Salt deficiency , poor sleep

[Andy_OC]

Hello folks . Been a while since I've visited the forum. started down the home brewing path last summer. 800 or so pints in , I'm 20 brews in now and have enjoyed it alot . Haven't bought a beer in the shop since I acquired a critical mass of bottles . Yet to go down the keg route.

Anyhow , I was suffering disturbed sleep for a long while when drinking much more than 2 to 3 pints a night . Would wake in the early hours , light unsettled sleep , struggle to go back over etc . Would be very tired the next day . I seen a medical article that said we should be consuming more salt that guidelines state and that most people when given free reigns in the sodium department naturally reach a level that the body requires which plateaus around 5g a day Vs the recommend average of 2.5 or so. At this point they will naturally avoid salty things as the body's demand is satisfied . I decided to go ahead with the salt and add more to taste as well as going down the fully burtonised water route in my most recent bitters and Burton top dog stout (GW recepie).

I must say that in the last month it has been a much better sleep for me each night after 4 to 6 beers which would have left me shattered the next day previously. I put it down to salt deficiency previously . I've monitored my blood pressure and not noticed any change since beginning to indulge in salt .

Do your own research and all that but I though I'd put it here to see if anyone else has noticed anything similar in the past .

I've been using brewfather for my most recent salt calculations to get the burtonised profile but have decided that I will use this forums GW based calculator for the next few batches as I think I preferred the taste previously.

P.s. I brew from 3.5 to 4.8 pc ideally and keep clear of anything stronger .

 

[Agentgonzo]

When you say salt, are you meaning specifically sodium chloride, or calcium chloride/sulphite etc

Otherwise, interesting. I too have light sleep/wake early if I've had a few pints. I just put it down to getting older.

 

[The Baron]

I have started putting salt in my beer - sodium chloride mainly to counter over bitter beers especially when adding loads of hops

 

[Andy_OC]

When you say salt, are you meaning specifically sodium chloride, or calcium chloride/sulphite etc

Otherwise, interesting. I too have light sleep/wake early if I've had a few pints. I just put it down to getting older.

If I recall the medical article said lack of magnesium and sodium (epsom salt and table salt) can cause poor sleep amongst other things . Take a look on Google "low salt myth".
All I can say is that I'm no longer sleeping fitfully and anxiously all night after a couple of beers .

 

[Alastair70]

Alcohol trashes your sleep pattern, end of. It’s got nothing to do with salt imbalances, it’s the implicit effect of booze on the brain and there’s no escaping it.

The natural sleep cycle consists of repeated slow descents through light to deep sleep followed by the dream state. If you’re off the sauce you’ll hit deep sleep and dreaming 3 or 4 times during the night. If you’ve been boozing you don’t get past the light sleep bit properly. You will experience an erratic dream pattern and you are highly likely to get kicked into consciousness a couple of times during the night instead of continuing on to enter deep sleep.

Deep sleep is the part that allows the mind to resolve and process the sitimuli of the day. There are almost certainly degrees of physical neuronal repair and new synapse connection generation occurring during deep sleep as well. Without adequate deep sleep you wake up tired, lack energy and struggle to maintain focus during the following day.

Keep a sleep diary. Before getting focused on what helps makes beer and sleep work better together you should try a week of no alcohol at all. Most smartphones have a sleep tracking app that will offer up some metrics to help quantify any benefits you notice.

 

[soupdragon]

I have started putting salt in my beer - sodium chloride mainly to counter over bitter beers especially when adding loads of hops

Interesting.......
How much salt do you add to take the edge off an overly bitter beer?

Cheers Tom

 

[MashBag]

Interesting.......
How much salt do you add to take the edge off an overly bitter beer?

Cheers Tom

+1

 

[MashBag]

Regarding the op.

Low salt and low fat are claptrap of the "modern health guidelines". Why trust someone else with the most important part of your being.. Food.

Like you say do you own research. I did.

"the clot thickens" written by a UK cardiologist will open your eyes for sure and it is a good & easy read.

To be healthy you need, fat, salts, vitamins and sunshine.... And probably some other bits and pieces

Damn... And Beer of course

 

[Donegal john]

Alcohol trashes your sleep pattern, end of. It’s got nothing to do with salt imbalances, it’s the implicit effect of booze on the brain and there’s no escaping it.

The natural sleep cycle consists of repeated slow descents through light to deep sleep followed by the dream state. If you’re off the sauce you’ll hit deep sleep and dreaming 3 or 4 times during the night. If you’ve been boozing you don’t get past the light sleep bit properly. You will experience an erratic dream pattern and you are highly likely to get kicked into consciousness a couple of times during the night instead of continuing on to enter deep sleep.

Deep sleep is the part that allows the mind to resolve and process the sitimuli of the day. There are almost certainly degrees of physical neuronal repair and new synapse connection generation occurring during deep sleep as well. Without adequate deep sleep you wake up tired, lack energy and struggle to maintain focus during the following day.

Keep a sleep diary. Before getting focused on what helps makes beer and sleep work better together you should try a week of no alcohol at all. Most smartphones have a sleep tracking app that will offer up some metrics to help quantify any benefits you notice.

We’ll said and we’ll explained answer from a very well informed professional
Alcohol disrupts sleep. End of.

 

[Clint]

I thought my poor sleep was caused by working nights and my mother in law appearing like Mr Ben...
Typically .....I'm nights tonight,I got up about 9.00am,I'm on shift 19.00hrs til 07.00hrs,I get a flyer so will be home before 7. I will stay away now right through til tomorrow morning. Sleep will usually be about 5 hours then I get up and stay awake right through til the end of the next night shift. First "day off" I try to get up around dinner time,whatever I do it's a wash out. In the warmer months I've often gone fishing straight off the last night shift ,got set up and go to sleep,staying til the next day. Proper peace and quiet!

 

[MashBag]

OK while we are on the subject of sleeping, does anyone else find foad mattresses (Emma) bloody hot to sleep on.

 

[Agentgonzo]

OK while we are on the subject of sleeping, does anyone else find foad mattresses (Emma) bloody hot to sleep on.

Yes. Foam mattresses are far more insulating than sprung ones. It's like sleeping on a 20cm thick duvet. We were advised to use a lighter duvet after getting one with a foam top layer.

 

[Sadfield]

I thought my poor sleep was caused by working nights and my mother in law appearing like Mr Ben...

.....Astronaut....Cowboy....Deep sea diver.....knight the next time?

 

[MashBag]

Yes. Foam mattresses are far more insulating than sprung ones. It's like sleeping on a 20cm thick duvet. We were advised to use a lighter duvet after getting one with a foam top layer.

Thanks. But I am already down to a 1 tog with an all cotton cover. Think I might have to go back...

 

[Rakey]

Hello folks . Been a while since I've visited the forum. started down the home brewing path last summer. 800 or so pints in , I'm 20 brews in now and have enjoyed it alot . Haven't bought a beer in the shop since I acquired a critical mass of bottles . Yet to go down the keg route.

Anyhow , I was suffering disturbed sleep for a long while when drinking much more than 2 to 3 pints a night . Would wake in the early hours , light unsettled sleep , struggle to go back over etc . Would be very tired the next day . I seen a medical article that said we should be consuming more salt that guidelines state and that most people when given free reigns in the sodium department naturally reach a level that the body requires which plateaus around 5g a day Vs the recommend average of 2.5 or so. At this point they will naturally avoid salty things as the body's demand is satisfied . I decided to go ahead with the salt and add more to taste as well as going down the fully burtonised water route in my most recent bitters and Burton top dog stout (GW recepie).

I must say that in the last month it has been a much better sleep for me each night after 4 to 6 beers which would have left me shattered the next day previously. I put it down to salt deficiency previously . I've monitored my blood pressure and not noticed any change since beginning to indulge in salt .

Do your own research and all that but I though I'd put it here to see if anyone else has noticed anything similar in the past .

I've been using brewfather for my most recent salt calculations to get the burtonised profile but have decided that I will use this forums GW based calculator for the next few batches as I think I preferred the taste previously.

P.s. I brew from 3.5 to 4.8 pc ideally and keep clear of anything stronger .

Might be worth you seeing the Doc rather than self diagnosing the lack of sleep issue due to salt.

Long term sufferer of lack of deep sleep and REM. The doc found I had a vitamin B12 deficiency, was then put on B12 injections, now on B12 tablets whilst this has had a marked improvement I'm currently waiting to see the sleep clinic for further tests and diagnosis.

Lack of good sleep can have lots of impact on life and also can be caused by so many things.

 

[Nashbrew]

OK while we are on the subject of sleeping, does anyone else find foad mattresses (Emma) bloody hot to sleep on.

Hi Mash
Tried one of those and it was about 20% warmer than a conventional sprung.
So ditched it and went with a traditional sprung.

 

[Clint]

.....Astronaut....Cowboy....Deep sea diver.....knight the next time?

Neither...its ALWAYS the wicked witch of the west.

 

[The Baron]

Interesting.......
How much salt do you add to take the edge off an overly bitter beer?

Cheers Tom

Just added 2g to a 19ltr brew haven't tasted it yet but being a little cautious but I have been told that you can add more before it becomes a issue

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I thought my poor sleep was caused by working nights and my mother in law appearing like Mr Ben...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

t I am already down to a 1 tog with an all cotton cover.

That reminds me of this -