Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Sudden Insomnia After Going Gluten Free

soulcurrent

By soulcurrent
in Related Issues & Disorders

 Share

Recommended Posts

soulcurrent Explorer
soulcurrent
Posted

I've never had issues with sleep in the past (unless I was particularly stressed about something, then I might lay awake for an hour) but since going gluten free a couple of weeks ago I've been having trouble every single night. I'm having trouble getting to sleep then staying that way (but part of that is my cats who prefer my bedroom for their mischief at night) and I am feeling less rested as a result. Not that I normally feel rested after a night's sleep, even if I get a full night. I attributed that to full time work and school but I hear that celiac can be to blame also.

So what's with with insomnia now that I don't have gluten? Actually I can't say I don't have it.. I *think* I don't have it but I'm just learning that I should get a new toaster and things like that to avoid cross contamination so there could be traces but I'm making a valiant effort.

*yawn*

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ang1e0251 Contributor
ang1e0251
Posted

Many people experience low blood sugar in the night which messes with their "sleeping clock". You may need a high protein snack before bed. Have you been extra hungry? If so, you will need some hunger killing food to sleep through the night.

homemaker Enthusiast
homemaker
Posted
Many people experience low blood sugar in the night which messes with their "sleeping clock". You may need a high protein snack before bed. Have you been extra hungry? If so, you will need some hunger killing food to sleep through the night.

Wow, I have not heard of this...I too seem to wake up around 3pm feeling that sort of weak in the knees blood sugar thing...

How strange, I wonder why that is?

soulcurrent Explorer
soulcurrent
Posted
  • Author
Many people experience low blood sugar in the night which messes with their "sleeping clock". You may need a high protein snack before bed. Have you been extra hungry? If so, you will need some hunger killing food to sleep through the night.

I've noticed some extra hunger but nothing that's kept me up at night. I usually eat several small meals throughout the day at the advice of the nutritionist. I'll try adding something closer to bedtime.

tmbarke Apprentice
tmbarke
Posted

My sleep pattern goes thru spurts.

Meaning I can go to bed, sleep about 4 hrs and then I'm up.......the longer I'm up, the more apt I am to have coffee.

If I try to go back to sleep, I just lay there with my eyes closed and mind wide awake.

I've never had the coffee issue before going gluten-free - I could go to sleep after a POT of coffee!

Now it's all different.

I am not always tired when I know I have to get sleep.....so I usually end up having a drink (mixed or wine) before bed to 'relax' me....and I've never been a lightweight on that either.

But it does the trick.

There's times that my sleep is good and then times that it is restless or limited......due to dreams or nightmares or noises.

I do notice that the sleep patterns have definitely changed.....along with my senses.

I'm guessing my hightened senses has something to do with the sleep issues.

The only time I really get tired is at work after I've eaten a lunch that was bigger than I'm used to.

Maybe there is some truth to what was said about eating and sleep.

But I'm not one to eat before bed.

It just doesn't seem normal..........but then again, I'm learning to be abnormal compared to the gluten life.

  • 5 weeks later...
travelthomas Apprentice
travelthomas
Posted
I've never had issues with sleep in the past (unless I was particularly stressed about something, then I might lay awake for an hour) but since going gluten free a couple of weeks ago I've been having trouble every single night. I'm having trouble getting to sleep then staying that way (but part of that is my cats who prefer my bedroom for their mischief at night) and I am feeling less rested as a result. Not that I normally feel rested after a night's sleep, even if I get a full night. I attributed that to full time work and school but I hear that celiac can be to blame also.

So what's with with insomnia now that I don't have gluten? Actually I can't say I don't have it.. I *think* I don't have it but I'm just learning that I should get a new toaster and things like that to avoid cross contamination so there could be traces but I'm making a valiant effort.

*yawn*

I will get insomnia with diet changes. Because I like to travel there are times when my dietary habits change pretty drastically.

Before going on a Gluten-Free diet I had read that eating a whole grain snack, and something high in calcium helps with sleep.

With my last dietary change, traveling to Texas, I used rice crackers and Tums with good success as a nighttime snack before sleep.

Because my trip to Texas was to visit with people I had been talking to for years on the internet, I did quite a bit of eating out in restaurants, plus their home cooked meals. Talk about a change in diet! None of the people I visited had Celiac Disease (around 10 destinations), but they knew to try and keep Gluten out of the meals.

  • 5 months later...
Desiree49 Newbie
Desiree49
Posted

I have had the same thing happen to me. I recently went gluten free and it takes me forever to fall asleep.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Pac Apprentice
Pac
Posted

I didn't experience exactly insomnia, but after going gluten-free and every time after major glutening I got into a kind of 'hyperactive mode'. It felt as if somebody slipped a few extasy pills into my meal. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep before 1-2am and even like that I would wake up at 5am, I wouldn't feel a tiny bit tired working all day non-stop until late at night... (almost feels worth getting glutened :ph34r: ). It always lasted a few days/a week, then after a few lazy days I would be 'normal' again.

lucia Enthusiast
lucia
Posted

I'm going through the exact same thing. I could have written your title.

conniebky Collaborator
conniebky
Posted

I'm glad that you posted this. I am one week gluten free today and every night I turn this way, then turn that way, get up, drink some milk, lay back down, get up again.

I've never been like this my whole life. I sleep fine once I fall asleep, but it takes a long time to feel asleep.

Then, when Im trying to fall asleep, here come the jimmy legs. I get the jimmy legs awful. Have to start turning my ankles and stretching my legs. I don't know if that's what you all call it, the jimmy legs. Do you know what I mean?

  • 1 month later...
marie1107 Newbie
marie1107
Posted

Same here! For years I have had either a toasts or cereal before bed. I thought it was the carbs that were making me sleepy (I was eating pretty much low carb all day). But no! I realised when I went gluten-free that it was actually the bad stuuf that was knocking me out. I have noticed how sleepy I get when I come in contact with the tiniest amount of gluten.

Since going gluten-free (2 years ago) I have tried about every trick and remedy. I good snack seems to help, I also found some natural herbal mix that is quite effective and sometimes some yoga helps. But every night I have to keep the same relaxing routine and I make sure I only go to bed when I'm quite sleepy.

I am now realising I was "using" gluten as a sleeping peel and was quite addicted...

It's frustrating at first but my now sleep (and without a doubt my health) is constantly getting better. :)

Hope you also find tricks that work for you. ;)

polarbearscooby Explorer
polarbearscooby
Posted

After I get glutened I suffer from insane insomnia. I have to literally force myself to sit still or even go to sleep. It's like I'm a little kid again who's had way to much sugar or something :P I tried tylonal PM but even it doesn't help much. I'm only getting a couple hours of sleep at a time falling asleep at 4 or 5 am and waking up at 9am :P

SuperMolly Apprentice
SuperMolly
Posted

After I get glutened I suffer from insane insomnia. I have to literally force myself to sit still or even go to sleep. It's like I'm a little kid again who's had way to much sugar or something :P

I agree with this. I am a night person anyway, but when I get glutened I will be tired but I cannot settle down. I'll get a lot of stuff done though. ;)

  • 6 months later...
George Knighton Apprentice
George Knighton
Posted

Doesn't wheat and dairy products generally make you or help you sleep better and easier before going to bed?

  • 1 month later...
Brigit Apprentice
Brigit
Posted

Wow, looks like we all have the same kind of problem. Just under two weeks gluten free, and suddenly awake around 2 or 3am, can't lie on one side for more than a few moments.

Strange thing though, I'm not as tired as what I would have been if still eating gluten products and only had four hours sleep. So, besides that the tossing and turning wakes my husband, its not been too bad!

Would love a solution though. One other than sleeping tablets.

superfob Contributor
superfob
Posted

if you are not already doing so, you should try taking sublingual methylcobalamin (b12) everyday, make sure that all of it dissolves in your mouth (under your tongue), instead of chewing it up

i found that it definately had some positive effects on my sleep

  • 1 month later...
love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

if you are not already doing so, you should try taking sublingual methylcobalamin (b12) everyday, make sure that all of it dissolves in your mouth (under your tongue), instead of chewing it up

i found that it definately had some positive effects on my sleep

How long did the B12 take to work for you? I started taking it about five weeks ago an feel no different yet. My insomnia is severe (due to an extremely painful back injury) and is only helped by prescription drugs. Wonder if B12 would help in my case??!!

AgainstTheGrainIdaho Rookie
AgainstTheGrainIdaho
Posted

THE BEST thing I could have gotten because of this same problem was Bach's Sleep Remedy Spray and Peter Gilhams Calcium/Magnesium Natural Calm. Those 2 things by night 1 knocked me out!Slept 8+ hours and wasn't graggy at all the next day. I found that I wasn't absorbing minerals well which in turn messed up A LOT of things in my body and being deficient in Cal/Mag which can be a HUGE part of relaxing my nerves and my stress which kept me up "thinking" and my brain staying awake all night it seemed.(Bach's helped with that too) Hopefully you find something that will help you. I got both of those from a Natural food/Supplement store.Good luck!

*Magnesium alone is responsible for helping in over 200 functions in the body, so if your body is lacking, it causes all sorts of chaos. Calcium is up there too!

  • 1 month later...
No.Wheat.For.Me Newbie
No.Wheat.For.Me
Posted

Wow, looks like we all have the same kind of problem. Just under two weeks gluten free, and suddenly awake around 2 or 3am, can't lie on one side for more than a few moments.

Strange thing though, I'm not as tired as what I would have been if still eating gluten products and only had four hours sleep. So, besides that the tossing and turning wakes my husband, its not been too bad!

Would love a solution though. One other than sleeping tablets.

After I went gluten and milk free, I found I didn't need as much sleep as I did before. I think it's great!!!!

  • 3 months later...
Roda Rising Star
Roda
Posted

My 10.5 year old had been complaining he can't fall asleep for the past few nights and that he is tired after school. He is currently doing a trial of gluten free and has been completely gluten free since Monday. Not sure if it is related or not...hmm

Kansas Rookie
Kansas
Posted

Might try elininating dairy. I always thought that dairy would be gut issues, but am finding out differently. I stopped dairy a couple weeks ago, thinking it might help another symptom, (cracking, rough skin on fingers) Have found that my sleep has greatly improved. It helped by going gluten free, but it is so much better without dairy.

peeptoad Apprentice
peeptoad
Posted

I have chronic sleep-maintenance insomnia and I've been gluten-free for a little over a month now. After the first week I did notice that my insomnia (which is "normal" for me) suddenly got worse, which I think must have been related to going gluten-free. I had other gluten withdrawal symptoms as well like vertigo/ataxia and abdominal pains, which were different than the normal IBS abdominal cramps I usually get. Most of that disappeared in about a week though.

  • 2 months later...
KaraBoga Newbie
KaraBoga
Posted

Wow, looks like we all have the same kind of problem. Just under two weeks gluten free, and suddenly awake around 2 or 3am, can't lie on one side for more than a few moments.

Strange thing though, I'm not as tired as what I would have been if still eating gluten products and only had four hours sleep. So, besides that the tossing and turning wakes my husband, its not been too bad!

Would love a solution though. One other than sleeping tablets.

Yeah since I went gluten free I wake up very early in the morning, 3-4AM and cannot go back to sleep. Snacking before bed seems to help a little, but I am not able to sleep longer than 5-6 hours at the most and a lot of times it is less than that. I ordered B12 sub-lingual supplements, will give them a try, but I am wondering how you all have been coping with this.

azlynn23 Rookie
azlynn23
Posted

Yeah since I went gluten free I wake up very early in the morning, 3-4AM and cannot go back to sleep. Snacking before bed seems to help a little, but I am not able to sleep longer than 5-6 hours at the most and a lot of times it is less than that. I ordered B12 sub-lingual supplements, will give them a try, but I am wondering how you all have been coping with this.

I have exactly the same issue, lately I've been waking up two to three times in a night where as before it was only about 5 hours in. I'm not as tired as I would have been but I hate laying in bed the last two hours of the night unable to fall back asleep. Eating also helps me a bit. And I know I shouldn't but I generally wake up and have a cigerette, sometimes I feel really shaky and need to vomit but that's usually only the first few days.

BTW My name is also Kara :P

KaraBoga Newbie
KaraBoga
Posted

I have exactly the same issue, lately I've been waking up two to three times in a night where as before it was only about 5 hours in. I'm not as tired as I would have been but I hate laying in bed the last two hours of the night unable to fall back asleep. Eating also helps me a bit. And I know I shouldn't but I generally wake up and have a cigerette, sometimes I feel really shaky and need to vomit but that's usually only the first few days.

BTW My name is also Kara :P

Thank you Kara :) So how long have you been gluten free? What do you mean by first few days wrt feeling shaky? I guess when you first went gluten free? I have been gluten free just about couple of months and my sleep has not improved much since it started.

BTW my username is derived from two words, Kara and Boga, in English it would be Black Bull :) I am a new member, have been lurking for a while. When I discovered other gluten free folks are having similar sleep problems I was relieved in some way and decided to write and try to get more info.

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      127,357
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Rhondaponda
    Newest Member
    Rhondaponda
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121k
    • Total Posts
      70.1k
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Rogol72
      How to navigate living with dermatitis herpetiformis

      By Rogol72 · Posted

      We've got plenty Tiernan's over here across the Irish Sea! I think anything will irritate an open wound in the skin. My dermatologist suggested Aveno moisturiser and E45 Emollient shower cream when she thought it was Eczema. I'm sure they will help during a dermatitis herpetiformis outbreak, or be the least irritating. Rinsing off after exercise should give you some relief. Dapsone is an antibiotic and it does reduce the skin inflammation associated with dermatitis herpetiformis blisters as well as eliminating the itch. I don't think it affects the immune system like oral steroids though. My GP said it can affect the bone marrow ... I believe in terms of red blood cell production. It causes them to break apart prematurely. They measure the reticulocyte count (immature red blood cells) in your blood while on Dapsone to see it's effects. People with a G6PD deficiency are more susceptible to Dapsone side effects. Here's a leaflet from the British Association of Dermatologists explaining Dapsone in more detail ... https://www.skinhealthinfo.org.uk/condition/dapsone/ Your dermaotolgist would need to determine how long to be on Dapsone. I guess if the antibodies in the skin are reduced over time with a strict gluten-free diet, then the need for Dapsone is less likely when glutened. So, Knitty Kitty's advice on Niacin and all things dermatitis herpetiformis related is spot on.  Have you had the skin biopsy yet?
    • disneyfamilyfive
      Test result insight

      By disneyfamilyfive · Posted

      Good morning, I thought I’d quickly update this post.  A week or so after my test results were posted, my doctor’s nurse called to say 2 of 3 blood tests showed elevated numbers and referred to GI for further evaluation.  It took about 3 -4 weeks to get into a GI, it was over the holidays too, so I’m sure that pushed things out a bit.  Met with the GI who was great, really listened and said that even though the main celiac test was still in normal range, there are 2 tests that are not and in his experience not all 3 tests need to be positive to take the next steps.  He said after listening to all my symptoms, and looking through my recent medical history he felt that celiac was very likely.  5 days later I was in for an endoscopy (and colonoscopy just to cover all bases at once) and 6 days later the biopsy results came back as positive for celiac sprue.  GI of course said a strict gluten free diet, referred to GI registered Dietitian and come back in one year for a repeat endoscopy to determine healing. If symptoms don’t subside (or improve) after gluten free diet for a couple then return sooner. 
    • knitty kitty
      Can food allergies like milk and soy flatten villi?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Matt13  I understand where you're coming from.  Seemed I was reacting to all sorts of foods there for a while, but a low histamine Paleo diet really helps.   We make histamine in our bodies as a useful  neurotransmitter (causing alertness), and also as a response in the immune system.  Histamine is made and released by Mast Cells.  Mast Cells can become hypersensitive to stimulus and release histamine easily, like having an itchy trigger finger.  Mast Cells need Thiamine Vitamin B 1 Benfotiamine in order to NOT release histamine.  Mast Cells that do not have sufficient Thiamine release histamine easily and at the slightest provocation.   Plants and other animals make histamine, too.  By removing high histamine foods from the diet, more histamine can be removed from the body.  We need Pyridoxine, Vitamin B 6, Vitamin C, Cobalamine, B12, and Thiamine B1 to make Diamine Oxidase, an enzyme that breaks down histamine.  If we don't make sufficient DAO ourselves, DAO supplements are available over-the-counter.   Removing Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers) was very helpful.  Nightshades contain alkaloids that cause Leaky Gut Syndrome wherein large molecules of food can pass through the walls of the intestines into the bloodstream, traveling to other organs and structures where they promote inflammation.   After a few days on the low histamine Paleo diet, the Autoimmune Protocol diet, I started feeling better.  My diet was really restricted, but I felt so much better, I stuck with it.  Eating foods that were easy to digest and low in histamine allowed time for healing.  After a few weeks, I was ready to add one food at a time (two week period) back into my diet.  I had setbacks when I ran into a food my body didn't like, and had to go back to the start, but it was worth doing.  Celiac is a marathon, not a sprint.   Blood tests are not accurate measurements for various B vitamin deficiencies.  Vitamin levels in the bloodstream are different from the amount stored inside cells inside organs where they are utilized.  You can have symptoms of a deficiency yet have "normal" blood levels.  The best way to test for a B vitamin deficiency is to take it and look for health improvement.  B vitamins are easily excreted because they are water soluble.  Malabsorption in Celiac can affect all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need, not just one.  Do talk to your doctor and nutritionist about supplementing while healing.  
    • Morgan Tiernan
      DH and swollen lymph nodes

      By Morgan Tiernan · Posted

      A little late to the party in terms of seeing this and responding to it, so apologies! But I wanted to responds as this sounds exactly like my experience. I had covid, followed by shingles, followed by strep… that unlucky bout of infections is what lead me here with dermatitis herpetiformis. I was also self diagnosed in the beginning and turns out I was absolutely right! Currently waiting for biopsy confirmation though. In terms of swollen lymph nodes, I get this when my rash is present. Mostly in my neck and they’re a lot more swollen if I’ve been cross-contaminated with gluten and when the rash is at its worst!   
    • knitty kitty
      Weak positive blood test and marsh type 1

      By knitty kitty · Posted

×
×
  • Create New...