[SoupDragon]

At my last session with my T, kept saying how did I feel differently when I went to bed after a day when I had eaten compared to a day when I hadn't. I kept saying that I did not feel any different, but T kept on asking.

Why would T ask this? Do other people feel different going to bed depending on how much they have eaten?

Thanks SD

[AngelWolf3]

I know that if I eat more on a certain day, especially at dinner, I feel really disgusting and I totally hate myself even more, because I feel like I have less self-control and I have given in or totally failed or something like that. It's weird and it doesn't make sense, even as I am typing it, but that's what happens to me, at least. I know when I was restricting a lot more than I am now, I would feel physically ill if I ate more, and I would feel more powerful and almost a euphoria if I didn't eat.

Hope this helps?

[SoupDragon]

Thanks for sharing that wolfin3 - so does it affect how you sleep? Does it affect dreams? I am just wondering why my T was so fixated on sleep related to eating.

I really relate to those differences in feelings - actually at our session, T (possibly unknowingly?) asked what I ate on a good day - I think he meant when I was eating healthily - I had to reply that on a good day I ate very little - I know it is not rational, yet that is how I feel and dictates my resulting feelings of wow yes I did well, or I am revolting etc. when I do eat.

Thanks - Soup

[AngelWolf3]

You know, I never thought about if it affected how I slept, but looking back on it from last night, I did sleep really crappily and I had some really weird dreams. They were more violent, which I have not had violent dreams in a while.

For example, last night, I ate half a stuffed crust cheese pizza (which I haven't eaten that in a long time...and I feel horrible writing that) and I felt huge and disgusting, so I went to bed feeling all full and gross. So I don't know if that, in turn, made my dreams strange and uncomfortable since I was feeling that way? That would be an awesome question to ask your T, I think...(and let me know the answer if you would, because I am intrigued now!)

Oh hey, on another note, congrats on being a Moderator!

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by Wolfin3

You know, I never thought about if it affected how I slept, but looking back on it from last night, I did sleep really crappily and I had some really weird dreams. They were more violent, which I have not had violent dreams in a while.

For example, last night, I ate half a stuffed crust cheese pizza (which I haven't eaten that in a long time...and I feel horrible writing that) and I felt huge and disgusting, so I went to bed feeling all full and gross. So I don't know if that, in turn, made my dreams strange and uncomfortable since I was feeling that way? That would be an awesome question to ask your T, I think...(and let me know the answer if you would, because I am intrigued now!)

Oh hey, on another note, congrats on being a Moderator!

Thanks Wolfin3 - will see how it goes

Maybe I will be brave enough to ask my T why he asked about the sleep thing - then will let you know - Soup

[precious things]

I know if I go to bed empty I feel good (euphoric, in-control high) but during periods of heavy restriction, I sleep poorly and very restless. If I go to sleep feeling full, I feel depressed.

[JayneDough!]

I went out with some friends over the weekend and they wanted to eat. When I got home and went to bed I felt terrible, like there was too much in my stomach and eventually got up an vomited so that I would be able to sleep, so there must be something to it.

I also have nightmares when I eat too much.

Don't know if that is what your T is after, but it's how it worked for me.

[eskielover]

My not eating has so much to do with stress & with stress I don't sleep well.......but I also have a harder time sleeping when my stomach is empty.

Sort of like the Thanksgiving dinner....when we eat, the blood goes to our stomach to digest the food, & we get sleepy & can sleep well.....when we don't eat, the emptiness in our stomach....even though my stomach doesn't growl any more & doesn't tell me that I'm hungry.....but I think the there is really our stomach is NOT HAPPY with us when we are not feeding it & it's NOT feeling good at being empty even though our brain says we are......I think that it does cause for not a restful sleep.

Will be very interested to see what your T was trying to get at with that question.

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by eskielover

Will be very interested to see what your T was trying to get at with that question.

Thanks eskielover - oh dear does that mean I have to ask now? - T session 13 hours from now

[eskielover]

Well, you did get us all curious about where he was coming from....lol. Of course, not if you don't want to ask IRL.....just would be really interesting to know where he was coming from with his question (don't ya think?????)

[SoupDragon]

So had my T session and T backed right off from the whole food issue and had a very different approach. I think T realised how very close to quitting I had been and spent a lot of time talking around last session and trust, boundaries etc. However food is not completely "off the menu" T did make it clear that it is something to be talked about at some stage, but it will be done in a very different way. So sorry I cannot enlighten anyone about food and sleep - maybe when we return to it I can remember to ask.

Thanks again for your support - Soup

[AngelWolf3]

I am glad that T seemed to understand what your needs are right now! No worries on asking T about the sleep and food/dreams thing! (I liked how u used "off the menu" tongue in cheek, very nice! )

[eskielover]

Glad things worked out the way they did.....sometimes I think that T's see a problem & think of a way to work/solve it until they see the REAL reaction from their patient/client. He sounds like a wonderful sensitive T because sounds like he rethought his approach based on your reaction instead of pushing it even farther......he sounds very WISE....sounds like you are very lucky to have a T like him....glad it something that will be worked on along with the other things.......maybe it's not completely "off the menu" but at least it's not the Main Course any longer.

[loosethecordsoforio]

how does eating affect my sleep? well, when there have been times, a lot of them,
where i would dream about food. finding great caches of it, or buying it. it usually means i've been really stringent with my eating. these dreams make me wake up in horror. once in a while, i don't count calories and eat what i want. then i usually have disturbed sleep, and sometimes nightmares. this was my latest food dream:
i dreampt that the east indian guy on "Big Bang Theory" and i were roomates in college. he presented me with all this candy that i had sent him to the store for, and said i owed him money for it. i tend to have strange dreams no matter how i'm eating.

[unaluna]

That's an interesting dream! cuz in the show, he's like a multi-billionaire, he doesn't really need the money back for a little candy, does he? I have no idea what this MEANS, but wow.

[loosethecordsoforio]

Originally Posted by hankster

That's an interesting dream! cuz in the show, he's like a multi-billionaire, he doesn't really need the money back for a little candy, does he? I have no idea what this MEANS, but wow.

i think it means i have a crush on him.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by loosethecordsoforio

i think it means i have a crush on him.

LOL - he is quite adorable in the show! I can never figure out symbolism in dreams!

[Suchende]

meh I can't even think about sleeping if I haven't eaten at least in the previous 5 hours. Can hardly sit, laying down and sleeping is just out of the question.

[Gr3tta]

i can define A LOT!!! of food/sleep connections, but i don't see any of them being useful towards recovery. maybe i just don't get it though.

[loosethecordsoforio]

Originally Posted by hankster

LOL - he is quite adorable in the show! I can never figure out symbolism in dreams!

ha, ha! i can't either, unless i dream that i have to go to the bathroom.

I would hate to eat anytime before I went to bed, but I am wondering. Do any of you wake up regularly, compelled to feel your hip bones and ribs, to make sure that you have not gained weight? On the few nights that I do sleep, I do this several times. I also always check to be sure that if lying on my side, my knee bones, and ankles press painfully against each other, and all I can grab at that angle is my hip bone.

Does anyone else do this?

[whoswho]

I guess I'm pretty lucky that I usually sleep very well. So I don't often wake up in the middle of the night for anything. I tend to do the whole poking-at-my-tummy and looking-at-my-hip-bone routine before I go to sleep though, and run to the scale in the morning. I do have binge nightmares though, and I'll wake up in the middle of the night from those... those really are scary!