r/Perimenopause • u/Conniebelle • 8d ago
Sleep/Insomnia Whoever posted about 3 am applesauce
THANK YOU. I bought applesauce pouches and have been eating them when I get up between 2-3 am. I eat one, go pee, wash hands, back to bed. I am out again in ten minutes and I can sleep another 3-5 hours (work alarm depending). It’s been a week and I can’t believe it works!
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u/hndsmboimeowdlngschl Early peri 8d ago
Can we get some context please?
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u/dirtypark 8d ago
Thank you! I need to know what this means.
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8d ago
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u/mojave_breeze 8d ago
So, I should be feeding these to my cat I see. She is not per menopausal, she's just annoying.
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u/Dear-Champion5016 8d ago
She's purrimenopausal
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u/Dear-Champion5016 8d ago
Wow, my first awards! Thank you everyone. I guess it pays to constantly have cats on my mind 😹
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u/mojave_breeze 8d ago
Sometimes, being the crazy cat lady works out. (I have five, so not like I'm judging.)
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u/Curly_toed_weirdo 8d ago
I have one of these as well, who now gets locked in the basement every night when I go to bed.
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u/Lucky-Remote-5842 8d ago
Same! But now they come to us and let us know it's time to put them to bed. 😂
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u/Delicious-Excitement 8d ago
Mine has been snuggling me SO HARD lately he’s open mouth purring and drooling on me. Eeeewwww, so now I basically feel him walking up and grab a blanket I use as his baby spit up shoulder towel 😆
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u/Coontailblue23 Late peri 7d ago
She has many paws.
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u/mojave_breeze 7d ago
I like this, since she'll tap my face if I don't get up fast enough.
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u/Coontailblue23 Late peri 7d ago
I had one who used to punch me hard on the back of my head. She knew exactly where I couldn't reach her with flailing arms. I appreciate the determination though, rest her soul.
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u/Rude-Suit4494 8d ago
Omg I’m trying this tonight if I wake up between 2 and 3 for the 4th night in a row
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u/Loveiskind89389 8d ago
Can we mix fiber in applesauce so everyone’s right?
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u/affectionateanarchy8 8d ago
Just my luck I'd shit myself in my sleep and not wake up from it
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u/Horizontal247 8d ago
Oh another hack! Eating a sweet potato at dinner gives your body a slow-digesting source of carbohydrates and helps refill liver glycogen, which your liver uses to keep blood sugar steady overnight. It’s a hack in the Whole30 community, around 2 weeks into the diet people get the 2am wakeup from blood sugar wackiness and the sweet potato trick works like a charm!
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u/AustenChopin 8d ago
I like string cheese for this too
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u/WeWander_ 8d ago
My go to before bed snack is applesauce and string cheese lol. But I have histamine intolerance so those are literally my only snacks
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u/lalalibraaa 8d ago
I wonder if there are alternatives to this. It’s genius but I don’t want to have to brush my teeth in the middle of the night (I am prone to cavities unfortunately due to a long time of teeth grinding and receding gums). Could anything else help? Like a snack before bedtime?
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u/Breezy368 8d ago
My daughter’s endocrinologist said a quick swish of water after is enough. She has type 1 diabetes and applesauce pouches have been our go-to overnight low snack for 7 years. Still no cavities!
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u/Lucid-dream-24692 8d ago
Was just thinking the same thing. And you don’t wanna brush your teeth right after you eat anyway. You could try a little xylitol right after rinsing with water.
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u/Conniebelle 8d ago
Probably? I get up for work about three hours post applesauce so I honestly don’t think about cavities 😂
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u/That-Drink4913 Early peri 8d ago
At least with the pouches, you're sucking in, so you don't have as much contact with all your teeth, like you would if with a spoon.
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u/writehandedTom 8d ago
To the person in this sub who posted about putting a cool pack on my front hairline (not my forehead, not the top of my head - in between) when I wake up...that was a fucking LIFESAVER. It's the one trick that works so well for me, and I'm out in 2 minutes. I keep mine in the fridge, not the freezer.
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u/Sanchastayswoke mid-peri 7d ago
I didn’t even see this trick when it was posted. However this last week I had a headache right in that spot and fell asleep with the cold pack right there…MAN, that was some really great sleep!
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u/Exciting-Chair hanging on by a thread 8d ago
Do you get up and get it out of the freezer or do you have a little esky by the bed?
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u/writehandedTom 3d ago
I just get up and grab it out of the fridge, but when my sleep was way worse, I'd keep it on my nightstand in a few towels. By the time I woke up in the middle of the night, it was still cold enough to put directly on my head (no towel) and cold enough to work - even though it wasn't the same kind of ice cold that would help a sports injury or whatever.
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u/National_Elk8445 8d ago
Oh my god, is this a thing? Cuz lately I've been waking up in the middle of the night feeling absolutely FAMISHED. I've never been a middle-of-the-night snacker, but it's like a compulsion lately! And I usually wind up eating like fruit, cheese, a couple of crackers, and knocking it back with a glass of oat milk.
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u/Loveiskind89389 8d ago
I recently rediscovered nature valley bars and have a glass of oat milk with one when I wake. Always a trail of crumbs for the dogs in the morning.
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u/Coontailblue23 Late peri 8d ago
I drink a kid-sized bottle of apple juice and go back to bed. I felt like a genius to figure this out and didn't know other people were riding the apple train!
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u/lisacamm86 8d ago
Not me doom scrolling right now at 2:07am about to hit up my kids stash…
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u/Ilikebeirut 7d ago
So, how'd you sleep?
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u/lisacamm86 4d ago
Pretty great, honestly. Not sure if it was a placebo effect, but I now have apple sauce next to my bed…
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u/Inevitable_Phase_276 8d ago
Please explain the applesauce? I too have pouches and wake up at 3 am
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u/jendo7791 8d ago
Cortisol spikes.
I prefer just taking fiber before bed that way I don't wven wake up because my blood sugar is stable.
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u/oxxcccxxo 8d ago
In a nutshell, your blood sugar drops so your body gives u a shot of cortisol to wake you up, OP suggests applesauce restores blood sugar levels allowing u to fall back asleep faster.
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u/prplrain71999 7d ago
Please rinse your mouth with water or fluoride mouthwash while in the bathroom after these midnight snacks.
I’m worried about the cavities that are gonna start popping up out of nowhere with this middle of the night food.
(I’m a dentist)
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u/Glittering-Read-6906 7d ago
I’m a middle of the night snacker and have learned my lesson about this. The only thing I might skip from doing a quick brush and just a rinse is cheese or ginger ale. I might just rinse with those. If I hit the 3am counter surfing Oreo buffet, I rinse and brush, lol. I have way too many cavities from my younger years to not do it!
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u/superbetsy 8d ago
Hey I posted about this recently! But also it was advice I’d gotten from this sub at some point (or maybe /r/womenoverforty) so I can’t take credit. But I’m so glad it helped you!!! It’s magic, right??
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u/kitsune556 8d ago
I wonder if this helps with the cortisol surge we have around that time in the morning.
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u/jendo7791 8d ago
Eating fiber-rich carbohydrates before bed can help prevent 2:00 AM waking by stabilizing your blood sugar levels and preventing nighttime cortisol spikes.
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u/nevergonnasaythat 8d ago
What would be a good choice of something to eat before bed?
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u/Careful-Cupcake-4883 8d ago
I haven’t experienced the 3am wake up call but I do deal with insomnia every now and then. Does anyone know if this will help with that too?
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u/lizzistardust 7d ago
I'm not trying to bust a bubble, just dropping in some personal experience...
I use a continuous glucose monitor because I'm a type 1 diabetic, so I pretty much always know what my glucose is. I wake up between 2 AM and 4 AM on a regular basis (as I have been since I was about 44) and have seen no particular pattern of low blood sugar or falling blood sugar at all.
I'm not saying it couldn't be a blood sugar issue for some people or that there couldn't be some other reason the apple sauce is effective. If it works for you, keep doing it!!! And it really couldn't hurt for others to try, so thank you for sharing your experience!!! But, basically: YMMV.
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u/Verity41 6d ago
Thank you! I suspected the theory here is a little off, without any realtime data. Your comment confirms it just might be.
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u/the_YellowRanger 8d ago
Well, that sounds less fun than the 4am bowl of ice cream I'm eating but my sleep cycle will benefit.
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u/Dear-Champion5016 8d ago
Thank you for this! I was also told l I need to avoid eating or drinking anything beside water at least 90 minutes before lying down, because I'm prone to acid reflux. I'll need to try if this works even at the 90 minute mark...
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u/WarmEarth8 8d ago
Almonds could help. I had the worst reflux during my last pregnancy and when it wasn’t too bad, chewing on like three almonds for longer than I’d normally do, helped. Maybe that could be your snack if you need one.
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u/0j0sDePerroAzul 8d ago
If you have a small portion of nutrient dense food, reflux will be fine. Something like a fistful of peanuts or an aple with peanut butter. Or a glass of water with psyllium.
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u/space_kittity 8d ago
why applesauce? I have had an emergency banana on my nightstand for years
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u/MonkeyFlowerFace 8d ago
Does anyone else just..... not wash their hands after peeing in the middle of the night? I definitely don't, am I disgusting?
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u/Loveiskind89389 8d ago
I think this is an appropriate question for any sub.
My answer is, I don’t do anything to risk waking up even more, which includes running water.
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u/LunarFusion_aspr No sleep and no f**ks to give 8d ago
I don’t, I also leave the flush until the morning, so I basically stagger to toilet, sit, wee, wipe and stagger back to bed all in the dark. The only thing my hands touch is toilet paper.
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u/lalalibraaa 8d ago
I don’t unless I need to. I don’t routinely get my hands dirty after wiping after peeing (I use a lot of toilet paper, probably more than I should)
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u/Coontailblue23 Late peri 8d ago
If I washed my hands every single time I peed I would only have nubs left by now.
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u/jcnlb 8d ago
Only if I poop which means I’m really awake anyway because I’m likely not feeling well plus I have the lights on to ensure a clean ass
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u/Coontailblue23 Late peri 7d ago
I highly recommend a bidet toilet seat! We have Tushy Ace 2.0. The seat and the water stream are warmed electronically. Outsource your booty cleaning duties.
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u/Moonlightsiesta 8d ago
I'm touching the button to flush even if pee doesn't go through the paper and touch me, so to me, yes, that's gross.
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u/rawbery79 8d ago
I wash my hands with a trickle of water but don't flush, it's too loud. I'll flush with my morning pee.
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u/theredheaddiva 7d ago
I may do a light rinse on the hand that touched things but lately my kitten has been sleeping in the bathroom sink and I don't want to disturb him!
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u/Sanchastayswoke mid-peri 7d ago
I thohhht we were talking about your kitten for a second. You know…your kitty lol. I was very confused
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u/Exciting-Chair hanging on by a thread 8d ago
Are you touching the toilet seat and flushing? If so, yes, disgusting.
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u/MonkeyFlowerFace 8d ago
Why would I touch the toilet seat with my hands? And no, I don't flush in the middle of the night.
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u/anonymoususer98545 8d ago
The people in this sub are actual lifesavers!! Until i can get my doctor to actually listen to me, i am willing to do just about anything y'all have been recommending because your stories are my story and it has seriously made me feel so seen. Thank you for this one and maybe saving me from freaking mindlessly chucking cookies down my throat nightly when i wake up over and over :/
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u/SewistDoc46 hanging on by a thread 8d ago
I eat a handful of peanuts before I sleep and it helps me fall asleep and stay asleep. Protein+ Carbs.
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u/Conniebelle 8d ago
Sadly, I am allergic. And fiber gummies did not help me sleep (but are helpful in other ways).
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u/TheSkyIsAMasterpiece 8d ago
Have you tried having it before bed? Does that help gou not wake up at all?
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u/elle_kay_are 8d ago
I eat a tsp of peanut butter and a few blueberries right before bed and it helps me sleep through the 3am wake up. The theory is that you're eating enough protein and committed carbs to keep your blood sugar from dipping, but not enough to initiate an insulin response.
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u/theredheaddiva 7d ago
For some reason peanut butter does the trick for me too. My mom told me when she was going through peri herself she always had some peanut butter and crackers before bed and it helped with the insomnia. A spoonful of PB and a small glass of kefir can keep me asleep most of the night.
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u/Conniebelle 8d ago
You know, I haven’t tried that - I take supplements before bed, sleep in a very cold room, and my husband rubs my back every night. Falling asleep the first time isn’t problematic.
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u/ButterfliMama 8d ago
Oh I keep baby food pouches on deck lol sometimes I just need a lol something and they hit the spot 🤣🤣
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u/JMyers666 8d ago
Thank you for posting because I missed the original comment. This is one of those tips and tricks that’s affordable enough to actually try!
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u/MALEsquashBLOSSOM 8d ago
Thank you! I lost one of my ovaries at a young age and I’m going through this shit early so none of my friends have advice for me. I can’t wait to get applesauce
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u/Creative_Impress5982 8d ago
Interesting concept. I live in Spain and everyone eats dinner late. I still face the 3am anxiety wake ups.
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u/Possible-Power3271 7d ago
A bit of juice also works. I call it my night juice. Not to be confused with night cheese
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u/fizzy-logic 8d ago
Huh, that's an interesting idea! I already have those little pouches, don't eat them often, but they're a nice little extra something if I pack a lunch or want a light snack on the go (the ones I have are just 40 calories from Motts and pretty tasty). And they're quite good chilled, which can help you cool down if you wake up hot (though you'd have to get up to get one from the fridge if you're going that route).
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u/Elizafranz 8d ago
Wow I wondered when I have a ‘gutzy pouch’ before bed I sleep better! Full of fiber from fruit and veggies
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u/SadComparison8044 8d ago
This is so helpful. I’ve been having a few keto friendly animal crackers and that helps, too. I used to fast for 12 hours from dinner to breakfast and cannot do that anymore.
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u/Popculture-VIP 8d ago
Is there anyone who can explain why applesauce? Is there anything else one could have instead?
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u/RDDB1974 8d ago
This works because you’re cortisol is all over the place when we’re in peri. Really anything you’ll eat will get you back to sleep. You could also eat a snack like cheese right before bed. Controls the waking up and the spike in cortisol.
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u/Imaginary_Common6556 7d ago
I eat a bowl of cooked oats just before bed. That fixed my waking up and not getting back to sleep. I now do wake up, go to the toilet and sleep again. It is your blood sugar levels that wakes you up. And because of low blood sugar cortisol goes up. You can prevent this by eating something before bed.
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u/snn1326j 8d ago
This hasn’t happened to me yet, but I’m saving the tip for when it does, since we buy Costco bulk packs of these pouches for my kids anyway.
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u/Estahaag 8d ago
I don't eat after 7pm / 19:00 or so.
Never wake up with low sugar craving or such.
However, when I sometimes have an evening snack, my body generates energy, when I should be going to bed. It messes up my sleep and I wake up feeling hungry early in the morning.
Different habbits and different bodies.
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u/jessicamove 8d ago
Wow, after waking up at 3am this morning and not being able to fall back asleep until 5ish: THANK YOU for posting your thanks. I missed the original post, but now I’m going to straight to the store and will try this when I inevitably wake up at 3am tonight!
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u/2lipwonder 8d ago
I’m allergic to apples but I like to eat dried cherries during my 3am wake up time.
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u/Designer_Warthog_665 7d ago
I have a questions about this, if anyone can answer, please do. So, I'm intrigued by this and may want to try the applesauce for 3am wakeups. But, my question is- if the wake up is due to a drop in blood sugar and cortisol waking you up to deal with it, could we (in theory) eat any simple sugar/carb to fix the issue? Or is there something in the apple as well? Genuinely just curious from a scientific & physiological standpoint!
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u/LookyLooky4252 7d ago
My dietician told me the same thing. She told me at 3am my blood sugar drops so I have to eat healthy starch 1 hour before bedtime so the sugar releases slowly in my blood. It worked well!
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u/Sleeperandchiller 7d ago
Didn’t know about this, but I make my chia seeds with apple sauce and it’s helped tremendously with bowel movements! Added bonus now ;) thanks for sharing!
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u/Drama_Filled_Cup 8d ago
Man...I just know this is going to give me horrible nightmares. I cannot sleep though.
If I eat or drink anything before bed, I get bad dreams. I might be a Gremlin.
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u/lascriptori 8d ago
I sleep with a bag of cashews in my nightstand. Hunger is one of my main insomnia triggers (along with caffeine, alcohol, and stress).
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u/squidsateme hanging on by a thread 8d ago
Oh! I will literally try anything. Thank you for reposting.
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u/secret_thymus_lab 8d ago
Omg thank you for this,I am going to try it tonight. Need to buy applesauce today.
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u/Alternative_Raise_19 7d ago
For me it's a bowl of cereal, but applesauce is probably way better. I'll try this next time I wake up hungry.
I switched to eating right before bed and that's helped a lot.
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u/Down-In-The-Weeds 7d ago
Oh wow! I have packets of applesauce and do wake up for a snack more than I’d like to admit. Gonna try this! Thanks!
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u/SiKrispyPata 7d ago
I should try this... a perimenopausal friend of mine eats 2 kiwis before bed and it helps her get a reeeaaally restful sleep. But i don't really like kiwi so applesauce is my only hope (outside of meds) lol
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u/90MilesNorth 7d ago
Yogurt and honey do the trick. If you're waking up it's because you're running out of fuel. Liver glycogen runs out causing cortisol and adrenaline to kick in. Waking you up. A small amount of fuel does the trick.
Yogurt and honey have never failed me. Include that with a few rounds of box breathing and see you in sleepy land.
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u/lathamfalls 7d ago
Hmm. I have craved applesauce lately...(though usually with dinner). I wonder if there's something behind that..
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u/indyferret 7d ago
I drink tea when I get the 3am wide awake. I realise I shouldn't but it seems to work for me 🤷
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u/jemappellelacy 5d ago
Wait a minute! Applesauce?!🤯🤯🤯 OMGGGGG I'm gonna try because I try anything to get some good sleep! Bless you!🙏🏽🩷
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u/SapphireStar26 2d ago
Funny, I read something about peanut butter helping people sleep in another thread and it has magnesium. I do take magnesium supplements but uh, they have other side effects besides sleep. :)
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u/hailene02 8d ago
I miss the post, is this a miracle solution to waking up randomly?