anecdata | On when I eat

Eating a mostly early time restricted feeding (eTRF) diet is interesting. There are a lot of benefits that the researcher Satchin Panda found. I am a few days away from starting to read his book. Although the few scholarly articles that I have found on his research seem promising (there is, of course, more research to be done- especially in humans).

I, however, have noticed a few things. The most startling is that my sleep schedule is reset. Perhaps it is the combination of tiredness, energy, and the surge of melatonin- I get unbearably sleepy around 9:45-10:00 PM. Of all the sleep hygiene tips I have implemented in 2022, this knocked it out of the park. And it wasn't even supposed to be a sleep hygiene tip. The sleep that I get is without a doubt the most restful I have had in recent memory. I still have dreams (mostly nightmares due to medication) but fewer.

It is possible that the many changes I have made throughout the year contribute to this. For example, a hard coffee/caffeine cutoff of 4PM must have helped. The removal of phone/blue light screens from the bedroom must have done so as well. However, I had made those changes to my sleep atmosphere for the most of the year, while this eating period change is a recent one. So I have to believe that this is the cause - or at least a significant contributor.

The other important thing is my waking routine. For the past two weeks, I awoke at around 4:30. My alarm still set for 6:30, of course. Yet, I awake like a hawk every morning. And although my sleep is short of the 7 hours, I am not tired.

A few days, I have tried to remain in bed to see if sleep catches me again. Nothing. I will close my eyes for a few minutes, but I am still awake. I do not get any more rested. It does not matter if I awake at 6,7, or 8. In fact, the longer I stay in bed after my initial awakening, the more fatigued I feel. It is the damndest thing.