Hi
I amnew to forum and diagnosed 4 weeks ago. I have been on the gluten-free diet and have found that my insomnia has got worse rather than better. Before the diet I was not the best of sleepers but managed ok. For the last few weeks I can get off to sleep without any trouble but then I wake after aboit an hour. After that sleep is inermittant and I probably get around 3 hours sleep each night.
I would be really intersted to hear of anyone else who has experienced sleep difficulties. Thanks, Mary
Try gluten free cereal for supper? Carbohydrate plus milk both good for insomnia.
Perhaps you now have more energy so don't need so much sleep - if so you could try increasing activity (mental or physical) during the day and /or go to bed later.
I always have been a night owl. I have been diagnosed 3 years ago, but had problems with falling asleep more before I was diagnosed. I read that insomnia, anxiety and oesteropozes is very common in celiac disease sufferers.
So, I just have to live it it. Do not try to fall asleep and make yourself to anxious about it. Go to bed by midnight and you might learn to sleep all night throgh from midnight till 7am.
I haven't been formally diagnosed and I'm new to GF but thought my experience may help. When I first went gluten free, my sleep was awful! I have never been the best sleeper- I'll often have difficulty 'switching off' at night and if I'm stressed or have something big on the next day, I'll toss and turn. But that was always intermittent. Since I went GF, my sleep was so bad. I'd be exhausted but it was like as soon as I lay down, my body woke up. I would get palpitations and tingly hands and my mind would be racing- my thoughts would be bounding from one trivial thing to another. I thought it might be psychological so did all the things you're supposed to with sleep (prepare for bed, make the room nice, get up after 30 mins if not sleeping etc) I also tried some mindluless and relaxation but nothing helped. I wasn't stressed and I wasn't worrying about anything at all and even though I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't stressing about it, it was a bit frustrating but I was being very mindful to just accept it and try not see it as an issue.
Thankfully, as the weeks have gone on (I'm now 6 weeks GF), this has massively reduced and I'm now getting off to sleep no problem and sleeping right through the night. Before I went completely GF, I was on a fairly low gluten diet so I'm not sure if that meant things have maybe improved quicker for me- now nearly all my symptoms have resolved which includes the DH I had all over my face now completely gone, which I am SO happy about.
I've read about various 'withdrawl' symptoms when first going GF, hopefully that's all this is and your sleep will soon improve too.
I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and, I have been having issues as well. I have noticed that I am going to bed later but I will lay in bed because I cannot fall asleep. Also, I have realized that I wake up much earlier when I don't have to. I have never been much of a morning person and I've always been a night owl but, all of this is very unusual for me and reading these posts and comments is very helpful to me I thought that it might not have been related but going on here in seeing these things about it, made me realize that I'm not the only one going through this.
Coeliacs become deficient in vitamins and minerals especially magnesium which affects sleep. You may need to supplement diet with a 'complete' calcium (take in morning) and magnesium (take at night). Take as recommended but if still having trouble sleeping or being tired you may need to up the dosage. Calcium cured my husband's sleep apnoea .. and magnesium his restless legs!
Thank you SO much for the help. I will definitely be talking to my doctor about this. (:
Short, simple yet logical and informative. I'm with gillmm.