Continuing the discussion from Sleep problems after working out:
I’ve implemented a lot of the practices ya’ll had suggested - I now read for about 20 minutes before going to bed, I write down a to-do list for the next day, I don’t use screens an hour before bedtime, and I limit light exposure at that time. These have definitely helped calm down my CNS after working out, so thank you everyone.
However, once I lie down in bed and start trying to fall asleep (on a day where I lift), I feel like I have to move my legs, kind of like a case of restless leg syndrome. I already stretch and foam roll after my lifts. I take hot showers, read my book, etc. I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions on this.
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Your nighttime routine sounds fantastic! Sorry to hear about the restless legs; have you considered a possible electrolyte deficiency?
The naturopathic doc, Dr. Berg, has videos about that issue and he relates it to a lack of potassium.
However, I take his potassium advice somewhat with a grain of salt (hardy har) because his recommendation is kind of outlandish. He says we need something like 4700 mg (!!) of potassium. Well that’s crazy since most potassium supps only contain 99 mg and a banana only contains 450 mg.
So, I’m in the (workout day) habit of supplementing with a little potassium. Luckily most produce contains potassium, but as we all know, if you’re active you need more of certain nutrients than those who aren’t breaking a sweat on a regular basis.
Another potential thing to consider is a vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. One of the symptoms (according to Dr. Berg again) is restless legs. But the other symptoms don’t seem to track with what you’re experiencing. As I watch his video on it, I’m actually starting to think B1 deficiency might be my problem right now. HAHA.
Anyway, I might be stealing your nighttime plan because I’ve developed some really bad bedtime habits. So thanks for creating these threads, and I hope you get the relief you need!
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I believe someone in the original thread mentioned something about electrolytes. 4700mg of potassium is insaneee. What do you use for your potassium supplements, and how many mg? I do take a vitaminB complex in the morning, along with my other vitamins.
I use cronometer to gauge my macros and nutrients for the day - my most recent entry shows that I had 3243mg potassium for the day. I will check out that video - thank you!!
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I’ve found rubbing my legs with an ice pack does some good. Sometimes I’ll just lie on my side with the ice pack wedged between my thighs and that will provide some relief.
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What I use isn’t fancy at all. I think we got whatever we could find last time we went grocery shopping. So I have yet to research whether quality matters with potassium.
As far as amount goes, I only take maybe one or two 99 mg potassium pills.
A couple of the symptoms with inadequate potassium is constipation and water retention, so if I’m noticing either of those symptoms I’ll take a couple. But it’s not a consistent thing for me since I don’t work out every day.
Good thinking! It doesn’t sound like a B1 issue then. There are some other electrolytes aside from just potassium and sodium, so it might be worth your time to research those, or maybe list your symptoms to ChatGPT. (I need to take my own advice and do that today.)
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Maybe your muscles are hungry and depleted after a tough workout.
Consider more carbs after squatting to help replenish glycogen in your legs, and to help absorb and retain electrolytes better.
Or if you’re super worried about carbs, maybe before leg workouts, so you start with “Fully Fueled Muscles” and finish up less empty.
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I’ll have to give that a try - thanks!
ChatGPT said something about an iron deficiency, but I already eat a lot of iron-rich foods like red meat…yeah I’ll have to look into it more!
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I’m not worried about carbs at all; I have a clif bar or something equivalent before every lift. Last night I devoured a big plate of pasta after my lift. However with the cronometer that I use to track my macros/nutrients, I normally fall on the short end of my carb target. I aim for around 2300-2400 cal per day. For my last entry, I had 155g protein (target is 145g), 60g of fat (target is 45g), and 266g of carbs (target is 342g). Maybe I just need to eat more carbs throughout the day?
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Have you ever done a test for iron levels? Might be worth your time to check just in case.
It’s called a serum ferritin test and you can get it taken at any of the standard testing places.
I’ve always been a huge beef gal, and I struggled with borderline anemic levels through my 20s and 30s. I’ve met one or two other women who were in the same boat: lots of meat in their diets, yet low iron for whatever reason.
It’s a cruel deficiency because when your iron levels are low, you’ll often have heavy periods leading to even lower iron levels. Bodies are so mean sometimes! When I got serious about raising my iron, my periods got light and short.
Throughout the day works too. Whatever fits into your plan with the least amount of disruption.
Its possible you have a more complicated or specific problem going on, so I don’t want to brush off anyone else’s advice and suggestions.
But you might be a banana and a glass of cranberry juice or a bowl of Rice Chex away from sleeping well and killing it in the gym. It would be a quick experiment.