Insomnia

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, often accompanied by racing thoughts or early awakenings. Usually caused by overactivation of the HPA axis and elevated nighttime cortisol, which prevents melatonin and GABA from inducing deep sleep. Wakefulness almost always stems from cortisol or adrenaline surges—triggered by stress, anxious thoughts, histamine in food, dopamine-driven alertness, or blood sugar drops that force gluconeogenesis through cortisol and adrenaline release. Nutrient deficiencies (e.g., magnesium, vitamin B6, calcium, sodium, potassium, and tryptophan) can worsen insomnia by impairing neurotransmitter synthesis, melatonin production, and muscle relaxation.

• High cortisol / HPA-axis overdrive: Chronic stress, intense evening training, or stimulating thoughts keep cortisol elevated, suppressing melatonin and keeping the brain in a 'daytime' state.
• Histamine and dopamine activation: High-histamine foods or dopamine surges from excitement, light exposure, or late-night stimuli increase arousal and delay sleep onset.
• Blood sugar drop: Falling nighttime blood sugar triggers cortisol and adrenaline for gluconeogenesis, waking you up alert or anxious.
• Nutrient deficiencies: Low magnesium, B6, calcium, sodium, or potassium disrupt GABA and melatonin balance, causing muscle tension and poor sleep depth.
• Inflammation and cytokine activation: Pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β promote wakefulness by stimulating the brain's arousal centers and increasing sympathetic tone. Elevated inflammation—often from diet, infection, gut permeability, or metabolic stress—can prevent deep sleep and trigger nighttime awakenings.

During fasting or transitioning into ketosis, the body temporarily raises cortisol to drive gluconeogenesis and maintain blood glucose. Once full ketosis is reached and the brain switches to ketones, this cortisol demand drops sharply, leading to lower baseline cortisol and more stable sleep.

Often, it's not the anxious thoughts keeping you awake – it's the cortisol itself. Elevated cortisol heightens alertness and mental activity, and the anxious thoughts appear because cortisol is present, not the other way around.