I have recently noticed I can not stay awake after eating. I'm not on any medications. At first it was just after a long day at work, when I had forgotten to eat that day, & then ate a big dinner. That's pretty normal. Now its gotten a little worse. I don't eat in the am. Lunch something like a PB & J, and in 30-45 I'm down for the count. Because dinner I ingest more the time is shorter before I fall asleep. I fight it, but can't seem to win. There has been a lot of stress in my life recently and my doctor has prescribed some calming life changes. I have never eaten 3 square, and forget to eat often. But I do eat very healthy. {Chicken and fish/home cooked meals from scratch/never processed} This makes it really hard for me to sleep at night.

So what are you seeking? Diet advice? Perhaps if you had at regular intervals a diet of fresh veggies and fruit and a good protein you wouldn't have this problem. Eliminate the stress, feed your body properly. The most important meal of the day is in the morning.

You exhaust your body all day by not feeding it, then you dump a lot of food on an tired body at the end of the day and you expect it to stay awake, then to sleep on demand just because the clock says its time to go to bed?

__________________

Perhaps find a physical outlet to occupy you away from dealing with the stress.

Do something that truly appeals to you and needs your full attention - be it a study class, exercise, meditation, closing off the world to read a book or even a nice long hot bath.

It�s not always easy to think about you first. These days of the downed economy and the circumstances that are produced because of it has reeked havoc on so many of us and the worst upset comes more from the physical state of mind as in worried stress and that in tune will effect daily life and deprive you of sleep.


It�s a total balancing act of the portions of mind, body and spirit that provide best health.

Be Well!

__________________

This happens to me when I over-do the carbohydrates. Especially my favorite - potatoes.

It's not fair. I have a young friend in his 30s. He has a PhD in theoretical physics; and his job is interesting enough that he does not interrupt it with meals. He literally only eats a large late dinner. He is very healthy. Maybe he will suffer later. I can just abuse my diet a teenie tiny bit and suffer bigger consequences.

__________________
-
- Jim
Life is just one damned thing after another - Elbert Hubbard

Thank you all.

Jim, I hear it. That's the way I used to be. It is unfair.

Sonia, thank you. I have found meditation to be a wonderful tool. am learning to control my stress levels.

Arrowwind09, I am wondering if I have a condition, or if this is just stress. If there is a herbal way to correct this. {I prefer not to use drugs unless there is no better remody} I hope you are not against Pescetarians. When I eat I eat correctly. Yes, as a very busy business owner, I do forget to eat, and expect my body to preform. This may be wrong, but is the way American's in my generation were raised. We now know better and are slowly trying to change lifelong habits. The suggestions you made are very well known paths to good living. I do realize these are all included in helping me sleep. Perhaps I should have stated my quiry differently? If so please accept my apology for the confusion. Thank you for your interest.

As far as stress alleviation look into something like Rhodiola Rosea - it helps to get you back on track after dealing with life stresses.

Wow, thank you!! I have a place near me, they can get it.

Great D.O.

Let me say, I don�t practice healing others - all I know is what has worked for me. Like you - I also live a busy and stressful life.

Rhodiola Rosea helped me *get to where I needed to be* in order to deal with issues in a more productive way. Sometimes things began to build up and become beyond our control - I learned its more about how you handle a stressful situation then the situation itself.

Once you are back in rhythm - your body with reciprocate in a more healthy manner with full absorption of nutrients and better sleep patterns that will indeed provide you with the energy needed for the day.

Be Well!

So far to me it sounds like your problem is lifestyle. You have said nothing to make me think otherwise. There will be no herb, no medicine to fix it. You have to change your mind and your behavior..

I don't see this as a lifestyle issue but more of a disturbance in D.O�s life.
　

It's all about choice. D.O. does have the freedom to make the best choices for health.
One may choose not to recognize that freedom and to not act on it. One may choose not to change, to grow, to learn. Is it a disturbance to not make healthy choices? Yes. But always, the way out is choice. To choose those lifestyles and behaviors that facilitate health.

Because D.O. is here inquiring perhaps there is a willingness to find some answers. But really, from all that has been stated about the condition, all the fixes are lifestyle choices..

The choice to eat 3 decent meals a day, to drink enough water,
the choice to eliminate stressful factors or to learn to meditate, or walk or some other exercise or whatever.
the choice to eat a proper meal at the end of the day, to eat lightly and not overindulge.
the choice to seek out natural sleep aides.

I guess that it is an educational process for some.

By the disturbance in DO�s life I meant the recent change as this has not been an issue before.

D.O. NEVER ate 3 meals and functioned just fine in the past - it the added stress has made a difference.

Stress is a powerful obstacle that can overwhelm any of us.

Perhaps never eating three decent meals has finally paid its toll.
How long can a body endure a poor regimen and then stand up to
added stress?

People eat junk for 40 years, burn their candle at both ends and they seem just fine then suddenly they find out they have diabetes or cancer.

If the daily regimen is good then many people can stand up to increased stress.
But if you don't eat, eat trash, have never had any system of daily stress reduction then you will go down and end up with conditions like insomnia or even worse.

How many years can you eat no breakfast, peanut butter and jelly for lunch, over eat at dinner, have no system of stress release without breaking down?

That this person does not have an underlaying disease I have not said, but they have given me no indication of one. What must be done first is lifestyle change...for several months at least. Then see what is left to contend with. I think DO's doctor was right in prescribing stress release techniques...and since nothing else was mentioned I have to assume nothing else was prescribed and it makes me think that no real disease condition was found by the doc either. If the doc overlooked diet and other aspects of daily regimen than that needs to be addressed too.

This condition did not just suddenly occur. It is something that you have been working long and hard to achieve. The body is an amazing thing it can be subjected to and endure an amazing amount of abuse. But if the abuse continues indefinitely things will start to break down.

No that is not normal. I would suggest that you need to make some major changes in your daily schedule. Perhaps getting up a little earlier and making sure you start out with a good breakfast. Forcing yourself to stop for 30 -40 minute to have lunch and then maybe practice some of that meditation. Or maybe mentally plan out what needs to be done for the rest of the day.

This may at first seem like you have wasted 30-40 minutes, but in the long run I think you will find that you are more productive for the rest of the day.

How stable are your blood sugars? Becoming very sleepy after eating could signal a need to check this. Perhaps you are getting a spike followed by a crash ie, sleepiness........?