I’ve always ‘got the munchies’ when I don’t get enough sleep - like last night!
I’m always banging on about Lifestyle Medicine and boring you all I’m sure, however still going to do it because I believe that everything is linked to everything else and no more so than with our bodies. And these are the things our doctors are NOT focussing on helping us with.
We simply cannot treat AF as a single condition. If you are sleep deprived, don’t take some exercise, are stressed and overweight you are more likely to have AF and other conditions so take your sleep seriously.
This from a recent study -
Get More Sleep, Lose More Weight: A Randomized Trial
Two important take-homes then, from this nice, randomized trial. One: Getting more sleep is healthy. Two: Getting more sleep is possible. It's the latter that might have more impact for those of us who struggle to get more than six and a half hours a night. We can do better, if we make a plan. Get some rest.
Personally I have had problems keeping my weight in check since I started taking meds (last 15 years for one thing or another) but I’m not using that as an excuse because I’m also not nearly as active as I was and the reason for that is because of the Mg not AF so that’s something I can’t control. But I can control my sleep and eat less and have found when I can exercise, socialise and sleep well and am not stressed I do more and eat less and I spiral toward health.
When one factor gets out of kilter - I spiral down into dis-ease.
Just saying.
Written by
CDreamer
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I also agree, CDreamer, although weight is not a problem for me, rather the opposite. I am too thin and have lost quite a lot in height too so feel like I am the vanishing woman! I have been a lifelong insomniac. I was prescribed 30 mg Amatriptyline for pain relief for PHN following shingles in January 2019. It doesn't do anything for the pain but I take it about an hour before I go to bed and it helps me to sleep which means I am out of pain for about 7 hours or so. This is wonderful although I am a bit concerned about needing this, especially since I do prefer not to take meds, and how I might wean off it if and when the pain goes which I am working on in various ways. I also had blackout curtains and a blackout blind made for the bedroom window and wear a sleep mask which certainly all help. And no screens allowed in the bedroom! There has been quite a lot written about sleep recently and how important it is for our health so you raise a very important issue.
Thank you for the link CD . It certainly rings true for me. I do want to eat more when I’ve not slept well, particularly carbs, A friend of mine can’t eat when she’s stressed, or not sleeping but unfortunately for me I can, with a vengeance 😳😄On the lifestyle front, the more suggestions for improvement the better in my view!
I've never been a great sleeper if I'm lucky I get 5/6 hours,and you probably lose more weight if you sleep more, in my case I just eat less to lose weight,but you need a hell of a lot of self discipline and it's not easy,as we all know,and it's harder in the winter period as well.
If I get the munchies from lack of sleep I’m done for……😱
My self control, like everything else as we age, seems to on the decline. I’m getting disturbed by my husband’s nocturnal visits so not much I can do about that.
Thank you CDreamer, like always a good advice and link. For me a ‘lifetime’ struggle to sleep enough hours. Last 2 years much better. Try not to compensate with more carbs but that’s also a behavioral component I try to manage. My veggie diet helps a lot. Again don’t hesitate to write and advice; I appreciate it a lot.
That is exactly my difficulty - not compensating with carbs. I had got into a really good sleep pattern as my husband was sleeping in another room for medical reasons, now he’s back with me which is wonderful and dreadful at the same time!
Back in the day, I used to ricochet from one fad diet to another; some weight came off and then it very quickly went back on.
My weight now is the same as I was when I was 18! The two main factors I put this down to are two one mile walks religiously each day, the first before breakfast. A diet of full fat everything thats dairy, meat etc. i.e. everything the food industry and even the NHS doesn't advise. More info on westonaprice.org The rationale being if you find what your body wants it won't overeat searching for it.
For sleep, I think the same routine (whatever yours is) is of prime importance and also I would include in that a walk as soon as the sun comes up - thankfully a bit earlier now!
I agree and the exercise really helps the sleep and I think that’s where I’m going wrong at the moment as we are in the middle of dealing with and arranging a move and all the stress that goes with it and I haven’t the energy to get out every day.
PS I should add a caveat that a fat diet may not be appropriate if you have a serious condition already. I started when I was borderline obese with no comorbidities. I also buy the best quality organic grass fed animal produce direct from farms I trust not supermarkets.
I sleep less well at night than I did when younger. Particularly in winter when it's gloomy or wet and I cannot get out into the garden. But also I confess that I have appalling sleep hygiene . I often fall asleep over my tablet. No screens in the bedroom is no use as we actually live in our bedroom and have done for 30 years since I could no longer sit comfortably in chairs or on sofas. So when not upright I lie down rather than sit. I make up for sleeping only 6/7 hours at night with an afternoon nap. Overall I probably get 8/9 hours a day. I'm not convinced that it is essential to get all your sleep at once . There are many people who live in hot climates who still take a siesta and have been doing so for millenia.
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How can I manage persistent AF
A possible helpful hint for those of you that think AF might be triggered by sleep apnoea
