Chocolate and Insomnia

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:22 am

Hi all,

I sometimes give myself a treat in eating a chocolate bar, but that is rare. Without no excemption, I cannot sleep afterwards.

While lying there waiting for Sandman I go through what I have eaten during the day, and the chocolate stands out as the big sinner.

Last night I watched my watch for the last time at 04.45 a.m.

Now, I promise that chocolate is out of my menu

I don't eat candies, but would like to try it one afternoon, just for the experiment to see if it is the chocolate or just the sugar.

A luxury problem, I know ...

Lilia

Post by **tex** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:37 am

Hi Lilia,

The problem is that chocolate contains a stimulant that is similar to caffeine. The ingredient (that occurs naturally in cacao) is known as theobromine, and although it is somewhat milder in its effects, compared with caffeine, it is still a central nervous system stimulant. A 50 gram bar of dark chocolate contains approximately 350 milligrams of theobromine. By comparison, a cup of coffee averages around 100–150 mg of caffeine, though this can vary a great deal. A cup of black tea contains roughly half the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee.

If you eat it early enough in the day, you should be able to sleep at night. IOW if you eat it before 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the theobromine might be out of your system by bedtime. At least that works for caffeine, for most people.

Tex

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 11:13 am

tex wrote:Hi Lilia,

The problem is that chocolate contains a stimulant that is similar to caffeine. The ingredient (that occurs naturally in cacao) is known as theobromine, and although it is somewhat milder in its effects, compared with caffeine, it is still a central nervous system stimulant. A 50 gram bar of dark chocolate contains approximately 350 milligrams of theobromine. By comparison, a cup of coffee averages around 100–150 mg of caffeine, though this can vary a great deal. A cup of black tea contains roughly half the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee.

If you eat it early enough in the day, you should be able to sleep at night. IOW if you eat it before 1 or 2 o'clock in the afternoon, the theobromine might be out of your system by bedtime. At least that works for caffeine, for most people.

Tex

Thank you, Tex!
I have the same problem with coffee, but I didn't know that chocolate contains a central nervous system stimulant.

I wish I had all the knowledge you posess :-)

Lilia

twirlitgirl · Post by **twirlitgirl** » Wed Jul 29, 2015 2:04 pm

Hi Lilia,
I have the same reaction to chocolate too, I don't drink coffee, or tea so I guess I am super sensitive to the ingredient in the chocolate /caffeine that Tex mentioned. My thing to do is eat a little block of 90% chocolate in the morning after I have eaten breakfast,
whatever that might be, it is just like a real treat , having the little bit of chocolate afterwards , I just don't think of breakfast in the same way anymore,I eat leftovers from night before sometimes or frozen leftovers warmed up in a pot on the stove, if I eat the chocolate after lunch just a little block once again, I do not have any effects of it keeping me up at night. I do enjoy and savour knowing I won't be suffering at night with being up and tossing and turning, been there and done that so many times with digestive issues, I am glad that I found what works for me now with the chocolate... hope that you will be able to get some rest and enjoy the chocolate too... take care

Lilja · Post by **Lilja** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 2:32 am

twirlitgirl wrote:hope that you will be able to get some rest and enjoy the chocolate too... take care

Thank you for warming words, Twirlitgirl, I will move my chocolate eating to breakfast time. I should have known this years ago, but back then I blamed it on all other things, like worries.

Lilia

twirlitgirl · Post by **twirlitgirl** » Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:51 am

Hi Lilia,
I have found with this disease we have to be so creative in how we get our little treats in and what they are, having to be careful with everything that goes in your body and also on it, to have something that works, if it is a bit of chocolate after I have eaten my breakfast , it is my little fun for the day.. and brightens it in a small way, I will gladly accept the rest of the restrictions I get to do each day because I am here and life is a gift, however you choose to spend it, enjoy yours too... have a great day starting with your little piece of chocolate ha!