Sleep and Food Intake

[BendtheBar]

I sleep 10 times better when overeating. I rarely wake up, rarely remember tossing and turning, and generally rarely get up to urinate.

When cutting, I remember every flip-flop, my mind has a harder time winding down, and I get up at least 3 times a night to urinate.

I eat a big meal at night so I never go to bed hungry.

I have tried varying my diet and adding more carbs at night, but the result always seems to be the same. Any suggestions for better sleep while cutting?

[RickB]

Can you tell me what a typical day looks like? I'm not an expert mind you, but I'm more curious...and might have an opinion I'm eating better and sleeping pretty good. In fact I'm starting to finally dream again which I've hardly done for years.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by RickB

Can you tell me what a typical day looks like? I'm not an expert mind you, but I'm more curious...and might have an opinion I'm eating better and sleeping pretty good. In fact I'm starting to finally dream again which I've hardly done for years.

My day is about 800 calories, primarily from whey and low-glycemic fruits and veggies. about 150 grams of protein.

My big meal is at 5pm, and is 1600 calories. I usually allow myself half a Little Debbie post-workout. then a nightly meal might be a mix like:

Rice, black beans, salsa and lean ground turkey. I don't limit sodium, and about half the calories come from rice and beans.

Overall I eat about 220 grams of protein per day, and get in my fat from my nightly meal and fish oil (taken throughout the day).

Sometimes I will snack on an apple or two - or pickles - between 7 and 8 pm.

[LtL]

I have noticed the same and managed to isolate it down to caffeine intake. I was drinking more coffee in the absence of calories and this was keeping me awake/disrupting my sleep. I stopped any caffeine intake after 5pm (other than Massive Growth pre-WO which doesn't seem to have caffeine effects despite listing it on the ingredients) and it's made a big difference. You still on the AA Phenom stack and taking some in the PM?

LtL

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by LtL

I have noticed the same and managed to isolate it down to caffeine intake. I was drinking more coffee in the absence of calories and this was keeping me awake/disrupting my sleep. I stopped any caffeine intake after 5pm (other than Massive Growth pre-WO which doesn't seem to have caffeine effects despite listing it on the ingredients) and it's made a big difference. You still on the AA Phenom stack and taking some in the PM?

LtL

I drink about 4 cups of coffee from 7 am to noon. I used to drink soda after that, but stopped. The AA stack has caffeine in it, but I only take that first thing in the morning. I have been taking pre-workout products with caffeine, so that might be contributing.

[folkprophet]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I sleep 10 times better when overeating. I rarely wake up, rarely remember tossing and turning, and generally rarely get up to urinate.

When cutting, I remember every flip-flop, my mind has a harder time winding down, and I get up at least 3 times a night to urinate.

I eat a big meal at night so I never go to bed hungry.

I have tried varying my diet and adding more carbs at night, but the result always seems to be the same. Any suggestions for better sleep while cutting?

Great question. I'd like to know how to sleep better too.

[folkprophet]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I drink about 4 cups of coffee from 7 am to noon. I used to drink soda after that, but stopped. The AA stack has caffeine in it, but I only take that first thing in the morning. I have been taking pre-workout products with caffeine, so that might be contributing.

The difference in my sleep when I take pre-workout supps with caffeine vs. when not is HUGE. Actually, I'm pretty convinced that the caffeine is not the real culprit because I can drink regular caffeine all day long and right up to bedtime and due to the roughness of my day and hard workouts, etc., still sleep fine. But I down a preworkout caffeine NOS type blast your workout supp and I toss and turn all night more often than not.

It's a trade off, really (a sucky one) because I have much better workouts with the stuff but worse sleep.

It's also cyclical, because the lack of sleep the previous night means I need the preworkout supp even more the next day, etc., etc., etc....

[LtL]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I drink about 4 cups of coffee from 7 am to noon. I used to drink soda after that, but stopped. The AA stack has caffeine in it, but I only take that first thing in the morning. I have been taking pre-workout products with caffeine, so that might be contributing.

When I took Black Powder before my evening workouts I couldn't sleep for ages! Seems to work differently with other supp's though cos Animal Pump and Massive Growth haven't had the same effects...

LtL

[BendtheBar]

I was wondering about the impact of NO on sleep. Because I can generally drink caffeine with no sleep problems. But my mind seems to not want to shut down lately.

[folkprophet]

Originally Posted by BendtheBar

I was wondering about the impact of NO on sleep. Because I can generally drink caffeine with no sleep problems. But my mind seems to not want to shut down lately.

My results on current supp are as follows: Down it hour before workout (1:00 p.m.) By workout I'm jacked! Rarin' to go. Flyin' high! Yeah baby! Hour after workout...sooo grogggyyy...crash...wanna sleep...wha'?...who's that?...waddya want?....shaddup...*snore*.... By bedtime...man...so tired. Wow...hard day...tired. At bedtime...*snore* One hour into bedtime...!! AWAKE! Toss, turn, toss, turn, toss, turn....