If you are intermittent fasting, are you worried that sleep aids will break your fast and lose the benefits of fasting? We have the answer below along with some requested questions below.
If you are taking melatonin to help you sleep, you should continue. Melatonin pills do not contain any calories or carbohydrates. However, sleep gummies can break your fast because of the sugars in the form of glucose.
Do Sleeping Gummies Break a Fast?
Technically the answer is yes; sleeping gummies contain ingredients with sugar and carbs. Although, in real terms, the quantity is minuscule, it does effectively break your fast.
However, why you are fasting is a pertinent question. If you are fasting to lose weight, it would be reasonable to suggest you have broken your fast regardless of the small number of calories consumed.
It’s an outstanding achievement to fast for a few days, and the health benefits are immense over the long term. But you need to consider what a lack of sleep is doing to your body.
Not sleeping causes your body to stress, and stress leads to higher levels of cortisol. Cortisol is the enemy of everyone who is dieting as it makes you hold onto the weight you already have.
So, yes, gummies break your fast but consider the balance of what you are trying to achieve before you cease taking sleep supplements.
Can You Take Medicine While Intermittent Fasting?
Yes. Most medications do not use sugars or carbs, so they will not impact your fasting regime.
If you are taking prescribed medication, under no circumstance should you stop unless you have consulted with your doctor?
Medications are prescribed for good reasons, some are to maintain life. As much as the benefits of intermittent fasting can be immense, do not stop taking medications.
Over-the-counter medications and supplements are a different story, you will need to check the labeling carefully and decide if the sugars contravene your fasting regime.
Will Tylenol Break a Fast?
Tylenol contains taxes of cellulose, and cellulose is a carb. But the quantity is so insignificant that it can’t be deemed that Tylenol will break your fast.
If you have aches and pains or a slight fever during your fast, you can take Tylenol and avoid Tylenol syrup, which has high sugar content.
How do I Stop Insomnia When Fasting?
It’s normal to have an initial bout of insomnia when fasting, and it’s hard to sleep for a couple of days when your stomach is empty.
You can try some light exercise to make your body tired, followed by a nice warm bath with your favorite fragrances at hand.
Aromatherapy oils are calming and induce sleep. Try lavender oil; it’s been used for centuries to aid in sleep.
Keep your bedroom cool. Warm bedrooms keep you tossing and turning all through the night.
Read a book, select a book that is not heavy going and not a horror story. You just want to make your eyes feel heavy so you can drift off to sleep.
