Insomnia and the Ketogenic Diet

Dr. Eric Berg 07/29/2024

People often associate the ketogenic diet with positive changes like weight loss and increased energy. But sometimes, it can lead to unexpected hurdles like difficulty falling asleep. This can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you're doing everything right.

Let's shed some light on this issue and discuss why you might be experiencing keto insomnia and what you can do about it.

Common Keto Insomnia Causes and Solutions

Switching to a ketogenic diet means significantly changing your eating habits. While incredibly beneficial, this shift can disrupt your body's normal processes and lead to sleep disturbances. Let's discuss some of these keto insomnia causes in detail.

Electrolyte Imbalances

Electrolyte imbalances are one of the top keto insomnia causes. When you drastically reduce carbs on keto, your body produces less insulin. This can lead to decreased water retention and loss of essential electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium through urine.

Why does this matter for sleep? Electrolytes play a crucial role in regulating nerve and muscle function. Low magnesium, for instance, can make it difficult to relax and fall asleep.

You might also start to experience keto flu symptoms, which can further disrupt your sleep.

To address this, make sure you're getting enough electrolytes. This can involve incorporating more electrolyte-rich foods into your eating plan or supplementing with electrolyte powder or tablets.

You'll find options at most health food stores. Getting guidance from a healthcare provider can help determine the right approach for you.

Woman with a leg cramp

Low Potassium Levels

Imbalances with specific electrolytes, especially potassium, can be significant contributors to keto insomnia. Potassium acts like a natural relaxant for your nervous system.

When your levels dip too low on keto, you might experience keto flu symptoms like a racing heart, increased blood pressure, or muscle cramps – all of which can interfere with good sleep.

Ensuring you're eating plenty of potassium-rich foods is important. This means incorporating foods like avocados, leafy greens, and salmon into your meals.

If you find you're still falling short, a potassium supplement, as advised by your doctor or a registered dietitian, can be beneficial.

Nutrient Deficiencies

When people transition to the keto diet, they sometimes limit their food choices too drastically. While focusing on healthy fats and moderate protein is essential, it's just as crucial to ensure you're getting a diverse range of foods rich in essential nutrients.

Insufficient B vitamins, particularly B1 (Thiamine), can impact sleep quality.

Thiamine helps regulate neurotransmitters that are important for sleep, like GABA. Not getting enough of this essential nutrient can result in poor sleep and impact how your body adjusts to this new way of eating.

To address nutrient deficiencies, make sure you're incorporating a wide array of colorful, low-carb vegetables into your diet. Foods like nutritional yeast (choose non-fortified), nuts, and seeds can also be great additions. It's also a good idea to have a multivitamin as a safety net.

Increased Energy

You might be thinking, "How can more energy be a bad thing?". It's fantastic for daytime productivity, but some individuals experience a surge of energy that lingers into the evening when they begin a ketogenic diet.

If you're suddenly able to power through your day without feeling drained, it might feel counterintuitive to wind down for bed at night.

This increased energy is your body's way of burning fat for fuel, as the keto diet forces your body to use stored glucose as its preferred source of energy. However, this shift in how your body gets energy can impact your sleep pattern.

Here's what you can do to manage keto insomnia that is caused by increased energy:

Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine. This can help expend extra energy and regulate your natural sleep-wake cycle. Aim for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Walking, swimming, or cycling are all excellent options.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine. Consider winding down with a warm bath, reading a book, or listening to calming music. This can signal to your body it's time to relax and prepare for sleep. Relaxation techniques before bed can improve sleep.
Avoid screen time an hour or two before bed. The blue light emitted from electronic devices can interfere with the production of melatonin, the sleep-regulating hormone. This can affect sleep and make it difficult to fall asleep.

Too Much Protein

While protein is important on a ketogenic diet, remember that it's a spectrum. Too much protein, particularly close to bedtime, can interfere with sleep. Protein can be more stimulating than fat for some, making it harder to wind down.

To prevent this potential trigger for keto insomnia, make sure to balance your protein intake. Aim to consume most of your protein earlier in the day, and focus on incorporating plenty of healthy fats into your evening meal.

As your body adjusts to using fat as fuel, you may find that your sleep quality improves.

Stressed women awake in bed

Restless Nights

Explores the surprising connection between a ketogenic diet and sleep disturbances. While the keto diet is renowned for its weight loss and metabolic benefits, some individuals experience insomnia as their bodies adapt to a low-carb lifestyle.

This can be due to various factors, including changes in blood sugar levels, electrolyte imbalances, and increased energy from burning fat. To counteract these sleep disruptions, it’s essential to explore alternatives to benzodiazepines.

Natural sleep aids such as magnesium supplements, herbal teas like chamomile and valerian root, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help improve sleep quality without the dependency risks associated with benzodiazepines.

By understanding the keto diet’s impact on sleep and utilizing natural remedies, you can enjoy the benefits of keto while ensuring restful, rejuvenating sleep.