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Indian curry gives me a good nights sleep....why?

cigana

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Location
UK
Note that curcumin should not be equated to turmeric, although many people seem to think these are more or less the same thing.

Only around 3% of turmeric is curcumin; but turmeric also contains various other active ingredients, such as demethoxycurcumin, bisdemethoxycurcumin, ar-turmerone, atlantone, and zingiberone.

In particular, ar-turmerone may inhibit microglial activation.


You might want to try say 1000 mg of turmeric powder (= half of a level teaspoon) before bed to see if that helps sleep. I take this amount of turmeric each day for anti-anxiety purposes (see my anti-anxiety thread here). Taking too much turmeric can cause diarrhea, so you probably don't want to go above 2000 mg.
Thanks for the info I didn't realise there were so many other active ingredients.
I've tried various doses of turmeric, with and without oil, up to around 6g, without any noticeable effect...
 

JPV

ɹǝqɯǝɯ ɹoıuǝs
Messages
858
I wonder if there is any Ghee in the dishes that you're consuming. If so, perhaps it's increasing the butyrate in your system.
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
However, I would also say that none of them capture the restaurant taste...

Just had a silly thought, but could it be possible that the sheer pleasure of eating something you like so much kicks off endorphins and/or serotonin, which in turn leads to uninterupted sleep?? Especially if combined with antiinflammatory effects of curcumin, and 5-htp agonist effects of nutmeg that Hip posted about, and having a full tummy since you like it and eat so much :) ... So a scenario where none of these factors on their own would be strong enough for a whole-night sleep, but combined they work wonders?

I know someone who started sleeping all night for the first time (without those 3-5am wakings) when they started taking valtrex (not a huge responder to valtrex in other ways). Long shot but since valtrex has an effect on IDO and serotonin pathways there could be a connection there.
 

cigana

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Location
UK
Just had a silly thought, but could it be possible that the sheer pleasure of eating something you like so much kicks off endorphins and/or serotonin, which in turn leads to uninterupted sleep?? Especially if combined with antiinflammatory effects of curcumin, and 5-htp agonist effects of nutmeg that Hip posted about, and having a full tummy since you like it and eat so much :) ... So a scenario where none of these factors on their own would be strong enough for a whole-night sleep, but combined they work wonders?
That's an interesting idea :)
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
@cigana wondering if you use cornstarch in your homemade curries?

I have just been reading some posts on cornstarch before bedtime being very beneficial for some people with sleep disorders, even in extreme cases (resolving them 100%). This presumably is to do with cornstarch helping nighttime tips in blood sugar... When I heard someone mentioned that cornstarch is used in curries I remembered your post and this discussion :)
 

cigana

Senior Member
Messages
1,095
Location
UK
@cigana wondering if you use cornstarch in your homemade curries?

I have just been reading some posts on cornstarch before bedtime being very beneficial for some people with sleep disorders, even in extreme cases (resolving them 100%). This presumably is to do with cornstarch helping nighttime tips in blood sugar... When I heard someone mentioned that cornstarch is used in curries I remembered your post and this discussion :)
Ha well done for remembering and linking up! I don't use cornstarch actually, so whatever it is, it's not that. (I do put plenty of potatoes, so it could be related to potato starch...).
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
It could actually be that when you don't eat as much your blood sugar is dropping through the night - when do you normally eat your last food of the day ? - and that will wake you.

Another way to test this is about 1/2 hr before bed to have a heaped teaspoon or two of glucose powder (if you can tolerate it) Boots sell it in a box as Glucose C, and see if that helps keep you going through the night.

Longer term solution maybe a late night snack if it is the blood sugar issue.

unfortunately glucose powder will not keep ones sugar levels up all night in those who have trouble with this. Glucose is a quick sugar hit which would cause an insulin spike which then causes the sugar level in body to fall again. One needs complex carbohydrates right before bed to help keep it up all night.