Fasting and Sleep: Why You Can’t Sleep While Fasting and How to Fix It
✨ Key Takeaways
- Learn the best practices of intermittent fasting for optimal health.
- Understand how to track your fasting windows effectively.
- Discover the science-backed metabolic benefits of fasting.
In This Article
One of the most frustrating side effects of prolonged fasting is insomnia. You lie awake at 3 AM feeling wide awake, completely unable to sleep. Here is why fasting disrupts your sleep and how to fix it.
Cortisol and Adrenaline Spikes
Fasting is a perceived stressor. To keep you alert and energetic (historically, so you could hunt for food), your body increases the production of adrenaline and cortisol. While this gives you amazing mental clarity during the day, it’s a nightmare when you’re trying to sleep.
How Timing Your Meals Affects Sleep
If you are doing a 16:8 fast and your eating window is early in the day (e.g., 8 AM to 4 PM), you go to bed on an empty stomach. The hunger pangs and rising cortisol can keep you awake. Conversely, eating a massive meal right before bed can ruin your sleep architecture.
Natural Remedies to Help You Sleep
- Magnesium Glycinate: Take this an hour before bed. It calms the nervous system.
- Shift Your Window: Move your eating window closer to bedtime (e.g., 12 PM to 8 PM).
- Chamomile Tea: A warm, calorie-free drink to soothe your stomach.
Conclusion
Don’t let fasting ruin your sleep. Adjust your fasting window in the Simple Fasting Tracker app to find the perfect schedule that allows you to rest.
Download Simple Fasting Tracker
📚 Scientific Studies & Medical References (5 Sources) ▼
FastingTracker adheres to strict editorial standards, citing peer-reviewed clinical trials and authoritative medical institutions.
- New England Journal of Medicine (2019): de Cabo R, Mattson MP. Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease. N Engl J Med. 381(26):2541-2551. PubMed 31881139 • DOI
- Cell Metabolism (2014): Levine ME, Suarez JA, Brandhorst S, et al. Low Protein Intake and Periodic Fasting Promote Longevity and Autophagy. Cell Metab. 19(3):407-417. PubMed 24606898 • DOI
- Obesity (Silver Spring, 2018): Anton SD, Moehl K, Donahoo WT, et al. Flipping the Metabolic Switch: Understanding and Applying Health Benefits of Fasting. Obesity. 26(2):254-268. PubMed 29086496 • DOI
- Annual Review of Nutrition (2017): Patterson RE, Sears DD. Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Annu Rev Nutr. 37:371-393. PubMed 28715993 • DOI
- Autophagy (2010): Alirezaei M, Kemball CC, Flynn CT, et al. Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal and systemic autophagy. Autophagy. 6(6):702-710. PubMed 20534972 • DOI
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