just going to go with it because I'm pretty sure it's what my body needs.

I'd just like to add a note of deep wonder and gratitude at the forgiving resiliency of the body. That we can actually sleep off the years of fatigue as we do, finally. It's like turning back the clock, undoing all the mistakes of the past, reversing age and abuse. We can't take back words or deeds, but our bodies seem to restore to us health and joy anytime we let them. How amazing and great is that??

One of the many miracles of the body, IMHO.

And here's some irony for ya' --- the Google ad appearing at the bottom of this page as I write this is for Coffee-mate!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!

but yah greenie
the body is super merciful

No one here can diagnose your condition online. No one here is qualified to diagnose anything.

Do some basic online research of the condition known as obstructive sleep apnea. I'm not suggesting that you have the condition, only suggesting that you look into it as a possibility. Definitely, you should see a real health professional if you think it is appropriate and especially if the symptoms continue.

Awww, sleep, yummy.

Gosia


RawGosia channel
RawGosia streams

yummalicious ! mmmm mmmmmm

longtimeraw has a good idea for getting diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea

but keep in mind that sleep apnea is a result of a myriad of things
not just one thing

as far as you saying that no one is qualified to give sachelle advice,

that is interesting

Sleeping a lot is not a symptom or indication of OSA. Look in the mirror before calling someone else a fake.

Hi there....thank you everyone i am still sleeping lots haha but i am going with what most people suggested just sleeping...i still get up for work and to get to the gym 2 times a day and what not so i am not sleeping my life away...but i am sure that it is lack of sleep since i was about 9 years old...and i think my body now that it is raw is trying to heal and rebuild.....and as far as OSA usually they have trouble sleeping i am having no trouble at all..i fall asleep and stay sound asleep for a while..so that is not the issue....but thanks for your advice even though that is what you said everyone else was not qualified to do little bit contradicting but hey...
anyways keep the tips coming but thank you so much to everyone i really appreciate it!!!
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxo

>as far as you saying that no one is qualified to give sachelle advice,

My exact words:
No one here can diagnose your condition online. No one here is qualified to diagnose anything.

Diagnosis requires medical training. Don't see any MDs here, just self-appointed diet promoters.

>Sleeping a lot is not a symptom or indication of OSA. Look in the mirror before calling someone else a fake.

You need to learn to read. The word fake does not appear in my post. However, I do believe that diet promoters with no medical training should not be trying to diagnose serious health issues over internet. And that's why I always tell people to see a qualified, licensed health professional.

Go to:
[www.nlm.nih.gov]

where you learn that the symptoms include:

# Awakening not rested in the morning
# Abnormal daytime sleepiness, including falling asleep at inappropriate times

which links to the original post:

>and it seems like i can't get enough sleep...like all my body wants to do this whole time is sleep.....and i am tired...

You need to do your homework. OSA is potentially serious. There are tests to diagnose it, and non-drug, non-surgery treatment options available. But only an MD can prescribe the tests and treatment machine.

sachelle,

I had the same experience when I went to a low fat raw vegan diet. My body wanted a ton of sleep, whereas before it was happy with only 6 hours of sleep. What I did is make space for the extra sleep, and when I did this, I slept 16 to 18 hours a day for an entire month, and after than my sleep requirements dropped 2 hours each month until it levelled out at 8 hours of sleep a night.

What happened during that period of all that sleep was I had a lot of healing going on in my body, recovering from my previous lifestyle of overworking and not getting enough sleep. After this period of intense sleeping, I started to gain weight on the raw diet, my dark circles under my eyes went away, and I started to look as healthy as I felt. During the beginning of my raw journey I felt well, but people always noted the dark circles and how underweight I looked. After this healing period, no ever mentioned my weight as appearing too low.

longtimeraw i have done my homework....and to let you know i never said i woke up feeling unrested or that i fell asleep at inappropriate times...i said i feel tired so i sleep more...i meant at night and when i do wake up for work i feel rested i never said i didn't....what i said was i can't seem to get enough sleep like i sleep all night and a little later then before and go to bed early then i used to...but i also used to sleep only 2-3 or sometimes not at all ....i am a nurse so i do know a lot about health issues and osa so before you judge please be aware i am not jumping in head first without knowing the depth of the water....

i do feel sleepy but at night when people sleep...i just sleep a lot more then i used to and wanted some advice and wanted to know what others have experienced.....i always used to work nights and days so i didn't sleep much...so i got nervous...i do appreciate your advice but please don't jump to conclusions that i don't know what i am doing or have no idea about things that may be potentially harmful to me....

Bryan thank you so much that is good news...i was excited to hear that because i know that even though i am sleeping more now i will be back to my old self plus a few hours still of sleep....thank you so much
love sachelle
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox